Warning: This story accommodates spoilers from the Monday, February 13, episode of All American.
A tragedy nobody noticed coming. All American followers are reeling after a bus crash led to the surprising dying of a primary character.
The Monday, February 13, season 5 episode, titled “Time,” noticed Taye Diggs’ Billy Baker die by re-entering a bus after an accident to avoid wasting the lifetime of certainly one of his college students.
The preliminary cras, which happens on the way in which dwelling from Crenshaw Excessive Faculty’s soccer mix, leaves nobody majorly injured. Nonetheless, after realizing one of many gamers is lacking from the group, Billy climbs again into the car — which was left dangling on the sting of a cliff — in an try save the scholar’s life.
Viewers aren’t given an inside take a look at what occurs as soon as Billy runs again into the bus, however his son, Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling), delivers the devastating information upon returning dwelling from the harrowing scene.
“He’s gone,” Jordan tells his household — together with Billy’s daughter Liv (Samantha Logan), spouse Laura (Monet Mazur) and protegé Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) — who’re anxiously awaiting their return.
Beneath the impression that Billy was secure and sound after the primary crash, Liv and Laura break down in unrelenting sobs as Spencer, who has been arguing along with his mentor the previous few episodes, stands in shock over the devastating loss.
Whereas most main TV character deaths are revealed throughout premieres or finales, Diggs’ stunning exit comes throughout a seemingly random midseason episode — just some weeks after All American was renewed for a sixth season. The Finest Man alum, 52, has starred on the hit CW collection since its premiere in October 2018.
“It has been an honor to work with Taye over these final 5 seasons and to look at him convey such unimaginable life to the function of Billy Baker. It has actually been a present for me and my fellow writers to jot down a personality that was equally flawed and heroic,” All American showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll instructed Us Weekly in a press release on Monday. “Billy was all of us and what a pleasure it was to look at this character develop as he raised his children and his soccer gamers as one huge household. We want Taye the perfect on this subsequent chapter of his life and he stays a beloved member of the All American household, so that you haven’t seen the final of Billy Baker.”
All American follows standout Crenshaw participant Spencer James after he’s recruited to play at Beverly Hills Excessive by Billy, the top coach at Beverly. As he will get Spencer adjusted to his new world, his previous associates at Crenshaw and new associates at Beverly collide.
Through the years, the present has reached past soccer to the touch on varied matters together with violence, relationships and racism and was named the No. 1 collection on The CW in key demographics. Diggs’ Billy, who went on to teach at each colleges throughout his time on the present, has served as a mainstay and a guiding life for the youthful technology of characters.
In 2021, the Hire actor opened up about what precisely drew him to his function on the teenager drama — and the way the choice to play Billy got here from a ardour over enterprise perspective.
“That is the one present the place I sort of went with my intestine as an alternative of the place the cash was or the place the opposite names had been,” Diggs instructed Leisure Weekly in 2021. “I’ve gotten actually fortunate with the work that I’ve carried out, however earlier than this present, I wasn’t very aware of The CW. After which the piece actually moved me and I’m on the age now the place I take heed to that little voice inside. I ended studying all the opposite scripts and I stated I simply wished to stay with this one.”
Diggs added that whereas he initially didn’t assume the present would catch on with a wider viewers, he was “ecstatic” that it began “resonating” with folks. “For me, it’s simply the lesson to be affected person and to maintain listening to your instincts. We couldn’t be extra grateful,” he shared.
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All American airs on The CW Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
