'The Wonder Years' Full Cast List: Meet Don Cheadle, Elisha Williams, Dule Hill and rest of the stars of ABC's reboot
Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) got us to look back in wonder at our own childhoods in the original 'The Wonder Years' and now it's time for Dean (Elisha Williams) to do the same in the remake of the much-loved show. Inspired by the beloved award-winning series of the same name, 'The Wonder Years' is a coming-of-age story set in the late 1960s that takes a nostalgic look at a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama, through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean. With the wisdom of his adult years, Dean’s hopeful and humorous recollections show how his family found their “wonder years” in a turbulent time.
Let's now meet the cast of the remake, which has quite a task cut out for them to live up to the wonders of the original.
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Don Cheadle as Adult Dean
You may not see Don Cheadle on ABC's 'The Wonder Years' remake but just as with the original, the narrator's role on the show remains crucial. Cheadle will voice the adult Dean as he looks back on his childhood.
Cheadle, of course, has built an illustrious career and has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his lead role in 'Hotel Rwanda'. Cheadle won a Golden Globe award for his role as Marty Kaan on the Showtime comedy series 'House of Lies'. Besides his critically acclaimed performances, Cheadle is also a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has appeared in 'Iron Man 2', 'Iron Man 3', 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', 'Captain America: Civil War' and 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier', among others.
Elisha Williams as Dean Williams
Being cast as Dean in the remake of 'The Wonder Years' is quite a breakthrough role for young Elisha Williams. Prior to being cast in 'The Wonder Years', Elisha's most notable work was lending his voice to Disney Jr's animated series 'Puppy Dog Pals'. His other credits include 'Henry Danger', '3… 2… Wonder!' and 'Danger Force'. Elisha's character Dean is described as being a little insecure and self-conscious but determined to make his mark nonetheless.
Dule Hill as Bill Williams
Dule Hill plays Bill Williams, Dean’s (Elisha Williams) cool and composed musician dad. Williams is a music professor by day and a funk musician by night, who wants to ensure that his little family always remains self-sufficient.
Hill has quite a sense of rhythm himself as the actor is also an accomplished tap dancer. He is best known for his role as Charlie Young on 'The West Wing' for which he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. His other memorable role was as Burton "Gus" Guster in the dramedy 'Psych' and he was also cast as a regular cast member in Season 8 of 'Suits'.
Saycon Sengbloh as Lillian Williams
Saycon Sengbloh plays Dean Williams' (Elisha Williams) mother who seems to be something of a superwoman as she juggles her job as an accountant and her family life with efficiency and good humor.
Tony Nominee Sengbloh has starred in several Broadway and Off Broadway Productions and has also been seen in recurring roles on shows such as The CW drama 'In the Dark' and 'Scandal'. The actor and singer will soon be seen putting her multitude of talents to good use in the Jennifer Hudson starrer 'Respect', a biopic on the life of Aretha Franklin.
Laura Kariuki as Kim
Dean, unlike Kevin Arnold, doesn't have a belligerent older brother like Wayne (Jason Hervey) to deal with, or an extremely rebellious sister like Karen (Olivia d'Abo). But he does have a sibling, Kim (Laura Kariuki), who is bright and confident and also starting to rebel slightly at her parents' plans for her. Young Laura Kariuki, a recent graduate of Oklahoma City University, has had no trouble hitting the ground running when it comes to showbusiness. Kariuki has previously appeared on the superhero series 'Black Lightning'.
Who are the other stars?
The other stars of 'The Wonder Years' remake include Milan Ray, Amari O'Neil and Julian Lerner.
Creators
Fred Savage, yes who played Kevin Arnold, will fittingly direct the pilot episode of 'The Wonder Years' remake. Neal Marlens who co-created the original 'The Wonder Years' will also serve as a consultant for the remake. The series will be executive produced by Fred Savage, Lee Daniels, Marc Velez and Saladin Patterson, who also serves as the writer of the show. To get a glimpse of what you can expect from the cast of the reboot, catch the trailer below.
