Cornell Young IV Dazzles in New Press Photos for ‘A Different World’
Cornell Young IV has rapidly emerged as one of the standout stars of Netflix’s revival of a cherished sitcom. However, his journey to Hillman College began far from the acting spotlight. Before securing the role of Shaquille Johnson, the 26-year-old actor was establishing himself as a competitive football player in Missouri.
That athletic background has proven to be more significant to his current success than he initially anticipated. Young, who hails from St. Louis, played multiple positions including running back, wide receiver, and cornerback at Kirkwood High School, leading the team to a Missouri Class 6A State Championship before continuing his football career at the collegiate level.
As ‘A Different World’ embarks on its press tour ahead of the show’s September 24 premiere, Young has been sharing how his athletic-to-artistic balancing act has influenced his portrayal of Shaquille, Hillman’s star quarterback and the son of original series character Ron Johnson.
In an interview with Netflix’s Tudum, Young recounted how he stumbled into theater while balancing football and marketing studies in college. “But with my marketing courses I was like, ‘It’s boring, I need something to balance,’” he shared, explaining how he eventually transitioned into performing.
This balancing act has become a defining characteristic for Young, who likened his experience to that of one of pop culture’s iconic athletes. “I was real-life Troy Bolton,” he remarked, referencing the ‘High School Musical’ character known for juggling basketball and singing. “How Troy would leave basketball practice and go to rehearsal? I was doing that. I had my football buddies pull up to my plays. They were sitting in the front row trying to make me laugh.”
This personal experience allowed Young to connect deeply with Shaquille’s storyline once he reviewed the audition material for ‘A Different World.’ The character faces the challenge of living up to his father’s legacy while managing his athletic aspirations, a struggle Young found instantly relatable given his own background.
In a separate conversation with Teen Vogue, Young elaborated on how this pressure manifests for his character throughout the season. “We see, at times, how that can have a hold on him,” he explained, detailing the emotional impact that expectations impose on Shaquille as the series progresses.
Young’s journey to Hillman was not entirely surprising given his recent success. Before joining ‘A Different World,’ he appeared in the Netflix YA romance ‘Forever,’ which helped him establish a presence within the streaming platform ahead of his breakout role. He is also set to star in Tyler Perry’s ‘Doing Life,’ another Netflix project slated for release after ‘A Different World’s’ first season.
This expanding résumé, combined with his personal connection to the show’s themes of ambition and expectation, has positioned Young as one of the most talked-about newcomers in the franchise’s revival. With four sisters and what he describes as a “beautiful upbringing” in St. Louis, Young has highlighted his family background as another point of connection with Shaquille’s narrative, even as the character’s specific pressures differ from his own experiences.
The new era of Hillman begins.
A Different World premieres SEPTEMBER 24! pic.twitter.com/qtD0YBYISf
— Netflix (@netflix) August 17, 2026
As ‘A Different World’ continues to generate excitement leading up to its Netflix debut, Young’s press tour has increasingly showcased him as one of the season’s standout new performers, particularly given how his own athletic-artistic duality has informed his understanding of the role.
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