Darryl M. Bell, accomplished producer and actor with a powerful
business background, possesses a career-long reputation for bringing
innovation and positivity to the forefront of the entertainment
industry. After a chance encounter with prominent producer, Spike Lee,
Bell applied his innate savvy business strategy to negotiate with Lee in
landing an audition – propelling him far into the world of acting and
producing.
Following his breakthrough role in Lee’s 1988 School Daze, Bell then
gained further notoriety as Ron Johnson in the hit show, A Different
World. Over six exceptional seasons, Bell and his fellow stand-out
castmates depicted life as college students at a fictitious Historically
Black College, applying comedy as a means to educate audiences on
society’s controversial current events. From discrimination to AIDS,
apartheid and war, A Different World made an award-winning impact on television that broke boundaries
and pushed the envelope – setting a new standard for television as we know it. With this experience, Bell
discovered a niche for breaking down barriers and telling impactful stories across all audiences – both
behind and in front of the camera lens.
Following several more on-screen roles – including on Living Single and as a co-star in Homeboys in Outer
Space – Bell set his sights to effecting change in the industry from behind the camera. With unparalleled
persistence and an ability to transform adversity into opportunity, Bell quickly became sought out by
multiple industry heavyweights, including Comedy Central, Netflix, and YouTube, for his extensive digital
media knowledge, remarkable vision, and the ability to tell a story. Most recently, Bell partnered with
Comedy Central in serving as Executive Producer on the highest-rating stand-up comedy show in 2013, Bill
Cosby: Far from Finished.
Currently, Bell has found additional success implementing his true entrepreneurial sprit and business
development background in running an independent production company and is regularly invited to speak at
universities across the country. True to his passions, Bell remains focused on engaging in projects that tell
awe-inspiring stories with complexity while remaining connected to what he believes in – making a
positive impact in the entertainment industry. Bell’s company is involved in multiple productions at this
time, including feature films and documentaries as well as two unscripted series.
Born in Chicago and raised in New Jersey by the founder of the first Black Member firm of the New York
Stock Exchange, pillars of Bell’s upbringing included strategy, negotiation, and strong financial knowledge