Who narrates the 2021 version of The Wonder Years as adult Dean Williams?

Don Cheadle narrates the 2021 version of The Wonder Years as adult Dean Williams.

The series follows Dean Williams, played as a child by Elisha “EJ” Williams, through the experiences of a Black middle-class family in late-1960s Montgomery, Alabama. Cheadle provides the reflective voice-over, representing Dean looking back on his childhood from adulthood.

This narration deliberately echoes the storytelling format of the 1988 series, in which Daniel Stern voiced the adult Kevin Arnold. That parallel can cause a common mix-up: Fred Savage, who played Kevin in the original, was involved with the reboot as an executive producer and directed its pilot, but he did not narrate the new series. Dulé Hill plays Dean’s father, Bill Williams, while Lee Daniels is an executive producer.

The reboot premiered on ABC in 2021 and ran for two seasons. Cheadle’s narration helps connect the family story to the period’s social changes while keeping the series centered on Dean’s personal memories.