All American is an American sports drama series created by April Blair. The series is inspired by the life of professional football player Spencer Paysinger. It premiered on The CW on October 10, 2018.
On April 23, 2019, The CW announced a second season renewal.[1] On January 7, 2020, Season Three was announced.[2] On February 4, 2021, Season Four was announced.[3] On March 22, 2022, Season Five was announced.[4] On January 11, 2023, Season Six was announced.[5] On June 3, 2024, Season Seven was announced.[6] On June 2, 2025, the eighth and final season was announced.[7]
Logline[]
"When a rising high school football player from South Crenshaw L.A. is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High, the wins, losses and struggles of two families from vastly different worlds — Crenshaw and Beverly Hills — begin to collide. Inspired by the life of pro football player Spencer Paysinger."[8]
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Daniel Ezra as Spencer James (seasons 1—6; special guest season 7)
- Bre-Z as Tamia "Coop" Cooper (seasons 1—present)
- Greta Onieogou as Layla Keating seasons 1—present)
- Samantha Logan as Olivia Baker (seasons 1—6; special guest season 7)
- Michael Evans Behling as Jordan Baker (seasons 1—present)
- Cody Christian as Asher Adams (seasons 1—6)
- Karimah Westbrook as Grace James (seasons 1—6)
- Monet Mazur as Laura Baker (seasons 1—6; special guest season 7)
- Taye Diggs as Billy Baker (seasons 1—5; special guest season 6)
- Jalyn Hall as Dillon James (seasons 1—6)
- Chelsea Tavares as Patience Robinson (seasons 3—6; recurring seasons 1—2; special guest season 7)
- Hunter Clowdus as JJ Parker (seasons 4—5; recurring seasons 1—3)
- Osy Ikhile as Cassius Jeremy (season 7)
- Alexis Chikaeze (season 7; recurring season 6) and Ella Simone Tabu (recurring seasons 3–5) as Amina Simms
- Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as Kingston "KJ" Jeremy (season 7)
- Antonio J. Bell as Khalil Edwards (season 7; guest season 6)
Episodes[]
- Main article: List of All American episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired (U.S. dates) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | |||
| 1 | 16 | October 10, 2018 | March 20, 2019 | |
| 2 | 16 | October 7, 2019 | March 9, 2020 | |
| 3 | 19 | January 18, 2021 | July 19, 2021 | |
| 4 | 20 | October 25, 2021 | May 23, 2022 | |
| 5 | 20 | October 10, 2022 | May 15, 2023 | |
| 6 | 15 | April 1, 2024 | July 15, 2024 | |
| 7 | 13 | January 29, 2025 | May 5, 2025 | |
Production[]
Development[]
In September 2017, it was announced that Greg Berlanti signed on to executive produce two drama projects in development at The CW; one was an "epic love story told in two time lines" titled "Hold Fast," and the other being inspired by the life of National Football League player Spencer Paysinger, which would be written and executive produced by April Blair, with Berlanti and Sarah Schechter being executive producers as well.[9] In January 2018, The CW ordered six pilots including the untitled football inspired project dubbed Spencer.[10] On May 11, 2018, The CW ordered the pilot to series.[8] The following week, the network added All American to their fall 2018 lineup. On October 2, 2018, it was reported that Blair had stepped down as showrunner due to "personal reasons" and was subsequently replaced with co-executive producer Nkechi Okoro Carroll, who was also made an executive producer.[11]
Casting[]
On February 22, 2018, Taye Diggs was cast as Billy Baker, followed a week later with Samantha Logan cast as Olivia Baker, his daughter.[12][13] The rest of the cast was filled out through mid-March with Bre-Z and Greta Onieogou cast on March 15, 2018 as characters Tamia Cooper and Layla Keating, respectively, and with Monet Mazur, Michael Evans Behling and Cody Christian cast the next day, to play Laura Fine-Baker, Olivia's mother; Jordan Baker, Olivia's brother; and Asher, respectively.[14][15][16] Karimah Westbrook was cast as Grace James on March 19, 2018 and British actor Daniel Ezra was cast in the lead role of Spencer James on March 21, 2018.[17][18] On May 31, 2018, Jalyn Hall was promoted to a series regular as Dillon, Spencer's little brother.[19]
On October 1, 2020, Chelsea Tavares was upped to series regular for the third season.[20]
On October 4, 2021, Hunter Clowdus was upped to series regular for the fourth season.[21] On March 29, 2024, it was announced that Hunter Clowdus exited the series before the sixth season due to his character JJ's storyline having "organically wrapped" at the end of the fifth season.
On June 24, 2024, it was announced that Daniel Ezra would not return as a series regular for the seventh season.[22] On September 24, 2024, it was announced that Samantha Logan, Cody Christian, Karimah Westbrook, Monet Mazur and Chelsea Tavares would not return as series regulars for the seventh season as well, but it was confirmed that Ezra would make guest appearances, as would others of the former main cast members, and also direct. It was also reported that Osy Ikhile and Nathaniel McIntyre joined the main cast respectively as Cassius Jeremy, Beverly High’s new football coach, and Kingston Jeremy, Cassius’ son, while Antonio J. Bell and Alexis Chikaeze were promoted to series regulars.[23][24] On October 10, 2024, it was reported that Logan would guest star on the second episode of the seventh season.[25] On January 29, 2025, ahead of the seventh season premiere, Nkechi Okoro Carroll stated that almost every former cast member "comes back in some capacity multiple times [during the] season". Da'Vinchi, Tavares, and Mazur were all confirmed to make guest appearances.[26]
Filming[]
Filming for the pilot took place in Los Angeles, California in early 2018.[27] Filming for the first season began in July 2018.[28]
Spin-off[]
- Main article: All American: Homecoming
On December 18, 2020, it was announced that a backdoor pilot for an All American spin-off centered on the character Simone Hicks was in early development at The CW, with Geffri Maya, who portrayed Simone, reprising her role.[29] On February 1, 2021, The CW gave the spin-off a pilot order and titled it as All American: Homecoming.[30] On March 29, 2021, Peyton Alex Smith, Cory Hardrict, Kelly Jenrette, Sylvester Powell, Netta Walker and Camille Hyde were cast to star in the series.[31] On May 24, 2021, All American: Homecoming was picked up to series with Nkechi Okoro Carroll serving both as creator and executive producer, the latter alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, David Madden and Robbie Rogers.[32] The backdoor pilot, written by Carroll and directed by Michael Schultz, aired on July 5, 2021, as part of the third season of All American.[33] On December 16, 2021, it was announced that Mitchell Edwards, who portrayed recurring character Cam Watkins on All American, was set to reprise his role in the spin-off as a series regular, while Rhoyle Ivy King was cast in a recurring capacity.[34] The series premiered on The CW on February 21, 2022[35] and ran for 41 episodes over three seasons, with its final episode airing on September 30, 2024.
References[]
- ↑ The CW Renews 'All American', 'In The Dark', 'Roswell, New Mexico', and 'The 100' For Next Season
- ↑ The CW Renews 13 Series Including ‘Batwoman’, ‘Nancy Drew’, ‘The Flash’, ‘Riverdale’ & ‘All American’ - Deadline
- ↑ The CW Renews 12 Series Including ‘The Flash’, ‘Riverdale’ & Freshman ‘Walker’ - Deadline
- ↑ The CW Renews 7 Series: ‘The Flash’, ‘Kung Fu’, ‘All American’, ‘Nancy Drew’, ‘Superman & Lois’, ‘Walker’ & ‘Riverdale’ - Deadline
- ↑ ‘All American’ Renewed For Season 6 At The CW; Marks First Scripted Deal Under New Owners
- ↑ ‘All American’ Renewed For Season 7 By The CW
- ↑ 'All American' Renewed for Final Season, Closing an Era at The CW
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The CW Picks Up ‘Charmed’ & ‘Roswell’ Reboots, ‘TVD’/’Originals Offshoot, ‘In The Dark’ & Greg Berlanti Pilot To Series" - Deadline
- ↑ "Greg Berlanti to Shepherd Time Travel Love Story, Football Drama Projects at CW" - Variety
- ↑ "‘Roswell’ Reboot, Greg Berlanti Football Drama Among Six CW Pilot Orders" - Variety
- ↑ "All American Shake-Up: Showrunner Exits CW Drama for 'Personal Reasons'" - TVLine
- ↑ Taye Diggs to Star in Greg Berlanti-Produced CW Pilot (Exclusive)
- ↑ Luke Arnold Joins ‘For Love’ ABC Pilot; Samantha Logan In April Blair/Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot
- ↑ Bre-Z & Greta Onieogou Join April Blair/Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot
- ↑ Monet Mazur & Michael Evans Behling Cast In April Blair/Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot
- ↑ Cody Christian Cast In CW’s April Blair/Spencer Paysinger Pilot; Richard Esteras In ‘Skinny Dip’
- ↑ Karimah Westbrook Joins CW’s April Blair/Spencer Paysinger Pilot; Justina Adorno Books ABC’s ‘Grand Hotel’
- ↑ Daniel Ezra Lands the Lead In Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot From Greg Berlanti
- ↑ ‘All American’: Jalyn Hall Upped To Series Regular On CW Drama Series
- ↑ "‘All American’: Chelsea Tavares Upped To Series Regular For Season 3 Of the CW Drama" - Deadline
- ↑ ‘All American’: Hunter Clowdus Upped To Series Regular For Season 4 Of CW Series
- ↑ Daniel Ezra To Exit ‘All American’ As Series Regular Following Season 6
- ↑ 'All American' Mass Exodus: 5 Cast Members Out Ahead of Season 7
- ↑ ‘All American’: Greta Onieogou, Michael Evans Behling & Bre-Z To Return As Series Regulars For Season 7; CW Drama Adds 4 To Main Cast
- ↑ 'All American': Samantha Logan Returning To CW Series As Season 7 Guest Star
- ↑ "‘All American’ Boss on Why She Hit Reset for Season 7, Plans to Bring Back ‘Almost Every Member of the Vortex’ for Cameos"
- ↑ "Pilot Locations 2018: New York Business Booming, Chicago Gains As Atlanta Slips" - Deadline
- ↑ "Production Dates - Various Shows *Updated 5th July 2018*" - SpoilerTV
- ↑ All American Spinoff Eyed at The CW
- ↑ All American Spinoff, Centered on Simone, Officially a Go at The CW
- ↑ 'All American: Homecoming': Peyton Alex Smith & Cory Hardrict Among Six Cast In the CW's Planted Spinoff
- ↑ 'All American' Spinoff & Ava DuVernay's 'Naomi' Picked Up To Series By The CW
- ↑ 'Naomi,' 'All American' Spinoff Ordered at CW, 'Powerpuff Girls' Pilot to Get Re-Worked Off-Cycle
- ↑ 'All American: Homecoming': Mitchell Edwards Joins CW Spinoff As Series Regular
- ↑ The CW's Midseason Schedule Teams Superman & Lois With Naomi, Sets Dynasty, Charmed and Kung Fu Returns
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