Watch ‘The Wonder Years’ Cast Rave About Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams (VIDEO)

If you’ve become a fan of the main character in The Wonder Years on ABC, you’re not alone. The cast are big fans, too.

In TV Insider’s exclusive video, Elisha “EJ” Williams introduces himself and his character, Dean Williams, and the rest of the show’s stars talks about working with him.

“Dean is not the new Kevin,” Laura Kariuki (who plays Dean’s sister, Kim) says. “Dean is a whole new character, and EJ brings himself and so much fun and good energy to Dean.” Dulé Hill (who plays Dean’s father Bill Williams) and Saycon Sengbloh (who plays Dean’s mother Lillian agree. “He really is a child beyond his years. His point of view, his brilliance really shines through,” he says. “He’s just so good,” she adds.

ABC/Matt Sayles

As executive producer (and the star of the original 1980s and ’90s series) Fred Savage notes, “if we don’t find a really compelling actor to play young Dean, we don’t have a show, so finding him was just incredible.”

Watch the video above for clips from the show, more from the cast (including Julian Lerner, Milan Ray, and Amari O’Neil) about working with Williams and being on set together, and a fun moment behind-the-scenes with Hill and Williams.

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The Wonder Years is a reimagining of the beloved series. This new coming-of-age comedy tells the story of the Williams family in the late 1960s, through 12-year-old Dean’s point of view. (Don Cheadle narrates as the older Dean.) His hopeful and humorous recollections of his past spotlight the ups and downs of growing up in a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama, as well as the friendship, laughter and lessons along the way. It has already been picked up for a full season at ABC.

The Wonder Years, Wednesdays, 8:30/7:30c, ABC