“A Different World” stars Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison are celebrating 35 years of the series, telling never before heard stories about the inner workings, including claims that producers on the show treated its original lead actress, Lisa Bonet, horribly.
During a special appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” the pair, who portrayed Whiteey Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne on the show from 1987 to 1993, reflected on the first season. Guy revealed she tried to quit despite signing a six-year contract. However, producers reportedly wouldn’t approve.
“That first season–I’m telling you–it was wack, and I didn’t like the way they were treating Lisa Bonet,” Guy said, claiming that the actress who played Denise Huxtable on the flagship show was routinely belittled and disrespected. “You disrespect her in front of an audience, in front of me, you disrespecting me too,” the actress continued.
Guy claimed higher-ups would often get “all up in” Bonet’s face and order her around, saying things like “just do it, just say it.” The actress added, “and the pointing.”
She continued, “I’m like, that’s a sweet girl because you’re not getting up on me like that. And you know, we’ve dealt with b–tches. We’re from New York, as far as choreographers and directors and whatnot.”
Guy stated that while she didn’t interfere on set, “I was like ‘oh no. you not treating her like that” before adding, “She had to hire security.”
When asked by Charlamagne Tha God if the mistreatment prompted her exit from the show, the pair disagreed. Hardison and Guy disagreed, sharing that Bonet being pregnant at the time more than likely triggered it. “[They] didn’t want a Black girl pregnant in college,” Hardison said. “I thought it would’ve been a great tool and something to inspire because it was all inspiring, so why not?”
Bonet’s character ultimately returned to “The Cosby Show,“ where she met and married a Navy SEAL and became stepmother to his young daughter, played by Raven-Symoné.
Fans were moved by Guy’s support for Bonet, including one Twitter user who wrote, “I love when black women do this for other black women in the workplace.”
“I’m so happy to see Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison speak on Lisa Bonet,” added another. “I’m always suspicious when actresses are labeled difficult. Is she really difficult, or does she speak up for herself?
