All American | |
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Genre | Sports drama |
Created by | April Blair |
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Starring | |
Music by | Blake Neely |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 7 |
No. of episodes | 119 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Cinematography |
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Editors |
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Running time | 42–49 minutes |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | The CW |
Release | October 10, 2018 – present |
Related | |
All American: Homecoming |
All American is an American sports drama television series created by April Blair that premiered on The CW on October 10, 2018. The series follows the lives of a group of people from both Crenshaw and Beverly Hills and features an ensemble cast starring Daniel Ezra in the lead role as well as Bre-Z, Greta Onieogou, Samantha Logan, Michael Evans Behling, Cody Christian, Karimah Westbrook, Monet Mazur, Taye Diggs, Jalyn Hall, Chelsea Tavares, Hunter Clowdus, Osy Ikhile, Alexis Chikaeze, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre and Antonio J. Bell.
All American is inspired by the life of professional American football player Spencer Paysinger and originally revolves around teen Spencer James (Ezra), a rising star football player from Crenshaw whose dream is to make it to the NFL, as he is recruited by coach Billy Baker (Diggs) to play for his high school team in Beverly Hills.
The series was met with positive reviews from both critics and audiences, with praise being aimed in particular at the football sequences and performances of Ezra, Christian and Diggs. However, it initially got weak television ratings on its home channel, but was a sleeper hit when released on Netflix, which helped both to boost its linear ratings and prevent its cancellation, allowing it to stay on air and run for several seasons.
In June 2024, the series was renewed for a seventh season which premiered on January 29, 2025. [1] [2] In June 2025, the series was renewed for an eighth and final season which is expected to premiere in 2026. [3]
When a rising high school American football player from South 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. [4]
Actor | Character | Seasons | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||
Daniel Ezra | Spencer James | Main | Guest | |||||
Bre-Z | Tamia "Coop" Cooper | Main | ||||||
Greta Onieogou | Layla Keating | Main | ||||||
Samantha Logan | Olivia Baker | Main | Guest | |||||
Michael Evans Behling | Jordan Baker | Main | ||||||
Cody Christian | Asher Adams | Main | ||||||
Karimah Westbrook | Grace James | Main | ||||||
Monet Mazur | Laura Fine-Baker | Main | Guest | |||||
Taye Diggs | Billy Baker | Main [b] | Guest | |||||
Jalyn Hall | Dillon James | Main [c] | ||||||
Chelsea Tavares | Patience Robinson | Recurring | Main | Guest | ||||
Hunter Clowdus | JJ Parker | Recurring | Main | |||||
Osy Ikhile | Cassius Jeremy | Main | ||||||
Ella Simone Tabu | Amina Simms | Guest | Recurring | Guest | ||||
Alexis Chikaeze | Guest | Main | ||||||
Nathaniel McIntyre | Kingston "KJ" Jeremy | Main | ||||||
Antonio J. Bell | Khalil Edwards | Guest | Main |
Actor | Character | Seasons | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||
Jay Reeves | Shawn Scott | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Spence Moore II | Chris Jackson | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Michelle Hayden | Ripley | Recurring | ||||||
Demetrius Shipp Jr. | Tyrone Moore | Recurring | ||||||
Brent Jennings | Willie Baker | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Casper Van Dien | Harold Adams | Recurring | Guest | Guest | ||||
Mitchell Edwards | Cam Watkins | Recurring | Guest | Recurring | Guest | |||
Chad L. Coleman | Corey James | Recurring | ||||||
Kareem J. Grimes | Preach | Guest | Recurring | |||||
Asjha Cooper | Kia Williams | Guest | Recurring | Guest | ||||
Lahmard J. Tate | Flip Williams | Guest | Recurring | Guest | ||||
Jordan Belfi | Principal Ed Landon | Guest | Recurring | Guest | Guest | |||
Elvis Nolasco | JP Keating | Guest | Recurring | |||||
Ray Campbell | Guest | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Da'Vinchi | Darnell Hayes | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Corey Reynolds | Cliff Mosley | Recurring | ||||||
Kayla Smith | Rochelle Mosley | Recurring | ||||||
Geffri Maya | Simone Hicks | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Dina Meyer | Gwen Adams | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Lamon Archey | Superintendent D'Angelo Carter | Guest | Recurring | Guest | ||||
Erica Peeples | Monique "Mo" Moore | Guest | Recurring | |||||
Anna Lore | Carrie | Guest | Recurring | Guest | ||||
Alexandra Barreto | Coach Elena Montes | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Alondra Delgado | Vanessa Montes | Recurring | ||||||
Noah Gray-Cabey | Frausto | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Simeon Daise | Jabari Long | Recurring | ||||||
Deric Augustine | Clay Taylor | Recurring | ||||||
Mustafa Speaks | Kenny Boone | Recurring | ||||||
Zachary S. Williams | Isaiah Winfield | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Journey Montana | Jenn | Recurring | ||||||
Sean Carrigan | Ivan Garrett | Recurring | ||||||
Miya Horcher | Jaymee | Recurring | ||||||
Christian James | Wade Waters | Recurring | Recurring | |||||
Brittany Marie Batchelder | Davita | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Kamar de los Reyes | Coach Montes | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Madison Shamoun | Skye | Recurring | ||||||
Alexis Fields | Denise Patterson | Guest | Recurring | Guest | ||||
Ashley Argota | Gia | Recurring | ||||||
Pauline Dyer | Alicia | Recurring | ||||||
Morris Chestnut | Rick Barnes | Recurring | ||||||
Courtney Bandeko | Miko | Recurring | ||||||
David Shatraw | Professor Hill | Recurring | ||||||
Jamel King | Coach Terence "Mac" McClelland | Recurring | ||||||
Brian Borello | Ryan | Recurring | ||||||
Melissa Jane Rodriguez | Charissa | Recurring | ||||||
Taiv Lee | Deion | Recurring | Guest | |||||
Gilbert Glenn Brown | Coach Bobby Shepard | Guest | Recurring | |||||
Elijah M. Cooper | Yasi | Recurring | ||||||
Lauryn Hardy | Tori | Recurring | ||||||
Terayle Hill | Marqui Edwards | Recurring | ||||||
Sasha Lance | Breonna Strong | Recurring | ||||||
Brandon Spink | Grayson | Recurring | ||||||
Angel Parker | Ava Jeremy | Recurring | ||||||
Sloane Avery | Elle Grant | Recurring |
Cast members of the spin-off All American: Homecoming :
In September 2017, it was announced that the CW veteran Greg Berlanti had two pilots in development for the network, one of them inspired by the life of NFL football player Spencer Paysinger. It was also revealed that April Blair would write and executive produce the untitled project, with Berlanti and Sarah Schechter executive producing. [30] A pilot for the potential series, then called Spencer, was ordered in January 2018. [31] The pilot was ordered to series on May 11, 2018. [4] 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. [32] On October 8, 2018, The CW ordered five additional scripts for the series. [33] On November 8, 2018, it was announced that The CW had ordered an additional three episodes of the series, bringing the first season total up to 16 episodes. [34]
On April 24, 2019, it was reported that The CW renewed the series for a second season. [35] The second season premiered on October 7, 2019. [36] On October 8, 2019, The CW ordered three more episodes for the series' second season. [37]
On January 7, 2020, the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on January 18, 2021. [38] [39]
On February 3, 2021, The CW renewed the series for a fourth season which premiered on October 25, 2021. [40] [41]
On March 22, 2022, The CW renewed the series for a fifth season which premiered on October 10, 2022. [42] [43]
On January 11, 2023, The CW renewed the series for a sixth season consisting of 13 episodes which premiered on April 1, 2024. [44] [45] The renewal was a part of the deal in which The CW was sold to Nexstar, [46] with the size of the season being expanded from 13 to 15 episodes on April 22, 2024. [47]
On June 3, 2024, The CW renewed the series for a 13-episode seventh season which premiered on January 29, 2025. The show underwent a cast change and had its budget reduced, with some of the regular cast members exiting. [1] [2]
In April 2025, The CW President Brad Schwartz stated that the network was holding discussions with Warner Bros. Television to renew the series for one final season, in order to let it complete its story. [48] On June 2, 2025, The CW renewed the series for a 13-episode eighth and final season that is slated to premiere in 2026. [3]
On February 22, 2018, Taye Diggs was cast as Billy Baker, followed a week later with Samantha Logan cast as Olivia Baker, his daughter. [49] [9] 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, 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. [7] [10] [11] 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. [12] [6] On May 31, 2018, Jalyn Hall was promoted to a series regular as Dillon, Spencer's little brother. [13]
On October 1, 2020, Chelsea Tavares was promoted to series regular for the third season. [14]
On October 4, 2021, Hunter Clowdus was promoted to series regular for the fourth season. [15]
On June 24, 2024, it was announced that Daniel Ezra would not return as a series regular for the seventh season, after having made the decision alongside showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll before production for the sixth season began. [5] 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 Logan 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 for the seventh season. [8] [16] On October 10, 2024, it was reported that Logan would guest star on the second episode of the seventh season. [50] 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" and confirmed that Tavares and Mazur were both set to make guest appearances. [51]
Filming for the series takes place in Los Angeles, California. [52] Filming for the first season began in July 2018. [53] Filming took place in Thomas Jefferson High School in South Central Los Angeles known as South Crenshaw High School in the series.[ citation needed ]
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 92%, based on 25 reviews, and an average rating of 6.90/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "All American's ambitious attempts to tackle class struggles and classroom drama largely play thanks to its winning cast—an auspicious start to a promising new series". [54] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 63 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [55]
The second season has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 8.80/10. [56]
Despite positive reviews from critics, All American suffered poor television ratings on The CW. However, the series proved to be more successful on Netflix. This is due to a deal between the streaming service and Warner Bros. which generates revenue for the studio. This revenue is a key driver for the show's renewal. [46]
Season | Timeslot (ET) | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | TV season | Viewership rank | Avg. viewers (millions) | ||
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Date | Viewers (millions) | Date | Viewers (millions) | ||||||
1 | Wednesday 9:00 p.m. | 16 | October 10, 2018 | 0.69 [57] | March 20, 2019 | 0.54 [58] | 2018–19 | 203 | 0.90 [59] |
2 | Monday 8:00 p.m. | 16 | October 7, 2019 | 0.88 [60] | March 9, 2020 | 0.70 [61] | 2019–20 | 127 | 1.18 [62] |
3 | 19 | January 18, 2021 | 1.05 [63] | July 19, 2021 | 0.72 [64] | 2020–21 | 135 | 1.40 [65] | |
4 | 20 | October 25, 2021 | 0.64 [66] | May 23, 2022 | 0.67 [67] | 2021–22 | 120 | 1.06 [68] | |
5 | 20 | October 10, 2022 | 0.45 [69] | May 15, 2023 | 0.39 [70] | 2022–23 | 113 | 0.87 [71] | |
6 | 15 | April 1, 2024 | 0.37 [72] | July 15, 2024 | 0.42 [73] | 2023–24 | 125 | 0.77 [74] | |
7 | Wednesday 8:00 p.m. (1) Monday 8:00 p.m. (2–13) | 13 | January 29, 2025 | 0.28 [75] | May 5, 2025 | 0.30 [76] | 2024–25 | TBD | TBD |
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
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2019 | Black Reel Award | Outstanding Drama Series | All American | Nominated | [77] |
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series | Karimah Westbrook | Nominated | |||
2020 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series | Nkechi Okoro Carroll (for "Hussle & Motivate") | Nominated | [78] |
Black Reel Award | Outstanding Guest Actor, Drama Series | Chad Coleman | Won | [79] | |
2022 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Drama Series | All American | Nominated | [80] |
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Daniel Ezra | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series | Nkechi Okoro Carroll (for "Homecoming") | Nominated | |||
Up until season 5, All American aired in New Zealand as a web-only series on TVNZ OnDemand. The episodes of the first three seasons were each released the day following the US airing. [81] On June 1, 2025, Seasons 1-6 were retrospectively released in bulk on Three Now Website. [82]
In the United Kingdom, the series was acquired by ITV2. [83]
The series is also retrospectively released on the US version of Netflix at the conclusion of each season.
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. [84] On February 1, 2021, The CW gave the spin-off a pilot order and titled it as All American: Homecoming. [85] 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. [86] 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. [87] 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. [88] 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. [18] The series premiered on The CW on February 21, 2022 [89] and ran for 41 episodes over three seasons, with its final episode airing on September 30, 2024.