If you’re wondering why Taye Diggs ended up leavingAll American, go ahead and keep reading. WithAll Americanseason 7 underway andAll Americanseason 8 a possibility, it’s as good a time as any to look back at one of the most surprising moments of the series involving one of the show’s best characters. Taye Diggs first appeared inAll Americanin the series pilot as Billy Baker, the head coach of Beverly High and the man who convinces Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) to leave South Crenshaw High to come play with him.
A South Crenshaw alumnus and a former NFL player whose career was cut short, Billy is a talented coach, a strong leader, and a father figure to many.He manages to be a shining example while still dealing with problems at home and his own anxieties and regretsabout his professional career. After taking the job at South Crenshaw, Billy gets a handle on his difficult past, and increasingly takes pride in what he’s accomplished since the NFL, rather than wondering what could have been. Sadly, Billy and Taye Diggs' time on the show had to come to an end.
Taye Diggs Felt It Was The Right Time To Leave All American
Diggs Spoke To Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll About The Best Way To Exit The Series
After five years onAll American, Billy Baker was written off the series, and Taye Diggs was content with the decision (viaTVLine),
“It was just a feeling that I got [that I was ready to leave], and I just honored that feeling. It was maybe mid-fourth season. I don’t even remember, to be honest, because the showrunner [Carroll] and myself are close. We’d been keeping in contact, so she had known, and we’d been talking. And we decided how to go about it, and storylines and whatnot, so it was all above board, and everyone was in the know.”
Diggs realized that he was losing interest in the part, and he discussed it with the series showrunner, Nkechi Okoro Carroll. Carroll, for her part, said,
“I wanted to honor whenever Taye felt right — that he’d served his purpose and felt like he’d lived the journey of Billy’s character. And I said, ‘Whenever that day comes, let’s have that conversation, and ensure you know where I’m taking the character, make sure it’s a mutual decision of, ‘Oh, this kind of feels right for now.’… And it’s funny, because earlier, I was like, “How am I going to know if it’s mutual?’ But crazily enough, as we’re talking at the end of Season 4, he started to talk about Billy’s journey and what I thought the end was, and what he was thinking. And in a weird, organic way, it happened mutually.”
It can be tough to figure out when is the best time to write a character off the show, and it can be even tougher to have that conversation between a showrunner and an actor. Fortunately, Diggs and Carroll appear to have a strong enough relationship that they could discuss the issue, and coming to an agreement they’re both happy with is more than a lot of shows can hope for.
How Diggs' Billy Baker Was Killed Off All American
Billy Died Being A Hero
Billy Baker meets a tragic end inAll Americanin season 5, episode 11, “Time”. Billy is dealing with the impact of choosing to coach college football. Though everyone is supportive, they’re sad to see him go. Billy realizes he’s right where he should be and announces to the team that he’s staying with Crenshaw. On the way to an athletic combine with the team, the bus unexpectedly crashes, flips over on its side, and comes to rest on the side of the cliff. After everyone seemingly escapes, Billy realizes Jabari (Simeon Daise) is still on the bus.
All American Season 6 Ending Explained
All American’s season 6 finale delivers several happy endings and a few thrilling cliffhangers, opening the door to massive changes for season 7.
Billy rushes back to the bus to save him. The scene cuts, and we’re later told thatwhile Jabari survived thanks to Billy’s actions, Billy was not able to escape and perished when the bus fell from the cliff. Billy’s death left a huge hole inAll American. Spencer lost his second father, Olivia (Samantha Logan) and Laura (Monet Mazur) are devastated at the loss of their dad and husband, and South Crenshaw loses one of its favored sons. He’s replaced by Bobby Shepard (Gilbert Glenn Brown) but there’s no replacing Diggs.
Taye Diggs' Post-All American Career Explained
Diggs Has Two Movies In Production
Post-All American, Taye Diggs has kept himself busy, voicing King Triton in the 2024 Disney Jr. series,Ariel, and voicing Pupsicle in the kids' seriesRoboGobo. He also has the role of Dr. Eric Murphy in the upcoming 2025 Ariel Julia Hairston-directed thriller,Both Eyes Open; and he’s set to appear in the crime comedyBFFsas Stu Pitt. It’s only been a few months since his departure from the series, butexpect to see Diggs appearing in a lot more roles soon.
