In one of those memorable, behind-the-scenes moments on the sitcom “A Different World,” actress Jasmine Guy, while playing Whitley Gilbert, got an impromptu visit from Denzel Washington as they were filming the Season 3 episode “21 Candles.”
In this episode, Whitley gets drunk and retreats to her room on her 21st birthday because she feels nobody is paying her any attention; while drunk, she professes her admiration for Denzel Washington using a photo of the superstar actor.
Unbeknownst to Guy, the show’s producer and director Debbie Allen had arranged for the real Denzel Washington to come onto the set as a joke. A second take of the scene features Washington coming in and tapping Guy on the shoulder. The star was so startled she scared Denzel himself!
This unscripted moment was met with cheers and laughter from the live studio audience, showcasing the camaraderie and spontaneity that helped to make the show so beloved. This particular blooper never made it into the final episode, but over time, it has become one of the most treasured anecdotes among both fans and cast alike.
Recounting the moment, Guy said she just knew, for a split second, that she had concentrated so hard and must have been just seeing things when he tapped her on the shoulder.
But such light, harmless incidents underline the closeness in the environment on the sets of “A Different World” and give the show its staying power in television history.
If one would like to see this memorable moment, here is the clip of Denzel Washington surprising Jasmine Guy on set:
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