She has featured in several films including Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spare Parts, Captain America, and Love the Coopers. Season 1 saw Denise make friends with Marisa Tomei's Maggie, Cree Summer's Freddie, and Dawnn Lewis' Jaleesa. Both Bonet and Tomei eventually left the show, though for very different reasons. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Marisa and Lisa starred together in the 80's on the hit sitcom, A Different World and have remained close friends since. The depiction of HBCU's at that time (Late 80's- early 90's) was dead on, I thought. Why was Marisa Tomei on a different world? After she (and Marisa Tomei) left the show, it was generally dismissed as a failure that was left on the air because of Cosby's influence. Even today, the undeniable chemistry that both Dwayne and Whitley had on the show is remembered fondly. Dwayne's date with Denise is interrupted when a despondent Whitley shows up. After Marisa Tomei 's landmark Oscar win in 1993 for her performance as Mona Lisa Vito . . By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. And she had a nice . From Lisa Bonet to Jada Pinkett, Ive been watching a different world. "My third-grade teacher talked like that and I thought it was funny!" It was truly groundbreaking. The two-time Oscar nominee and one-time winner has earned her place . Along with her impressive record of work on stage and screen, Tomei in 2010 released a fitness DVD program titled Marisa Tomei: Core & Curves. Originally, this was a Spin-Off of The Cosby Show: Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) goes to college. The part of Maggie was played by Marisa Tomei, who would go on to big screen acting fame for her role as Mona Lisa Vito in the 1992 Oscar-winning comedy My Cousin Vinny . Lena James is a character from A Different World who appears in 46 episodes of the series. What season did Jada Pinkett join different world? She was also Whitley Gilberts off-campus roommate. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Why Did Jason Statham Leave the Man from Toronto? Attention casting directors: Marisa Tomei has got the TV bug. Richmond, Virginia The actress disappears after the first season but made her mark on the hearts of the fans. He said, "He didn't die in a . Marisa Tomei is a stunning Italian-American actress born on December 4, 1964. dark complexioned) was not in style. Jasmine was going to put her 2 weeks notice in because of the way producers treated Lisa Bonet despite what a sweet girl she was. Advertisement 56-year-old Marisa Tomei reportedly decided marriage and kids were not for her. I mean they were his on-camera wife and children, but they still were his. Rebecca Miller makes romances. why did marisa tomei leave a different world. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; When the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) finally decided to bring Spider-Man into its world, it knew that certain core characters in the Spider-Man universe also need to come along. Facebook. Caption: Marisa Tomei with her parents. By the end of the series, she finished her first year of medical school and became engaged to Spencer. 8. As of now, she is already 57 years old and her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. Why did Marisa Tomei leave 'A Different World'? Lisa Bonet was apparently fired from The Cosby Show spin-off due to her being pregnant. Of course, Tom Holland's Peter Parker needs a love interest and that came in the . Why did Marisa Tomei and Lisa Bonet leave A Different World? A description of tropes appearing in A Different World. To see a girl whos [this] upper class kid, having a baby, not married because she didnt want to be marriedand the girls could root for her. We call on women and men around the world to show solidarity. During season 1, Bonet (who was then married to Lenny Kravitz) got pregnant and was forced to exit the show. Love Is Strange (2014) This French-American romantic comedy by Ira Sachs stars John Litgrow, Alfred Molina and Marisa Tomei in leading roles. Tomei joined the cast of Different World in its fourth season as Professor Olivia Wright, a love interest for main character Dwayne Wayne (played by Kadeem Hardison). In 2009, Marisa Tomei explained part of her reasoning for never tying the knot to Manhattan Magazine (via Glamour Magazine UK). When did Marisa Tomei leave A Different World? The post A Celebration of Marisa Tomei as My Cousin Vinny's Mona Lisa Vito appeared first on Consequence. What episode do Whitley and Dwayne sleep together? It followed Denise and her friends and classmates, including her White roommate, Maggie (played by Marisa Tomei) before Bonet (and Tomei) departed following the first season, at which point incoming producer Debbie Allen took the show in a completely different direction, elevating supporting characters in Season 1 played by Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison (Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne) to . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. She later marries. While Tomeis departure from Different World may come as a surprise to fans, her decision makes sense in light of her recent career choices. Zodiac sign: Saggitarius. Byron Douglas III Air date: Nov 5, 1987. Meg Ryan was originally cast for this role, but she decided to pursue a film career, so Marisa Tomei was cast. The former MCU co-stars had a shared cinematic history before Marisa Tomei joined Marvel. Source: Getty Images why is eugenie a princess and louise a lady. Answer (1 of 9): Brooklyn-born Marisa Tomei (b. I don't want to hear commentary, argument, or opinion. Denise's roommates in . Im not that big a fan of marriage as an institution, and I dont know why women need to have children to be seen as complete human beings, she revealed. When did Lisa Bonet leave 'A Different World'? Marisa Tomei. Energy, Different, Different Times. 1 Why was Marisa Tomei on a different world? "It had nothing to do with whether this girl really would talk like that." Bonets exit was followed by the departure of both Beatts and Tomei when Debbie Allen took over as producer., Despite the relatively short time they worked together, it was long enough for Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei to form a close friendship. The last time was in 1998 when she left the popular sitcom A Different World. Meg Ryan was originally cast in the role but she dropped out to pursue a film career. Are you pregnant? And then we were like Oh my God. Then he said well what is so different about it? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. With character studies still beholden to crazy plots, she's covered everything from drug addiction to infidelity, incest to ambition. As many have noted, May has now become Holland's version of Uncle Ben. Why did Loretta Devine leave A Different World? Denise Huxtable's roommate Maggie (Tomei) has been removed from the cast. So she left us [the Different World cast] to go back home [to the Huxtable house], she ended up getting married on the show and whatever else happened over there. Tonia McDonald of Mr. Myerss nonprofit, Global Business Incubation Inc., said he died Tuesday night at Charleston Area Medical Center in West Virginia. e circuit batteries review. When the "black-ish" creator Kenya Barris added "grown-ish" earlier this year, he openly cited "A Different World" as an influence and expressed hope that his own show could have a similar cultural. Her brother, Adam Tomei, and Darren Aronofsky also attended this high school. is tito jackson ll cool j's father. It was inspired by student life at Hampton University, Spelman College, and Howard . They would get in her face screaming at her and she would take it. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". She is an alumni of Hillman College, where she majored in French and Art History. The MCU's . Why was Marisa Tomei on a different world? 9. Here is what Debbie Allen said was the real reason behind Lisa leaving Different World below: When I first took over the show [ Different World] one of the first things I did was meet with Lisa Bonet and she secreted to me that she was pregnant. Which direction do I watch the Perseid meteor shower? She is the holder of many prestigious accolades which includes, Academy Awards, and as well as a nomination for BAFTA, two golden globe awards, along with three screen Guild awards. From September 1987 to May 1993, A Different World aired on NBC. Why did jaleesa leave a different world? Lena was introduced in the Season 5 season premiere Weve Only Just Begun. Actress Marisa Tomei announced she is leaving the popular television show Different World after four seasons. In 1988, Lisa Bonet was fired from The Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World, after appearing in only one season. Other films, include Untamed Heart (1993), Only You (1994), The Paper (1994), Unhook the Stars (1996), Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007), Cyrus (2010), Love Is Strange (2014) and The Big Short (2015). For six seasons, "A Different World" entertained America with a host of lovable kids. When backing up it is best to check behind the car before getting in? She was looking for some sort of wardrobe accessory that would give math whiz Dwayne Wayne a slightly nerdy look to make him stand out from the other male characters. It could be because theyre ready to move on to other projects, or they may have creative differences with the shows producers. why did loretta devine leave a different worldbasketball camps new orleansbasketball camps new orleans From left, Lisa Bonet, Dawnn Lewis and Marisa Tomei in the first season of "A Different World. For many fans, she is the super aunt of Peter Parker in the Spider-Man movies. According to reports, Bill Cosby fired Lisa Bonet from the show after learning she was expecting a child with her former husband, Lenny Kravitz. Aunt May's marriage to Ben Parker (Uncle Ben) is well-known . In January of 1993, NBC placed the show on hiatus due to low ratings and during the hiatus, the network announced that "A Different World" would be cancelled. Despite her early exit from the show, she kept in touch with her former co-stars and is even the godmother to Lisa's daughter Zo Kravitz. GET MORE HIPHOLLYWOOD!https://hiphollywood.com/https://www.instagram.com/hiphollywood/ larry wilcox wife; why did marisa tomei leave a different world. Whitley began to put a lot of pressure on Dwayne which led to him going out with another woman for coffee. unique traits of plants, animals and humans. 1 . Peter's initial reaction to Aunt May's death is to seek revenge, but Maguire and Garfield's characters urge him towards a different path. Marisa Tomei, (born December 4, 1964, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.), American actress who won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her scene-stealing performance as the brassy girlfriend of the novice lawyer played by Joe Pesci in the comedy My Cousin Vinny (1992). Answer: Marisa Tomei was never a bride but has had many hot men by her side. A . However, during Whitley's relationship with Byron Douglas III, the two of them slept together and he interrupted Whitley & Byron's wedding ceremony to declare his love for her. With Bonet and Marisa Tomei's exits, a new batch of characters were introduced into the mix including the hippy soul sister Freddie (Cree Summer), overachieving med student Kimberly (Charnele . So the setup changed and the series became about Denise adjusting to life away from her family, and the character of Maggie (now played by Marisa Tomei) had a smaller role as Denises roommate. Throughout her tenure on the show, Allen took the writing staff on an annual field trip to Spelman and Morehouse Colleges in Atlanta. After being pursued by him for months, she entered a relationship with Ron Johnson, but they later broke up. ", only to resume airing reruns up until the verdict came in, Why My Childhood Dies With Bill Cosby's Legacy. 5 Who are the cast members of a different world? Marisa Tomei Margaret "Maggie" Lauten was a main character in the first season of A Different World. Beatts, who had also created the short-lived high school sitcom Square Pegs, was charged with creating an entirely different pilot episode just six weeks before it was scheduled to air. Jaleesa graduated from Hillman in 1990 and accepted an entry-level corporate position. Carsey-Werner Productions A Different World premiered on NBC on September 24, 1987, as a showcase for The Cosby Show s most popular daughter, Denise (Lisa Bonet). Fate intervened before a decision had to be made about whether to axe Lisa Bonet when the newly married Mrs. Lenny Kravitz announced her pregnancy just after Season One wrapped, and the actress left the show. We unpack why she chose not to uphold societal standards and her main priority in life. She later became involved with medical student Spencer Boyer. She wanted to show her audience what CNN didnt: that people of all races participated in the post-Rodney King melee. After she (and Marisa Tomei) left the show, it was generally dismissed as a failure that was left on the air because of . Marisa Tomei was born on December 4, 1964, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, to Adelaide "Addie" (ne Bi. Litgrow and Molina play a same-sex couple who are thrown out of their home and one decides to live with Elliot, a nephew, his wife Kate (Tomei) and their son. The majority of the backlash came from men in prison, she stated. According to reports, when Bill Cosby learned that Lisa Bonet was expecting a baby with her former husband, Lenny Kravitz, he fired her from the show. 2 What happened to Millie a different world? More than 30 years ago, the series premiere of A Different World introduced the world to stars like Cree Summer, Marisa Tomei, Kadeem Hardison, and Sinbad.Although the show ended after only six seasons, the legacy of the students of Hillman College lives on and on June 24, the cast reunited for an episode of Reunion Road Trip.But a few familiar faces were missing. The show followed her day-to-day life at Hillman College. Dwayne and Whitley became mean to each other. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The accent, she continues, was actually born out of necessity during her (third) audition for the popular sitcom. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Inspiration struck when she went to see David Bowie in concert and spotted guitarist Carlos Alomar wearing a pair of what are now known as Dwayne Wayne glasses., Jasmine Guy originally auditioned for the role of Jaleesa, which ultimately went to Dawnn Lewis. Required fields are marked *. "A Different World" went on for six seasons (though it saw Bonet, Marisa Tomei and Loretta DeVine depart after its debut season) and ended on July 9, 1993, 20 years ago today. Marisa Tomei got her start in 1984, appearing on the soap opera "As the World Turns" and landing minor roles in the films . Marisa was one of the 12 actors included in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. Allen wanted to keep the dynamic of having a white girl in a black college, but after one season, Tomeis character disappeared too. Dwayne's date with Denise is interrupted when a despondent Whitley shows up. We will try to answer them, According to reports, when Bill Cosby learned, Bonet played Denise on the series from 1984 to 1991 and also starred in a spin-off of "The Cosby Show," called "A Different World." The part of Lena is played by Jada Pinkett Smith. The reviews, on the other hand, were scathing, with bland and unfunny, awful, calamitously drab, and a big yawn among the ways in which it was described by critics. Jaleesa graduated from Hillman in 1990 and accepted an entry-level corporate position. Season one of A Different World acquainted us with Whitley Gilbert, a snobby Hillman student whose stuck-up attitude was often played for laughs, in contrast to her more down-to-Earth . Appearing on "Watch What Happens Live" in 2014, Tomei told host Andy Cohen that she was fired from the show but there were no hard feelings. Most people remember this show as the spinoff of The Cosby Show built around Lisa Bonet's Denise character. 1. The actress is known for her role as Denise Huxtable on the hit sitcom series and played the character for a majority of the shows running. "I'm not that big a fan of marriage as an institution, and I don't know why women need to have children to be seen as complete human beings," she revealed. In a statement, Tomei said she was grateful for the experience but felt it was time to move on. Marisa Tomei: It did, yeah. Meg Ryan was originally cast for this role, but she decided to pursue a film career, so Marisa Tomei was cast. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. In the 30 years since A Different World premiered on NBC on Sept. 24, 1987, some cast members have gone on to create huge entertainment careers for themselves. Marisa Tomei Net Worth: Marisa Tomei is an American actress who has a net worth of $20 million. Main menu. . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Required fields are marked *. Lena James is a character in A Different Worlds 46 episodes. It was inspired by student life at historically black colleges and universities. She is best known for several roles in "What Women Want" (2000), "Spider-Man: Homecoming" (2017), and many more. He saw us a mile away he could see us coming (laughs). "I'm not that, Essence: Dwayne Wayne and Freddie from 'A Different World', Jaleesa graduated from Hillman in 1990 and accepted an entry-level corporate position. A Different World ran on NBC from September 1987 until May of 1993. Her youngest daughter (Maude Apatow) is leaving for college, while her 24-year-old son, played by Davidson . real estate lawyer jokes subnautica cyclops power transmitter why did marisa tomei leave a different world. From left, Lisa Bonet, Dawnn Lewis and When Bonet's character Denise Huxtable left Brooklyn to head to college at Hillman, she introduced viewers to the fictional HBCU and a slew of new faces. Marisa Tomei made a guest appearance on an episode of A Different World in 1993. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. In a previous interview, Kadeem Hardison opened up about Lisas exit from the show, which he said he was not happy about. Essence: Dwayne Wayne and Freddie from 'A Different World' Were Dating in Real Life. Marisa Tomei is a massive star. 3 How old is Whitley from different world? Twitter. They end up sleeping together when Dwayne arrives at Whitley's place to discuss their relationship. SHARE. Connections to The Cosby Show. Midway through the season, Gilbert Hall dorm housemother Stevie Rallen (Loretta Devine) left to pursue her own interests, said Lewis and veteran actress Mary Alice took her place. Marisa Tomei Boyfriend. How tall is Marisa Tomei? The ratings for Season One were strong, but that was mainly due to A Different Worlds plum time slotsandwiched between The Cosby Show and Cheers. Here are 14 things you might not know about the Emmy-nominated series, which ran for six seasons. Allen wanted to keep the dynamic of having a white girl in a black college, but after one season, Tomeis character disappeared too. According to reports, Bill Cosby fired Lisa Bonet from the show after learning she was expecting a child with her former husband, Lenny Kravitz. Marisa Tomei was in a relationship with the actor Logan Marshall-Green from 2008 to 2012. Marisa Tomei is attempting to do some damage control after she claimed this week that she was stiffed for playing Pete Davidson's mother in The King of Staten Island. The part of Maggie was played by Marisa Tomei, who would go on to big screen acting fame for her After the first season, the actress vanishes, but she left a lasting impression on the audience. Allen wanted to keep the dynamic of having a white girl in a black college, but after one season, Tomei's character disappeared too. A lot of times being "completely objective" means seeing the world through a patriarchal eye. LOL Also, the mousey girl that followed Whitley around like her assistant/ ass-kisser..I think she had a thing for/with Ron. The series originally centered on Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black college in Virginia. Dwayne was engaged to Whitley, but it ended after he almost cheated on her. Marisa Tomei, 55 . She attended Boston University for a year. She also became Whitley Gilbert's off-campus roommate. Air date: Oct 29, 1987. It was suggested that they incorporate the pregnancy into the storyline, but Bill Cosby didn't like the idea, declaring that "Lisa Bonet is pregnant, not Denise." As a result, he fired Bonet from the show (via Cheat Sheet ). Marisa Tomei Biography. did they ever find katie kampenfelt; coach trips from stevenage; is fiona jones escape to the chateau married; why do starlings make a clicking sound; lecture en ligne chevaliers d'emeraude; which of the following is an example of congressional oversight? 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved, creating an entirely different pilot episode, godmother to all three of Bonets children, reflect the historically black collegeexperience. In recent years, Tomei has been focused on film work, appearing in movies such as Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. In the very, very beginning, A Different World was envisioned as a show about a white girl's experiences while attending a historically black college. And not just any kind of TV: the Oscar winner is eager to return to the sitcom, where she got her start in 1987 on "A Different World . Why was Denise removed from A Different World? She's an Oscar-winning actress, has been in the business for nearly four decades, and at 54 years old there's no sign of her stopping for anyone or anything. Tomei spoke to Rolling Stone on Thursday and revealed that she called the comedian that same day to ask about why . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved Denise was just the character who created the bridge to the new series. After four episodes were filmed, neither the show's producers nor the network were pleased with the results. So they brought former Saturday Night Live writer Anne Beatts on board as producer. They wanted to know why NBC would pair the only black girl on the show with a white boy. Brown struggled with rejection for many years when auditioning for various television roles; she was continually told that her skin type (i.e. Became most interesting after people stopped paying attention. In the 30 years since A Different World premiered on NBC on Sept. 24, 1987, some cast members have gone on to create huge entertainment careers for themselves. Jada Pinkett Smith plays Lena. THE ORIGINAL PREMISE WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. It was retooled, making Denise Huxtable the. Stu Gardner, Bill Cosby, and Dawnn Lewis, who was also a cast member, co-wrote the theme song. answer the question why did marisa tomei leave a different world, which will help you get the most accurate answer. ohmy80s A Different World (1987) GET MORE HIPHOLLYWOOD!https://hiphollywood.com/https://www.instagram.com/hiphollywood/ Spent a good part of his growing up days with Tammy and his maternal grandparents. While in junior high school, she did a school production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying playing the character of Hedy LaRue. I was explaining all that we could do. Lisa Bonet (Denise Huxtable) is 20; Marisa Tomei, a fellow Brooklynite who plays red-haired Maggie Lauten, is 21. No. A spin-off of the popular Cosby Show sitcom, the series follows Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) as she begins her life as a college sophomore at the fictional Hillman College. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". why did marisa tomei leave a different world Why was Marisa Tomei on A Different World? What was the TV show a different world about? However, during Whitleys relationship with Byron Douglas III, the two of them slept together and he interrupted Whitley & Byrons wedding ceremony to declare his love for her. Who are the cast members of a different world? Most people remember this show as the spinoff of The Cosby Show built around Lisa Bonet's Denise character. What episode does Dwayne cheat on Whitley? In the 30 years since A Different World premiered on NBC on Sept. 24, Lena James is a character from A Different World who appears in 46 episodes of the series. If a reverse, The One Box (large)$15,95Zinger Box (regular)$11,45Zinger Box Meal (large)$13,95Zinger Stacker Burger Box (regular)$14,95 How much are KFC burger boxes? Why marisa tomei left a different world? The series originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically black college in Virginia. How old is Mr Gaines from A Different World? These reflect the year when Clint Eastwood became acclaimed, Marisa Tomei broke through, and more. Marisa Tomei 's Oscar for her charming, instantly iconic supporting turn in My Cousin Vinny was, for years, whispered to have been a mistake, the result of elderly presenter Jack Palance. This has been a triumph of modern times, a unifier of people from all walks of life. It can still be seen on a variety of networks in reruns today. At 5-foot-7 and about 140 pounds, Lewis is also bigger than Bonet, Tomei and . A Different World is one of the most important shows in television history. Lena was introduced in the Season 5 season premiere "We've Only Just Begun". Being of Italian descent, Marisa Tomei was born on December 4, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York where she married Patricia Adelaide Tomei and Gary A. Marisa Tomei followed up As the World Turns in 1986 with a role on the sitcom A Different World as Maggie Lauten during the first season. Copyright 2023 - All Rights Reserved |celebqueries.com. Twitter. As actress Dawnn Lewis told Vanity Fair, while Bonet's departure was personal (the actress was pregnant with her first daughter, Zoe Kravitz, and show creators didn't want to write the pregnancy in), Tomei was asked to leave after the show shifted direction.Lewis said that the show's creators "wanted to go in a . Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. Marisa Tomei is an American actress who has a net worth of $25 million. A Different World premiered on NBC on September 24, 1987, as a showcase for The Cosby Shows most popular daughter, Denise (Lisa Bonet).The show followed her day-to-day life at Hillman College. celebqueries.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Why Did Keira Knightley Leave Pirates of the Caribbean. Marisa Tomei (/ t o m e /, Italian: ; born December 4, 1964) is an American actress. A big part of staying in shape means Marisa Tomei seeks the great outdoors. Appearing on Watch What Happens Live in 2014, Tomei told host Andy Cohen that she was fired from the show but there were no hard feelings. Whitley and Byron are getting serious, but Whitley still has feelings for Dwayne. A Different World lasted six seasons (though Bonet, Marisa Tomei, and Loretta DeVine left after the first season) and ended 20 years ago today on July 9, 1993. Marisa Tomei (via Glamour Magazine UK) explained part of her reasoning for never marrying Manhattan Magazine in 2009. In 2009, Marisa Tomei explained part of her reasoning for never tying the knot to Manhattan Magazine (via Glamour Magazine UK). Yeah, we'll leave that analysis to another day because I'm convinced that was a conspiracy. Both Bonet and Tomei eventually left the show, though for very different reasons. Jaleesa graduated from Hillman in 1990 and accepted an entry-level corporate position. Tomei appeared in a two-episode arc titled "The Cadillac" in Season 7, playing herself as the love interest of . There are many reasons why an actor or actress might leave a successful television show. *Dog Shit! Lena was introduced in the. She has a younger brother named Adam Tomei, who is also an actor. Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage We all need our moms sometimes, even legendary, Academy Award-winning, forever-crush . Marisa Tomei Margaret "Maggie" Lauten was a main character in the first season of A Different World. As a show developed by Bill Cosby for a character from The Cosby Show, A Different World had many connections to its parent program, even before the latter program was created.