Felicia Pride on Capturing Innocence, Humanity in ‘A Different World’ Sequel and Revering the Original: “We’re Not Replacing It”

Thirty-nine years to the day after A Different World premiered on NBC on Sept. 24, 1987, its long-awaited sequel has debuted on Netflix. “The timing is right in terms of the fact that we need to hear from Black students, Black young people, and also the need for hope,” showrunner, creator and executive producer Felicia Pride told The Hollywood Reporter during a March set visit at the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Consortium, where the campuses of Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College and Morehouse College meet. “This show has a lot of hope, a lot of heart, it has a lot of warmth and an intergenerational element that I think is really…