Everyone turns when a Lamborghini pulls onto the Hillman campus five minutes into the new A Different World. Star football recruit Shaquille Johnson emerges with a lot of swagger and, as it turns out, a lot he’s not saying. In the weeks following the September 24 premiere, Cornell Young IV, the actor portraying him, has been asked the same question: “Where did this guy come from?”
St. Louis is the short answer. As one of seven kids growing up on the north side of the city, Young claimed that sports were the main focus of his upbringing. After playing cornerback, wide receiver, and running back at Kirkwood High School, he continued his career as a receiver at McKendree University. The idea of acting was far off. After performing in a few plays in middle school, he decided that was where it would remain.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Cornell Young IV |
| Date of Birth | February 14, 2000 |
| Place of Birth | Kirkwood, Missouri, USA |
| Hometown | North side of St. Louis, Missouri |
| Family | One of seven children |
| High School | Kirkwood High School |
| High School Football Positions | Running back, wide receiver, cornerback |
| College | McKendree University (wide receiver) |
| Early Interest in Acting | Middle school plays; returned to theater during college marketing courses |
| First TV Role | Forever (Netflix young-adult romance) |
| Current Role | Shaquille Johnson in Netflix’s A Different World |
| Character Background | Five-star football recruit, son of Ron Johnson (Darryl M. Bell) and Jaclyn (Halle Berry) |
| Love Interest on Show | Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon) |
| Show Premiere Date | September 24, 2026 |
| Co-Stars | Maleah Joi Moon, Alijah Kai, Chibuikem Uche, Jordan Aaron Hall, Kennedi Reece |
| Original Cast Returning | Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Darryl M. Bell, Cree Summer |
| Director and Executive Producer | Debbie Allen |
| Showrunner | Felicia Pride |
| Upcoming Project | Doing Life (Tyler Perry movie) |
| Fun Fact | The wig-snatching scene with Alijah Kai was improvised |
| Nickname for Darryl M. Bell | “Pops” |
A marketing course was what made a difference. He looked for something to counterbalance the boring coursework, and theater proved to be that something. He lived a double life for a while, neglecting his football commitments in favor of rehearsals. He likens himself to Troy Bolton from High School Musical, and what sticks out is that his football friends attend his plays and sit in the front row in an attempt to get him to break character. It’s difficult to dislike that image.
How he got on this show is the part of the story that seems almost too tidy. Young claims that in early 2024, he was binge-watching the original and hoping that it would be produced again. The announcement of the revival came about three months later. He informed his agent that he was only interested in one role when it came time to try out. He claims that many aspects of Shaquille were already present in his own life and that he had already completed the task of visualizing the character.
Prior to that, he had his first TV job and the Netflix young adult romance Forever. He recalls being anxious on the first day before quickly calming down. He still considers that cast to be close friends, and he is working on a movie with Tyler Perry called Doing Life.
He claims that the older cast members made a difference on set. He was reportedly informed by director and executive producer Debbie Allen that he was hired for a reason and that he already possessed the character. The original cast felt obligated to embrace the newcomers in the same way that previous generations of Hillman actors had done for them, according to Darryl M. Bell, who plays his father Ron. When Young refers to Bell as “Pops,” the warmth appears on screen.
The plot of Shaquille is more complex than the Lamborghini implies. Any attempt to rely on him is complicated by the fact that his father is also his manager and he is grieving the loss of his mother, whose final wish sent him to Hillman. Young laughs at Halle Berry’s casting as that mother, Jaclyn, and Bell jokes that everyone will think Shaquille inherited his appearance from her.
The show’s strongest statement about communication is found in his romance with Maleah Joi Moon’s character, Deborah Wayne. Young believes that everything could have been resolved with just one open discussion at the beginning of the semester. The message is straightforward—perhaps too straightforward—but it resonates because it is accurate.
The wig comes next. Co-star Alijah Kai wandered in with her wig during one scene, and the two of them made up the rest. The crew can be heard laughing during the take as Young grabbed it and ran. It seems like the kind of thing that only occurs when a set is at ease.
According to Young, he saw himself as a child in the original series, where few people attend college. He is now a part of that heritage. The actor appears to grasp the significance of the role, though it’s still unclear how far Shaquille’s story will go.
