Jada Pinkett Smith Reminisces on Booking ‘A Different World’ as Debbie Allen Recalls ‘She Walked in Ready’

One of Jada Pinkett Smith’s earliest acting roles was on the hit sitcom A Different World — and according to the actress and her mom, they have Debbie Allen to thank for getting her the gig.

In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at this week’s Red Table Talk, Smith, 51, and mother Adrienne Banfield-Jones reminisce with Allen, 72, about the iconic series. Banfield-Jones, in particular, still remembers the “amazing” feeling of seeing her daughter on the series for the first time.

“I remember the day that she was going to premiere on the show. I can remember sitting in the living room with my family,” says Banfield-Jones, 69. “I was so excited. I was so excited for her and I’ll just never forget.”
Banfield-Jones then recalls how Smith told her Allen was going to “write a part” for her on the series. Because of that, Banfield-Jones says to Allen: “We owe everything to you.”

But Allen politely disagreed with that sentiment regarding Smith and her family. “You don’t owe me,” she says, “because she walked in ready.”
A Different World was a spin-off of The Cosby Show that aired from 1987 to 1993 for six seasons. Allen was a producer and frequent director for the series, previously led by Lisa Bonet.

Smith joined A Different World as Lena James in season 4 in 1991. She remained on the show through its final season.

For the first time, the A Different World cast is reuniting on Smith’s family’s Facebook Watch series. The upcoming special will see them will share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes tidbits about the series, as well as joyous memories from that time.