Kadeem Hardison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kadeem Hardison
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Hardison at the premiere of Beyond: Two Souls in 2013
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| Born | July 24, 1965 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Known for | A Different World, The Cosby Show & K.C. Undercover |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 1 |
Kadeem Hardison (born July 24, 1965) is an American actor. He is well-known for playing Dwayne Wayne in the TV show A Different World. This show was a spin-off from The Cosby Show. Kadeem Hardison also played Craig Cooper, the father of the main character, in the Disney Channel series K.C. Undercover. He has appeared in many other TV shows and movies.
Early Life and Family
Kadeem Hardison was born in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. His mother is Bethann Hardison, a famous fashion model. She was one of the first African-American runway models. His father, Donald McFadden, collected old and beautiful art. Kadeem was their only child.
Acting Career
Kadeem Hardison started acting in 1981. His most famous role was Dwayne Wayne on A Different World. He was a main character on that show from 1987 to 1993. He also had a regular role as Craig Cooper on the Disney Channel show K.C. Undercover from 2015 to 2018.
He has been in many other TV shows. These include Living Single, Girlfriends, and Everybody Hates Chris. He also appeared in the first season of the comedy series Black Monday. In 2020, he starred as Bowser in the Netflix series Teenage Bounty Hunters. Kadeem Hardison joined the cast of the HBO series Euphoria in its third season, which was announced on February 14, 2025.
Kadeem Hardison has also acted in many movies. Some of his films include School Daze, White Men Can't Jump, Vampire in Brooklyn, and Made of Honor. He also lent his voice and movements to the character Cole Freeman in the 2013 PlayStation 3 video game Beyond: Two Souls.
Personal Life
Kadeem Hardison was married to the American singer Chanté Moore. They were married from 1997 to 2000. They have a daughter named Sophia, who was born in 1996. Kadeem Hardison is still good friends with actor Darryl M. Bell. Darryl Bell played his best friend Ron Johnson on A Different World.
Cultural Impact
Kadeem Hardison has influenced pop culture in several ways:
- Authors Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran say he made the name "Kadeem" well-known.
- He was the inspiration for a character named Michael "The Cool" Young History. This character appeared in the album The Cool by Lupe Fiasco.
- His former wife, Chanté Moore, released a song in 1999 called "Chanté's Got a Man" which was about him.
- After a basketball game in 2012, NBA player Dwyane Wade wore flip-up sunglasses. He said he was "paying a little homage to Dwayne Wayne," referring to Kadeem Hardison's character.
- In an episode of the TV show Psych, a character mentioned using the "Kadeem Hardison method" for kissing someone.
- He was the narrator on Add-2's 2019 album, Jim Crow: The Musical.
