Whitley Gilbert-Wayne

Last updated
Whitley Gilbert-Wayne
A Different World character
First appearanceReconcilable Differences
Last appearanceWhen One Door Closes...: Part 2
Created by Bill Cosby
Portrayed by Jasmine Guy [1]
In-universe information
Full nameWhitley Marion Gilbert (later Whitley Marion Gilbert-Wayne)
GenderFemale
OccupationAssistant Art Buyer
Teacher
FamilyMercer Gilbert (father)
Marion Height Gilbert (mother)
Spouse Dwayne Cleofis Wayne
NationalityAmerican

Whitley Marion Gilbert-Wayne is a fictional character who appears in the American sitcom A Different World , portrayed by actress Jasmine Guy. [2] [3] [4] Warming up to whiz student Dwayne Wayne, the two have an on/off flirtation with each other until their eventual marriage near the end of the series. [5]

Contents

Conception

Whitley Gilbert was based on head writer Susan Fales-Hill. [6] When Jasmine Guy auditioned for the role of Whitley Gilbert, she originally considered using her own Northern accent, but instead used an exaggerated Southern accent, believing it would be more comedic. [7] The inspiration for Whitley's accent was Miss Pinkard, Guy's third-grade teacher and her first teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools system after her family moved to Atlanta from Boston. [7]

Character History

In the beginning of the series, Whitley Gilbert was the spoiled Southern belle of Gilbert Hall, but viewers watched Whitley evolve over the seasons. Denise Huxtable and Whitley shared a room briefly before Denise went back to Jaleesa. Later in the 1st season, Whitley befriended Millie. At the end of the season, Whitley loaned Dwayne Wayne money so that he could go on his date with Denise.

When Denise left the show, Whitley and Dwayne became friends and ultimately each other's love interest; their attraction developed through the next 2 seasons of the show. Despite this, Whitley dated Julian Day during Season 3. The relationship ended when Julian took Whitley out to a fancy dinner to ask Whitley to move in with him instead of proposing as she'd expected. At the end of the third season, Whitley decided to stay in school for another year to get the degree she really wanted.

At the start of the fourth season, Whitley became interested in Dwayne to such a degree that she schemed how Kinu, Dwayne's girlfriend at the time, might break up with him. She even went on a date with his best friend, Ron.

During her continued studies, Whitley became the dorm director of Height Hall named after her family.

Dwayne ultimately realized his true feelings for Whitley and eventually proposed (she accepted). Whitley began to put a lot of pressure on Dwayne which led to him going out with another woman for coffee. When he told her, Whitley broke off the engagement. Dwayne and Whitley became mean to each other.

Whitley got her dream job buying corporate art. She was very good at it, but after she was sexually harassed by her boss, she decided to file a complaint against him, but was unable to prove it. Later, Whitley started going out with Byron Douglas, who was running for senator. Dwayne became very jealous. Whitley decided to clear the air with Dwayne and finally put their relationship in the past. The conversation turned into a fight, and they ended up sleeping together. Whitley confessed what happened with Dwayne to Byron, and she and Byron decided it was time to become an official couple. After winning the election, Byron proposed to Whitley. At the wedding, Dwayne showed Whitley he still loved her and asked her to marry him with the now famous plea “Baby, please, please!” Whitley agreed and they got married right away. During their honeymoon, they were in Los Angeles and were caught in the middle of the riots.

During the final season of the show, they found a nice house to live in, which they rented from a French professor at Hillman. Whitley was laid off from her job as an art buyer, which led to a series of episodes forcing her to deal with the ups and downs of real life (unemployment and job searches). She eventually took a job as teacher in the inner city. This led to her developing a relationship tutoring one of her young students struggling with learning through the use of conventional methods. The student, a female, shows an interest in sports which inspires Dwayne (with the original idea for the game coming from his best friend Ron Johnson) to develop an educational video game (Grammar Boy). He decides to pitch the game to Kinishewa which landed him a job paying $80,000 a year (in Japan). The final episode follows Whitley and Dwayne as they announce the news that they are expecting their first child and moving to Japan.

Reception

The character gained a mostly positive reception from critics. [8] [9] [10] [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwayne Johnson</span> American actor and professional wrestler (born 1972)

Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor, businessman, and professional wrestler. As a wrestler, he is signed to WWE, where he performs on a part-time basis and is a member of The Bloodline. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the development and success of the World Wrestling Federation during the Attitude Era, an industry boom period in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Johnson wrestled for the WWF full-time for eight years before pursuing an acting career. His films have grossed over $3.5 billion in North America and over $10.5 billion worldwide, making him one of the world's highest-grossing and highest-paid actors. He is a co-owner of the United Football League (UFL), a professional American football league. He is also a member of the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and WWE. In 2012, he co-founded the entertainment production company Seven Bucks Productions. He is the founder of Teremana Tequila, which is valued at approximately $3.5 billion.

<i>A Different World</i> American sitcom (1987-1993)

A Different World is an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of The Cosby Show. It aired for six seasons on NBC from September 24, 1987 to July 9, 1993. The series originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically black college in Virginia. It was inspired by student life at historically black colleges and universities.

<i>The Steve Harvey Show</i> American television sitcom (1996–2002)

The Steve Harvey Show is an American television sitcom created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan that aired on The WB from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002, with a total of 122 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasmine Guy</span> American actress and singer (born 1962)

Jasmine Chanel Guy is an American actress, singer, dancer and director. She portrayed Dina in the 1988 film School Daze and Whitley Gilbert-Wayne on the NBC The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World, which originally ran from 1987 to 1993. Guy won four consecutive NAACP Image Awards from 1990 through 1993 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on the show. She played Roxy Harvey on Dead Like Me and as Sheila "Grams" Bennett on The Vampire Diaries. She also played the role of Gemma on Grey's Anatomy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawnn Lewis</span> American actress and singer (born 1961)

Dawnn Jewel Lewis is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Jaleesa Vinson–Taylor on the NBC television sitcom A Different World from the series beginning in 1987 until the end of its fifth season in 1992, in addition to co-writing the opening theme song for the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kadeem Hardison</span> American actor (born 1965)

Kadeem Hardison is an American actor. The son of fashion model Bethann Hardison, he rose to prominence after landing the role of Dwayne Wayne on the television series A Different World, a spin-off of the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. He is also known for playing Craig Cooper, the title character's father, in the Disney Channel series K.C. Undercover. Hardison has also appeared in the first season of the Showtime comedy Black Monday and starred as Bowser in the Netflix series Teenage Bounty Hunters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lola Falana</span> American singer, dancer, and actress

Loletha Elayne Falana or Loletha Elaine Falana, better known by her stage name Lola Falana, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1975 for her performance as Edna Mae Sheridan in Doctor Jazz.

Jasmine (<i>Aladdin</i>) Fictional character from the 1992 Disney film Aladdin

Jasmine is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Aladdin (1992). Voiced by Linda Larkin – with a singing voice provided by Lea Salonga – Jasmine is the spirited daughter of the Sultan, who has grown weary of her life of palace confinement. Despite an age-old law stipulating that the princess must marry a prince in time for her upcoming birthday, Jasmine is instead determined to marry someone she loves for who he is as opposed to what he owns. Created by screenwriters and directors Ron Clements and John Musker with co-screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, Jasmine is based on Badroulbadour, a princess who appears in the One Thousand and One Nights folktale "Aladdin and the Magical Lamp."

<i>Love, Inc.</i> (TV series) American television sitcom

Love, Inc. is an American television sitcom created by Andrew Secunda, which originally aired for one season on United Paramount Network (UPN) from September 22, 2005, to May 11, 2006. With an ensemble cast led by Busy Philipps, Vince Vieluf, Reagan Gomez-Preston, Ion Overman and Holly Robinson Peete, the show revolves around five matchmakers working at a dating agency. The series was produced by Chase TV, the Littlefield Company, Burg/Koules Television, and Paramount Television. It was distributed by UPN in its original run and later by LivingTV and Nelonen in the United Kingdom and Finland respectively. The executive producers were Adam Chase, Warren Littlefield, Mark Burg and Oren Koules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kym Whitley</span> American comedian and actress (born 1962)

Kym Whitley is an American comedian, actress, and podcaster. She is known for her roles on television sitcoms, such as My Brother and Me, Sparks, Animal Practice, The Boondocks, Young & Hungry, The Parkers, The Cleveland Show, Black Dynamite, and Act Your Age. Whitley was nominated for a 2004 BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Box Office Movie for her role as Ormandy in the 2003 comedy film Deliver Us From Eva.

Monica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. Calhoun is best known for her roles in the films Bagdad Cafe, The Players Club, The Salon, The Best Man, and its sequel The Best Man Holiday. Calhoun has been nominated for an Emmy Award and one NAACP Image Award.

Dwayne Wayne is a fictional character who appears in the American sitcom A Different World, portrayed by actor Kadeem Hardison.

<i>The Real World: Cancun</i> Season of television series

The Real World: Cancun is the twenty-second season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. It is the only season of The Real World to be filmed in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandy filmography</span>

As an actress, Brandy Norwood has appeared in feature films and television shows. She made her television debut in 1993 in the ABC sitcom Thea, as the daughter of a single mother. Broadcast to low ratings, the series ran for only one season, but earned her a Young Artists Award nomination for Outstanding Youth Ensemble alongside her co-stars. In 1996, her short-lived engagement on Thea led Brandy to star in her own show, the UPN-produced sitcom Moesha, in which she played the title role of Moesha Mitchell, a Los Angeles girl coping with a stepmother as well as the pressures and demands of becoming an adult. The program debuted on UPN in January 1996, and soon became their most-watched show. The network decided to cancel the show after six seasons on the air, leaving it ending with a cliffhanger for a scrapped seventh season. Brandy was awarded an NAACP Image Award for her performance. In 1997, Brandy was hand-picked by producer Whitney Houston to play the title character in Rodgers and Hammerstein's television version of Cinderella featuring a multicultural cast that also included Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Houston. The two-hour Wonderful World of Disney special garnered an estimated 60 million viewers, giving the network its highest ratings in the time period in 16 years, and won an Emmy Award the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denise Huxtable</span> Fictional character who appears on The Cosby Show

Denise Huxtable Kendall is a fictional character who appears on the American sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992), portrayed by actress Lisa Bonet. Denise also stars in the first season of its spin-off sitcom, A Different World (1987). The second-born child of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, Denise is known for her eccentric clothing and free-spirited, rebellious nature, earning her a reputation as the Huxtable family's wild child. Alternating between regular and recurring character, Denise appears on the sitcom on-and-off throughout its eight-year run, from its pilot "Theo's Economic Lesson" to the seventh season episode "Cliff and Jake", for a total of 98 episodes, after which Bonet departed for the remainder of the series.

Memsor Kamarake is an American celebrity wardrobe stylist best known for his work with talk show host Wendy Williams as part of her "Glam Squad" alongside makeup artist Merrell Hollis and wig stylist Dominic Santiago. He previously collaborated with Williams's former wig stylists Antwon Jackson and Robyn Michele. He worked as an assistant for Vibe magazine at the inception of his career and has styled Beyoncé, Barack Obama, Megan Thee Stallion, and singer Ciara. He went on to serve as fashion director at Vibe for five years.

<i>Inside Job</i> (2021 TV series) American adult animated Netflix series

Inside Job is an American adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Shion Takeuchi for Netflix. The series premiered on October 22, 2021. Takeuchi, a former Gravity Falls writer, acts as showrunner and is an executive producer alongside Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch and BoJack Horseman director Mike Hollingsworth.

<i>Harlem</i> (TV series) American comedy television series

Harlem is an American comedy television series created and executive produced by Tracy Oliver. It premiered on Amazon Prime Video on December 3, 2021. In February 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on February 3, 2023. In December 2023, the series was renewed for a third season.

References

  1. "'Different World' Episode Explores Sex Harassment". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  2. "Do Not Confuse Jasmine Guy With Whitley Gilbert". 30 January 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  3. Group, Vibe Media (1 February 2008). "Vibe". Vibe Media Group. Retrieved 22 June 2018 via Google Books.
  4. Company, Johnson Publishing (1 June 1988). "Ebony". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved 22 June 2018 via Google Books.
  5. Spencer, Jon M. (1 June 1995). The New Colored People: The Mixed-Race Movement in America. NYU Press. ISBN   9780814739808 . Retrieved 27 June 2018 via Google Books.
  6. "14 Facts About A Different World". 7 January 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  7. 1 2 "A Different World" with Jasmine Guy —Whitley Gilbert's Accent
  8. Cadet, Danielle (21 September 2017). "Whitley's World: A brief history of Bad and Boujee Black Girl Style" . Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  9. "'A Different World' Taught Me About Womanhood & How To Love (Essay)". 27 September 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  10. "The Different Worlds Of Jasmine Guy". NPR . Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  11. Company, Johnson Publishing (12 December 1988). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved 22 June 2018 via Google Books.