BLAIR WARNER, THE FACTS OF LIFE
Originated by Lisa Whelchel, the role of Eastland’s resident shopaholic will now be played by Friends‘ Jennifer Aniston.
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Two classic sitcoms, one all-star cast.
ABC on Tuesday will revisit the 1980s by way of Live in Front of a Studio Audience, recreating memorable episodes of Diff’rent Strokes and its spinoff, The Facts of Life, using A-list actors to fill roles originated by child stars.
The 42-year-old Kevin Hart, for instance, will succeed the late Gary Coleman as the precocious Arnold Jackson on Diff’rent Strokes. The 61-year-old Damon Wayans, meanwhile, will take over for Todd Bridges as Arnold’s older brother Willis.
Addressing the decision to cast Actors of a Certain Age in previously pint-sized parts, executive producer Brent Miller told TVLine, “It started with Jimmy [Kimmel] and his desire to have Kevin Hart play Arnold Jackson, the Gary Coleman role…. At the time, I didn’t know: Is he going to want to cast everybody old, or is he just going to have the joke be Kevin? But as we started talking through it, it made sense to be consistent with that conceit of having older people play kids.”
Additional participants enlisted for 90-minute special include Jennifer Aniston, John Lithgow, Kathryn Hahn, Gabrielle Union, Allison Tolman and Ann Dowd — the latter of whom will appear during both reenactments as Mrs. Garrett.
Scroll down to see the A-listers opposite the original stars of both comedies, then hit the comments and tell us who you think was best (and worst) cast.
Originated by Lisa Whelchel, the role of Eastland’s resident shopaholic will now be played by Friends‘ Jennifer Aniston.
No, it wasn’t Agatha all along. The role of the motorcycle-riding Bronx native was originated by Nancy McKeon, but will now be filled by WandaVision‘s Kathryn Hahn.
Look who’s in trou-ble now! Originated by Kim Fields, the role of Eastland’s pigtailed gossiper will be portrayed by L.A.’s Finest‘s Gabrielle Union.
Originated by Mindy Cohn, the part of the Eastland Academy newspaper reporter will now be filled by Fargo‘s Allison Tolman.
Originated by Charlotte Rae on Diff’rent Strokes, the part of housekeeper-turned-housemother Edna Garrett will be played by The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Ann Dowd.
Originated by Conrad Bain, the role of the Park Avenue businessman and widower will be filled by 3rd Rock From the Sun‘s John Lithgow.
Originated by Gary Coleman, the iconic part of Arnold “Whatcha Talkin’ ‘Bout, Willis?” Jackson will now be played by True Story‘s Kevin Hart.
Originated by Todd Bridges, the role of Arnold’s older brother will be filled by My Wife and Kids‘ Damon Wayans.
Why not use the original Facts of Life cast? If the show is so iconic then people will remember the original cast. Big pass.
Casting adults as children just seems so odd.
This worked for the amazing Broadway production of To Kill a Mockingbird, so I think this could work for this too. I don’t like Gabrielle Union, but I enjoy all the other castings. I wish they got either Tiffany Hadish, Issa Rae, or Kerry Washington instead.
Now I see why my Juilliard alum is so bitter and angry! Trained actresses compete with comics models nepotism a
Face not talent!! Shannon Sharpe is correct in sports you can’t fake talent and why my buckeye had such a fun rewarding time now in a happy career! Oh met Kevin Hart cracked them up!
Great cast, I think it will be very entertaining. Looking forward to watching.
And still no one as Kimberly Drummond?
https://tvline.com/2021/12/05/kevin-hart-aniston-cast-live-diffrent-strokes-facts-of-life-norman-lear/
No Kimberly Drummond ? Why ? 3 kids were in the household
I mean the cast is great and there are definitely similarities between the new live cast and the original cast but it just seems super weird to me that they cast adults to play kids and young teenagers; and not just twenty-something adults, like, thirty-something adults. Weird choice.
most are 40+ years old, so even worse :D
You’re thinking too hard. Its supposed to be something fun to watch with current, famous actors playing the parts.
Love Kathryn Hahn so much.
Airing when?
Ann Dowd, wow!
I want get to golden girls live in front of a studio audience
Who played the part of Dink?
Will Arnett.
Lisa Whelchel and Kim Fields both look AMAZING! I think if they’d played their own roles I would’ve been happier.
It’s also a shame Nancy McKeon didn’t bother to show up!