Photo Credit: Paramount
Actor and director Kadeem Hardison became known for his role as the fast-talking, flip-sunglass-wearing Dwayne Wayne on the hit ‘90s show A Different World alongside Lisa Bonet, Jasmine Guy and Debbie Allen. This role made him an instant icon and a memorable television figure, whose legacy influences young Black people even today.
Following his breakout role, Hardison most recently starred in Moonhaven for AMC, was a series regular on Teenage Bounty Hunters for Netflix and had a recurring role on the Showtime comedy series Black Monday. He also starred in the Disney Channel’s K.C. Undercover opposite Zendaya for three seasons and guest starred and recurred on various shows such as Grown-ish, Parenthood, Girlfriends, and Everybody Hates Chris, along with many others.
While Hardison’s prolific career has spanned several genres and mediums, including television, film, theater, animation and voiceover work, he has found value and growth in all these spaces but indicated that acting is still his favorite medium. In an interview with The Quintessential Gentleman, Hardison elaborates that television is different from film and plays and while the preparation process for these are all unique, the opportunity to act is paramount.
Hardison and his former A Different World castmates have been praised for decades for the show’s longstanding impact. The series, which ran for six seasons, has been attributed to a significant increase in enrollment at HBCUs and college attendance for young Black students although none of the core cast members attended an HBCU. The show’s cast is currently touring different HBCUs across the country as part of the A Different World HBCU College Tour 2024, celebrating the 35-year legacy of Hillman College and HBCUs’ mission to educate the next generation of leaders.
While Hardison did not attend college, he explains that his participation on the show felt like his own college experience, in terms of the Black collegiality, connection, and coming of age he experienced with his castmates. “It was where I grew up and even better than high school or college [for me].” He explains that, like the typical college experience, his castmates came from different parts of the country and became a tight-knit group. The significance of that experience has taken on new meaning for him since his early 20s, as he now realizes that it created something that still resonates with so many today.
Currently, Hardison can be seen in the latest season of the hit series The Chi, [now streaming on the Paramount+ with Showtime plan]. In this sixth season, he plays Professor Gardner – a college literature professor who inspires Bakari (Ahmad Ferguson) and guides him in a new direction. A huge fan of the show since the first season, Hardison immediately contacted creator Lena Waithe, whom he already knew, to discuss potential opportunities for him to appear. Waithe eventually created the character of Professor Gardner. While Hardison couldn’t share what’s in store for his character, he’s excited to learn more about his arc.
It was noted that Hardison has previously played a professor as his Dwayne Wayne character, and he acknowledges that he may be viewed as a mentor figure for many young Black men. While he appreciates the opportunity to inspire them through his craft, he adds, “I’m glad that I get to play these characters in my professional life because someone else is planning and writing for the character and I get to express that. Personally, that’s much harder for me to do, but having the space to showcase that type of relationship and motivation, even through an evolved version of him, is fun.”
Having had a career spanning several decades and diverse characters, Hardison insists that all of his roles were “dream roles,” noting, “It’s all about how you approach a particular role and having the opportunity to get the role. The dream is to keep working and keep acting.”
It has been speculated that the presence and volume of Black productions in Hollywood has been inconsistent (i.e. there has historically been a Renaissance or increase in Black-produced content for a finite amount of time, followed by a dearth. Hardison attributes much of this to the shortage of [Black influential] creators and those who can greenlight content. “[Black-produced content] seems to be consistently under the radar. I’d love to see more of those people who can approve [diverse projects]. I have noticed a rise in quality content with the onset of streaming, and hopefully, this can continue, but you never know.”
Some may be aware that Hardison is the son of former model, advocate and activist Bethann Hardison, who is the subject of the documentary Invisible Beauty, in which Kadeem appears. Ms. Hardison is known as a groundbreaker in the fashion industry and has guided the careers of some of the most prominent models while championing diversity through her advocacy work. Hardison credits his mother with providing much-needed guidance, particularly early in his career. “She was the one that pushed me towards whatever I wanted to do. If there’s anything that people see in me that they like, know that it comes from her and my father [Donald McFadden].”
Hardison has observed firsthand the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, particularly for Black talent. When asked about some of the highlights and pitfalls of show business in the earlier days of his career compared to current times, he references a lyric from A Tribe Called Quest’s popular song: Things Go in Cycles, meaning that many themes tend to recur in life. He mentions the drug abuse that was rampant among young stars in the 90s and the
disheartening observation of some of this being repeated today. Highlights include being able to work as an actor during such a unique era. “It was the best time of all time,” he reminisces. “You spend the rest of your life chasing that lightning and hopefully you’re lucky enough to catch it.”
When asked what Black men need, Hardison suggests that a certain need should be met from childhood, replying, “Black boys need love. As a man, you kind of move on to something else that you may need, but it’s important for boys to get love early and often.”
Although tight-lipped about sharing any upcoming projects, Hardison hinted that there were some projects in the pipeline, and he’ll be sure to share as he’s able to. Until then, he can be seen as Professor Gardner in new episodes of The Chi airing on Fridays.
Check out the full interview below.
