One of the pitfalls of acting is that those who perform for a living can become typecast and defined by one character no matter how many other roles they have. Some entertainers embrace this and go with the flow while others state publically that they do not enjoy their fans associating them with one character, television show, or movie. For many TV viewers, actor Dominic Hoffman will always be Julian Day who dated Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) on the NBC series A DIFFERENT WORLD.
Hoffman actually first appeared on the sitcom in season 2 as Kent Sujay who was a suitor whom Whitley’s mother sent her way. The powers that be obviously were impressed with him because they brought him back the following year. Dominic also wrote three episodes of the COSBY SHOW spinoff and they were ‘The Power of the Pen’, where Dwayne writes a poem about a math problem but Whitley thinks it is about her ‘War and Peace,’ where Blair Underwood portrays Zelmer who is heading to the Persian Gulf war and ‘Liza Who-Little’ where Jasmine Guy had a dual role as Whitley’s cousin Liza.
Guy and Hoffman had worked together before in 1988 in Spike Lee’s film SCHOOL DAZE. According to Kadeem Hardison who portrayed Dwayne on A DIFFERENT WORLD, Dominic and Jasmine were dating during the time that she was on the series. As Julian, Hoffman made seven appearances in season 3 and a final one in season 4. Following are the episodes where Julian Day was seen.
Julian was a transfer student to Hillman from Georgetown and often when Dwayne referred to him he called him ‘Georgetown.” During a spring break trip to a South Carolina beach, Whitley decided to lose her virginity but Julian convinced her it was not the right place or time. He and Whitley broke up when he wanted her to live with him in DC for the summer without the benefit of marriage. He told her she was a spoiled bougie princess and out of touch with the world and she became deeply offended. Whitley later admitted that she and Julian had never been intimate.
If you thought his career was over after losing Whitley onscreen and Jasmine in real-time you would be very wrong. The actor continued in his craft and later had recurring roles as Louis Sperling on THE SHIELD and as Dr. Jeff Russell GREY’S ANATOMY. Hoffman also appeared in MAD ABOUT YOU, HAWAII 5-O, MAGNUM PI, SWAT, CASTLE, and PORT CHARLES. Dominic Hoffman is also a playwright who in 2000 earned Ovation awards for best actor in a play, writing, and best world premiere for his one-man show “Uncle Jacques’ Symphony.”
He is also an accomplished theater actor and a four-time winner of the Audiophile Earphones Award for his readings of “The Port Chicago 50,” “An Ordinary Man,” “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray,” and “In Search of Our Roots.” His reading of “The Door of No Return” was selected as an Audio Hot Pick by the School Library Journal. Dominic has had roles in the movies UNSOLVED: THE MURDERS OF TUPAC AND THE NOTORIOUS BIG, FREEFALL, and SEARCHING.
There is no information on Dominic Hoffman regarding marriage, children, or dating outside of Kadeem Hardison saying he once had a relationship with Jasmine Guy. A DIFFERENT WORLD is currently on TVONE each weekday afternoon.
