Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison have taken many trips down memory lane to celebrate A Different World’s 35th anniversary. Over time, Jasmine, who played Whitley Gilbert, and Kadeem, who played Dwayne Wayne became beloved sitcom figures, particularly in Black households, that influenced pop culture.
Who can forget Dwayne Wayne’s iconic flip-up glasses that became a fashion trend and who didn’t want to be bad and bougie like Whitley? Their love story was also looked at as goals, however, recently, many fans have spoken out against that idea. Probably the most memorable moment in the sitcom’s history took place in season five when Dwayne crashed Whitley’s wedding to Byron and pleaded with her to marry him instead.
A Different World: 5x25 - Dwayne interrupts Whitley and Byron's Weddingwww.youtube.com
While that scene is TV gold, Jasmine and Kadeem were not on board with it and shared that they expressed it to the writers. In an interview with The Breakfast Club, the ‘90s icons revisited that moment at the 56:33 mark. “We had done so many real things on the show. So many things that felt real from the AIDS and the apartheid and all of that, for me to crash this wedding like this felt like a complete leap. It didn’t make any sense,” Kadeem said. Dwayne and Whitley had experienced a lot of ups and downs in their relationship and during season five, Whitley began dating an aspiring senator who she agreed to marry after he proposed shortly after dating.
Kadeem explained that he was nervous because he didn’t agree with the scene but he had to put his personal feelings aside and make his character seem believable to the audience. “Once I was getting dragged out and Iost the lyric, I panicked and I knew that her cue was will you? I’m supposed to run down all the vows and say ‘will you?’ which is what the preacher asked and then she said ‘I do,’” he said. “But I got lost in the lyric and just yelled out ‘baby please’ just because I was drowning.”
Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
The K.C. Undercover star said that he was adamant about doing the scene in one take because he knew it would only get worse if they had to keep redoing it. “You don’t want to do that again because of the emotional build but both of us thought that sh-t was corny,” Jasmine said.
She continued, “First of all, I felt it was disrespectful and I’ve spoken at Spelman and those girls were like, ‘that wasn’t a compliment for him to come up there at the last minute, the night before you at your mama’s house.' And if it had been me in my real life, if you came up in my mama’s house and then the next day you object, no. It’s too late.”
Kadeem revealed that it was actually his idea to show up at Whitley’s mother’s house but he presented that as an option to the writers instead of breaking up the wedding. While the writers liked the idea, they still wanted him to object to the wedding. “And that’s why that part one is more real to me than the wedding,” Jasmine concluded.
Watch the full interview below:
Jasmine Guy & Kadeem Hardison On A Different World's Impact, Character Chemistry, Black Love + Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Cindy Ord/Getty Images
RELATED
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Frederick and Josephanie Buffington are a beautiful testament of this notion. During our discussion, they humorously walked me through how they connected, their immediate attraction, and how they’ve been able to passionately follow these feelings all the way to the altar. The couple attributes their exciting new marriage to discovering who they were individually and knowing what they desire from partnership prior to meeting. Check out their story below.
How and where did you two meet?
Frederick: Well, I’m a Southern gentleman from Arkansas. It’s not really my thing to get into dating apps and stuff like that. But after being in Atlanta for a while and talking to a friend from the area, she explained why she deals with them, and it made sense to me. So I gave it a try, and it failed about eighteen times (laughs). But when I was on the verge of hanging it up, a pretty little thing popped up on my screen.
Josephanie: I actually got on the app that day to delete it. I was like, I’m done with this, and I don’t want to do this anymore. But I saw him and was like, let’s wait a second. And he sent me a message, we matched, and the same day he called me. We ended up talking on the phone for like seven hours, and that was like it for us.
"I actually got on the app that day to delete it. I was like, I’m done with this, and I don’t want to do this anymore. But I saw him and was like, let’s wait a second. And he sent me a message, we matched, and the same day he called me. We ended up talking on the phone for like seven hours, and that was like it for us."
Were you attracted instantly, or did it develop over time?
Josephanie: No. Nah, I’m just kidding – I was always attracted to him.
Frederick: Yeah, she has always been this fine.
xovelshee/ Instagram
Walk me through the courtship. Did y'all ever have that awkward “what are we convo, and who initiated it?
Josephanie: No, we didn’t have that conversation. Because it went so fast, after date three, we decided we were doing this.
Frederick: By then we had talked about life goals and everything enough that we realized if we went different ways, we would be stupid.
And what made you want to commit to a relationship with one another? How did you know it was special?
Josephanie: Because it went so fast. It was like a whirlwind, and usually, I steer clear of those. But this was fun, intense, and energy-filled. So I was like, let’s just ride this wave and see where it takes us.
Frederick: Yeah, and we ended up here. I’m really picky about everything. For me, it was like 2-3 weeks in when I realized she wasn’t getting on my nerves, so I knew it was something there. It sounds funny, but I’m serious. Like, I used to get to a point in dating where I’d start thinking a woman breathed funny or just something random would turn me off. This was different. I was just enjoying it. And still, no matter who I’m in the presence of or who approaches me, I just don’t see anything trumping this.
"It was like a whirlwind, and usually, I steer clear of those. But this was fun, intense, and energy-filled. So I was like, let’s just ride this wave and see where it takes us."
xovelshee/ Instagram
Speaking of time, what do you do to keep the relationship spicy?
Josephanie: That’s all me. (laughs)
Frederick: That’s where her career as a sex therapist comes in. (laughs).
I love that approach. I’m curious what did you two learn in your single season?
Josephanie: I got to know myself and put emphasis on my intrinsic value. It’s not about 'what I’m bringing to the table.' It’s about who I am as an individual, and what my value is, and where my value lies. That’s not about what I’m doing but who I am.
Frederick: Yeah, I figured out who I was before I got with her, too. Outside of social media and what your friends/family think, it’s important to figure out what you like because, ultimately, you’re going to have to live with that decision. So know who you are and let them know who you are. During my single season, I took the time to really know myself and I focused on what I like. Again, I’m picky. So, I had to figure out what I really liked before I drove someone else crazy. And then she was patient with me, so I ended up making a good choice (laughs).
xovelshee/ Instagram
What was the biggest challenge that you had to overcome together?
Josephanie: I recently had surgery. So, I had 64 fibroids, a major abdominal myomectomy. I couldn’t do anything for myself, and he was there 24/7. I was in the hospital for 5 to 6 days, and he slept on the floor the whole time.
Fredrick: And those floor mats were not there for everybody. Her mother was there too – shoutout to her mother. That was definitely something very challenging that we got through together.
Finally, what’s your favorite thing about each other?
Frederick: Her booty. No, I’m just playing. I’ll give it to you in order: her confidence, intelligence, humor, and then the booty and smile.
Josephanie: My favorite thing about him is that he is the epitome of Black boy joy. He’s always laughing, he’s always smiling. There’s always jokes. His personality radiates. You can’t help but want to be in his presence.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by T Fash Images
