‘Grown-ish’ Season 5 Loses Six Series Regulars in a Major Casting Shake-Up

Grown-ish will return for Season 5 on Freeform, but its cast will look very different as six series regular exit the show.

The characters’ graduation on Grown-ish Season 4 Episode 18, “Empire State of Mind,” was the perfect occasion for the noteworthy exits.

According to TVLine, “six original cast members — Francia Raisa (Ana), Emily Arlook (Nomi), Chloe Bailey (Jazz), Luka Sabbat (Luca), Halle Bailey (Sky), Jordan Buhat (Vivek) — will not be returning for Season 5.”

Returning cast members include Yara Shahidi as Zoey, Trevor Jackson as Aaron, and Diggy Simmons as Doug. In addition, a new group of incoming students at Cal U will accompany them in a “revamped” Season 5 — including Zoey’s younger brother Junior Johnson.

Marcus Scribner will reprise his Black-ish, which is currently airing its final season on ABC, role on the spin-off series.

Freeform revealed that specific casting news earlier this month, alongside an announcement of new showrunners for Grown-ish.

Award-winning playwright and producer Zakiyyah Alexander and Black-ish executive producer and showrunner Courtney Lilly join Grown-ish Season 5 as co-showrunners.

Alexander and Lilly shared a statement to TVLine about Grown-ish‘s casting shake-up and what to expect in the series’ new season.

“Francia, Emily, Chloe, Halle, Luka, and Jordan will always be a part of the -ish’ family. This new season isn’t a goodbye, we are just expanding the world; there will always be an open door for them to return,” they stated.

“For Season 5, we’re excited to dive deeper into the storylines of Zoey, Aaron, and Doug in their post-grad adventures and welcome a new dynamic class to Cal-U, including Junior,” they continued.

Alexander and Lilly’s comments sound like Grown-ish may follow Zoey and Aaron’s adventures in New York, but something — or someone — must bring them back to L.A.

Maybe Zoey will need to be closer to home to help her brother on his adventure to being “grown.” 

Season five is executive produced by Kenya Barris, Zakiyyah Alexander, Courtney Lilly, Craig Doyle, Yara Shahidi, Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland, E. Brian Dobbins and Michael Petok. ABC Signature produces the series.

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Grown-ish airs Thursdays at 10/9c on Freeform.

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