All language subtitles for All.American.S08E01.1080p.WEB.h264-ETHEL_track3_[eng]

I wanna play in the NFL.

I want a life better than
the one I've been living.

You gotta save yourself,
cuz out here is every

man for themselves.

You need a family.

I'm hoping you choose
to be a part of mine.

'Cause I've already chosen you.

- We were just trying
to tell a story

that felt authentic about
black youth in America

and the pursuit of a dream.

I auditioned in London.

I got the call from my
agent at like 10 p.m.

and I had to be on a flight
to L.A. the next day

I thought I was
going to get fired

for most of the pilot and
like half of season one.

When I had the opportunity
to come to Los Angeles,

my parents were, of
course, very weary

and thought that maybe
this was a scam and I

was gonna get kidnapped.

Fortunately for me and
them, that didn't happen.

I just knew it was good and
I knew that it was a job

and that I needed one.

So I was very grateful
to be working.

I was in LA with my dad
on the Santa Monica Pier.

It was like the most
surreal, magical moment

to get that news in such an
iconic Los Angeles landmark.

And then I met the cast.

The cast was amazing
and talented

and youthful and energetic.

Everything about the
audition process

just flowed and matched up.

And the synchronicity was crazy.

And so I kind of
knew that this was

where I was gonna be for the
next few years of my life.

- I felt like it was the
precipice of something big.

There was this like
palpable chemistry.

You could feel that from
the very beginning.

- We've been blessed to have
a really fun, cohesive set.

We gelled instantly.

- And the writing held
up, and I knew we had a

gift on our hands.

- I was so excited to learn that
I was gonna be on the show.

- It was surreal, truly surreal.

My life changed
from that point on.

- I'm obsessed with YA shows,
have been since I was a kid,

still am as a grown adult.

- You know, I
remember when we met.

First day of Little League.

Man, I didn't even
know you was a girl.

- That's 'cause I striked
your ass out three times.

- Twice, man, you did
that twice, all right?

- Man, when I first got the
news that I got the role,

I was so excited.

I loved it, I loved being Coop.

I loved bringing that to life.

And just giving my
girl a platform

and all the girls
that look like her.

I don't want you hanging around
that Patience girl anymore.

You think Patience's
trouble because she's gay?

That would make me trouble,
since I'm gay, too.

It was emotional.

It was a little bit of drama.

It turned out to be
a lot of everything,

but the experience
was like none other.

My very first day,
my first episode,

we needed them to ad-lib
just a birthday song.

You know, there was
nothing scripted.

And so they were like, OK, well,
what do you want us to do?

I said, put whatever's your
spin on happy birthday.

Happy birthday.

And it was phenomenal.

♪ Happy birthday, happy
birthday, happy birth-- ♪

And in that moment, I'm like,
"Oh, okay, so this is easy."

[ Laughs ]

I'm like, "I just need to
give them just a little bit,

and then they can take
it to another level."

And that was literally my
first scene on the show.

♪ Happy birthday, happy
birthday, happy birth-- ♪

I was just excited about
being able to take the genre

but also honestly reflect what
my sons were going through.

Everybody's gone to junior
high and high school.

We've all dealt with bullies.

She mean more like you.

Having problems with class.

What does that look like?

I had a 10th of
your talent, bro.

I say we get this
place and bounce.

There's something in these
episodes and these seasons

that people really connect with.

It's taking life situations
and giving you options.

Spencer James.

Billy Baker.

varsity coach, Beverly High.

As a young actor, you watch
other actors do scenes,

and you can't wait for your
turn to say those lines.

I need you to come play for me.

That was one of those lines.

And it was dark and lit.

It was cool.

I can get your way out, man.

I was a kid that
grew up watching TV.

I used to always
entertain my family,

telling jokes or
imitating somebody.

I was just like, yeah,
I want to be on TV.

I want to be an actor.

Meet Preach.

He just got out.

What up, Preach?

Something exciting about
being able to step

into somebody else's
shoes and try to see

the world from their lens.

What's up with you
and this kid, Dad?

Why do you care so much?

I come from Spencer's
neighborhood.

You have no idea
what that's like.

His understanding of
which box do I check.

Guess I don't, yeah.

Jordan definitely
struggled with that.

And I kind of struggled
with that as a young man.

I was adopted and
not understanding

where I was coming
from to some degree.

But being able to play Jordan
has made me understand that no

matter where you're from,
you are who you are.

You sure about this,
living in Beverly Hills?

Look, Ma, if you don't
want this, I won't go.

OK, just say the word,
and I'll call them.

No, I ask you to give yourself
a chance at something more.

This is what's best
for you, Spencer.

- Welcome to Beverly Hills.

Being born and raised in
Inglewood, California,

Los Angeles native, this show
I connected with immediately

because I went to a
predominantly white school

and then transferred
to Dorsey High School,

which is in the inner city.

- Crips or Bloods?

- Excuse me?

Yo, yo, he's just
joking, man, ignore him.

- Nah, that ain't sound
like a joke to me, bro.

- Don't be so sensitive.

- Sensitive.

- These are stories that I've
actually witnessed firsthand.

- The hell are you doing?

I'm picking you up in your
red car, in your red hat.

Don't get your head blown off.

- I'm just playing.

I'm just playing.

Just drive, bro.

- Hey.

Come here often?

- Seeing this?

We need to get rid of him.

- It felt like it was
going to be high school

all over again.

It's okay.

If you don't have a
computer, just pair up

with a classmate for now.

You can share with me.

Growing alongside Olivia,
I was able to bring a

lot of myself into her.

I was so terrified of losing the
people I love over a mistake

I can barely even remember.

I've just been so grateful that
so many people have been able

to resonate with her
character, and that means that

I did my job well and that
made it all worthwhile.

- So, show Friday?

- To date?

- To date?

(upbeat music)

- Oh, Spence!

What's good, man?

- Hey, what up, bro?

- How you feeling?

Okay, you hear me?

- For me, I play sports.

That's my connection.

I play football.

I understand where these
players are coming from,

dealing with the pressures,
especially if you're

a star athlete.

The pressures from
home, the pressures at

school to perform.

(laughing)

- All right, good work, son.

- Thanks, y'all.

- Woo!

- That's good stuff.

That's how you play football.

- Better get comfortable there.

(typing)

- The writers always either
have me screaming or crying,

so that's like
process number one.

We are very particular
with every single look.

Are they underprivileged,
or is it super preppy?

Does it look like money, or does
it look like hand-me-downs?

I try to sprinkle in pieces
that smaller companies design,

companies that don't get the
light shined on them too often.

I try.

[ Laughs ]

I wanted to make
sure that the music

was really authentic
to the series.

And to do that, that
meant really recognizing

where we were, that we
were in Los Angeles,

that we were in South
Central or in Crenshaw.

I insisted that whatever we put
in that first pilot episode,

there was going to be
a Nipsey Hussle song.

(RAPPING) Once slice.

Got to roll the dice.

That's why all my life, I
be grinding all my life.

What Spencer did was come
from a neighborhood,

work hard to fulfill
your dreams,

but then also give back.

That's exactly who
Nipsey Hussle was.

So to me, there wasn't
a better place to start

than right there.

- The most fun I've ever had
was probably any football

scene that we ever shot.

- Please welcome your
Beverly High Eagles.

(cheering)

♪ Back to my ways ♪

- We had background players
who played college football,

who played in the NFL.

And they are massive.

When you get next to them,
these dudes are huge.

- What a block by Spencer
James!

- They hold practices,
they put like a package

of plays together.

They base that off of
whatever we write in script.

If we're like, okay,
this is a full game,

we might need like 10 plays.

They'll organize the 10 plays,
they will practice those plays,

they will be beautifully
orchestrated when the day comes.

And then they have doubles
for all of our actors.

And shout out to Mike
Bailey in particular,

because that dude is a baller.

I mean, he can really
heave that thing 60 yards.

He is legit.

And then the evolution
and growth of Daniel

has been great in terms
of a dude who had never

played football before to a
guy who worked his ass off

and got there.

[GRUNTING]

We all got to watch the
pilot together, too,

when we were on
set, and it just--

it was lightning in a bottle.

Welcome to Beverly
Hills, Spencer.

I don't think I had any idea
of what it would become

or what it would mean to people.

I told my reps between
season one and season two,

I don't want to go
off any other jobs,

because I feel like this
show is coming back.

I'll be damned if I
let you back down.

It was a bold move on my part.

That's just me
betting on the show.

I was like, OK, this is serious.

I just felt really excited
that I got to do a show

that I would have watched.

But beyond that, I had like
really no idea what was to come.

When I first discovered
All American, it felt

so familiar to me.

It made me lean more into
my authenticity because

people connect with what's
real and not what's perfect.

that never be the
same around here.

- Coming back for season two,
way more people knew who we were

and just the energy had shifted.

- That's just a taste
of your new reality.

- I had people who
I really admired

start to come up to me and
say, "I'm a really big

fan of the show."

- It was really cool
being called coach

outside of the set.

Yeah. - I will
never forget Daniel

taking Breezy by the hand
and bringing her up to

me on set and going,
"Hey, Madonna, did you

know that Breezy can rap?"

And I went, "No."

And lo and behold, it
became "You Don't Ask."

♪ You don't ask So
I don't say none ♪

Which I think is an incredible
anthem for the LGBTQ+ community.

I mean, it's a huge theme
about whether your parents

are willing to talk to you
about who you really are.

The core of this show is
about people building

dreams and achieving them.

So why wouldn't I want to give
an unknown artist or give

someone starting out exposure?

And we've had people go on to
become Grammy-nominated artists.

After the fires in Los Angeles,
I was paying special attention

to artists who lost their homes.

And I got an artist
who lost her home.

I got one of her
songs in an episode.

There's a bigger picture.

It's people, it's
lives, it's dreams.

That's better than any paycheck.

- Secretly, I snuck in a
couple parental lessons.

If there was something I
wanted my son to hear,

occasionally I'd put
it in Grace's mouth.

- Most of us don't even start
the race until it's over.

You've been given a
chance to start on time.

- He'd be like,
"Mom, it's crazy.

Do you know what Grace
said to Spencer?"

And I'd be like, "Oh,
what'd she say?"

- Go win that race
for the rest of us.

It's what you do with your
success that matters.

I had kids sending me
messages through social media

asking me like real
life questions.

It really kind of
reflected back to me

how serious kids were
looking up to Grace James.

- I would get these
paragraphs from fans,

like, "Oh my gosh, my son
and I haven't discussed

the loss of his father until
we watched the episode

where Spencer lost Corey."

(sobbing)

(screaming)

- I lost my dad when
I was in my 20s,

and I'm still processing
20-something years later,

and so to hear that
something we did

was helping families
heal was incredible.

I was like, "Oh, we might
actually be doing something

that's connecting people
in a way deeper way

than we even realized."

- It's a culture shifter.

Mothers have told us this
show is appointment TV

for a mom and her son or
for a dad and his daughter.

I've had a ton of single
fathers come up to me and say,

"Man, I love that relationship
between your daughter.

I'm a girl dad."

And they totally relate to it.

You about to teach me
another lesson, huh?

We don't see too many Black
fathers on television

as far as fighting for
custody of their kids.

They're gonna take her away,
and I can't let that happen.

And I think that's
something beautiful

that this show tackled.

The messages hit
major points in life,

in sports, in parenting,
and in friendship.

- I thought I was talking
to my best friend,

not a treacherous bitch.

- It's hard, but at
the end of the day,

like if someone is your
friend, I think there should

be an effort there to
make repair and show

grace to the other person.

- Maybe now you
can finally admit

that you're a messy human who
screws up like the rest of us.

- And if the friendship
means a lot to you,

I think you will find your
way back to each other.

- I really don't wanna
lose my best friend.

- There was a scene
that I had written

in like season three,
Preach had this

conversation with Spencer.

I don't know why you and
Cooper still beefing,

and honestly, I don't care,
but I know this much.

He basically broke down,
like, if you're lucky,

you might get three true
friends your entire life.

I'm talking about sandbox.

Day ones, ride or dies.

Do everything possible to
keep them in your circle.

There was a fan who
was gonna use that

in this speech that
she was delivering

for her school graduation.

You never know when she kind
of releases it into the world,

the impact it would have.

♪ You're looking for love ♪

- We had teachers
reach out to us

to tell us they started
incorporating it

into their classroom,
and it changed how they

related to their students,
and it changed how

their students were
showing up to class.

That was beyond anything
we could have imagined.

- We focused on
issues that people

in our generation deal with.

It's meant to be seen by
whoever it's meant to reach.

♪ Reach out, reach out,
reach out, reach out ♪

My favorite fan moment,
I had a guy approach me

on the beach who told me that
Coop allowed him to come out.

The 60-year-old
white man inspired

by a young black teenage girl.

And there was other things
like the opioid epidemic

and depression.

- Addiction is a
very real disease,

and when it takes over, it's
a very scary place to be in.

- I found some pills in my room.

- What?

- I was tempted, but it's fine.

I threw them away and met
with my sponsor, so...

Can we talk about
something else?

- No.

- Please?

Please? - It was a
flashback moment

where Olivia
overdoses, and, uh...

Jordan finds her on the
couch, and then, you know,

brings her to the foyer,
and next thing you know,

Billy and Laura come in and
they try to revive her.

- Sorry, Mom, Dad.

- What's going on?

- I mean, that was really heavy
and so difficult to film,

and I just remember feeling like
a weight of responsibility,

like I really just, I
want to get this right.

- I can remember the
director on like the wide.

The wide was like, "Hey, so you
know, you can save it," right?

But I was just
uncontrollably sobbing.

That was quite a
scene, quite a day,

and I can just remember really
feeling heavy after that.

But there is hope and always
a chance to get better.

You did it.

I just remember filming
the scene where

she got her one
year of sobriety.

That was a really,
really beautiful moment.

I'm really proud to
have played Olivia.

And I'm proud of myself, too.

There have definitely been
times where this show

is art imitating life.

It's helped me personally,
like, work through and heal

through things.

Your mom, she suffered from

depression. Depression can
be hereditary, sweetie.

I think the biggest lesson that

Layla has taught me is to
prioritize my mental health.

I'm gonna need help
to get through this.

And not feel the
stigma or shame that

I think a lot of
people do still feel.

Layla Keating,
checking myself in.

So that was a beautiful
lesson she taught me

and continues to teach me.

(clapping)

- Hey, who's ready
to play football?

It's TV, of course
we want the drama

and we want all the things.

But if we can also
show how relationships

and friendships heal,
how families can heal,

how families can
come back together.

You know, Billy and
Laura, the affair,

separating, coming
back together.

(heavy breathing)

If we can show even
a slice of that,

maybe we're helping the
world sort of realize

that it's okay to say, "I
messed up, I'm sorry."

I always say I wanna
create content

that leaves the world a better
place than how I found it.

And when we realized on
kind of a mass scale

how much that was
happening, we were like,

"This is crazy."

And then it's like, "We
have to keep going."

The numbers really started to
pop at the end of season two.

And then everybody
got locked inside.

The man was being
treated for COVID-19.

And that's when things
really took a turn.

When I found All-American,
it was during the pandemic.

I was in high school, and
people were very scared.

You never forget a show that
brings oneness and hope

in a time that feels hopeless.

♪ All American ♪

- COVID was tough, man.

- Screening operation.

- Going through all
the testing protocols.

We had to go through
zoning protocols.

Actors gotta be in their zone,
crew have to be in their zone.

If we ever had an actor
who tested positive,

we would have to pivot.

And sometimes we'd have to pull
actors who were available.

We'd have to pull scenes
from future episodes.

We'd have to bring in that
director from that episode

and you had to kind of work
through all of that stuff.

We only had like
maybe one shutdown,

but we were always hit
with different actors

who would get it.

It was one of the most
challenging times,

but I think one of
the greatest rewards

is that every step of the
way, we always found a pivot.

And at the end of
the day, it worked.

- COVID changed the
way we did things,

but we had to just
get right in gear

to talk about what was real.

- The heart of downtown LA.

- Everyone was like,
"Oh, is there gonna be a

Black Lives Matter episode?"

I'm like, "Our entire
series is taking a stand

on Black Lives Matter,
Black Joy Matters,

Black Dreams Matter, Black Kids,
no matter what neighborhood

you come from, matter."

The way in which we
talked about that issue,

Jordan being a biracial
kid from Beverly Hills

and not really knowing how to
interact with police officers.

We've done nothing wrong, man.

Jordan, this is harassment.

That, to me, was a scene
that we did so well.

We did it in a way that
didn't feel like it was

being shoved down your
throat as a viewer.

Just keep looking
at me, all right?

Just keep looking at me.

We did our best
to not be preachy

and not tell people what
to think and what to feel,

but we also wanted
to shine light

on the very real experiences
that a lot of kids in America

were going through at the time.

If even one person looks at
those situations differently

and now interacts with
Black youth differently,

then that's why we do it.

- Tamika was a 21-year-old
girl from South LA.

I've been really shy
in my whole life.

When Liv had her podcast,
"Liv the Truth,"

she taught me how
to use my voice.

There has to be a better
way to serve and protect.

That was very healing,
just during those

really difficult times.

I would have gone crazy if I
didn't have an outlet for that.

Writers' rooms are
super cathartic.

We're pulling from
personal experiences.

It is our therapy
in a lot of ways,

and anyone is free
to sit at the table.

We have our support staff,
our writers' assistants,

assistance to EPs, we'll
have them in a room,

'cause, and I can't
emphasize this enough,

best idea wins.

We did an episode where
the South Crenshaw players

and the opposing team take
a stand in solidarity.

It was one of those
moments where you're like,

this isn't a TV show,
like this is a moment.

Like for a moment I forgot
that it was a show.

It was so eloquently done.

To this day, like, that moment
still has an impact on me.

It spoke about things
that were very current.

I think you need
that in society.

You need to hold the mirror
up as much as you can.

These past couple of months
have been really hard.

So because it's hard, you
don't want to do it no more?

I didn't say that.

It's a show that gives hope.

was very grounded in reality
in regards to the challenges

you may face, but despite
of, you still can overcome.

I know you're going to find a
way back out on that field.

You always do.

My girlfriend is
pregnant, coach.

You'll be ready.

How do you know?

Because you're the most prepared
player I've ever coached.

The power of coaches.

I unfortunately just lost my
high school football coach.

He's yet another
person that I was

able to kind of
draw from in terms

of building Billy Baker's arc.

Look, you tell Layla, she
officially has my approval.

OMG. How did you know?

I'm your father.

I love you, Dad.

Bring it in.

Love you, too.

My love for my dad
and the impact

that he kind of
had on my life has

been incorporated in this show.

You asked me what the
secret to coaching was.

It's simple, man.

I just try to act like a
father to the players.

You were all my kids.

I'm gonna be honest.

You were one of my favorites.

♪

Have you not gotten
your messages?

My dad's bus crashed.

What? The news is saying they

think everyone's okay.

When we lost Billy -- brutal.

Brutal.

I think I cried for,
like, five episodes.

Where's Jabari?

Billy, don't.

I have to.

Tell my family that I love them.

[screams]

He's gone.

[sobbing]

My dad is gone.

I was fortunate to receive
a phone call from Taye

before we started that season.

Taye really took
me under his wing

and tried to just show me all
the things of this crazy world,

this crazy business.

Getting the call from him
was, I think, more sad

than Billy's death for me.

(phone ringing)

I just wanted to tell
you some things.

Being your coach had become one
of the best parts of my life.

And I know I'm not your pops,
but I do consider you my son.

You are my All-American.

It was very tough.

Taye is an amazing human
being and an amazing actor.

I'm really close
to these people.

This was an amazing and very
important time of life.

And it's nice to be reminded.

The scenes where Spencer's
struggling with Billy's death,

it's spread across
multiple episodes.

You're in this very
uncomfortable place

for a while.

I directed an episode
within that, too,

so I got to be very present
for Sam's part of the grieving

when she was playing Olivia.

Talk to him.

- In here.

- Samantha and I are
super, super close.

I've watched her grow
up for eight years.

That's as close to
having a daughter

as I'm gonna experience.

- You've been handling
everything so well, and I'm--

- I have not been handling
my grief well at all.

Taye and I had spent six
years together every day.

So when Billy died,
I was losing my

partner on the show, so
my heart was broken.

I'm so sorry that you didn't
have more time in it.

[sniffles]

Grieving is not linear, and
it felt like I was grieving.

I decline Coach Baker's call.

My hero, the man
who saved my life.

I had a scene with Daniel
where he screamed at me.

I really don't need you on
my bumper right now, man.

And he punched a
hole in the cabinet.

Leave me alone!

That one for me was kind
of like, all right,

I really feel that,
like this isn't fake.

Everybody's journey in
grief is different.

We kept saying, you
don't get over it,

you learn to live with it.

That was the motto.

We're not gonna make
them get over it,

we're gonna create
sounds and music

that shows how they're
gonna live with it.

You know, I thought I had to
like run away and heal alone.

Thank you guys for
proving me wrong.

I love y'all.

We love you too.

If you don't figure
out how to whisper,

I can tell you someone who's
not going to love you.

[GIGGLING]

I'm sorry.

[WHOOSH]

Over the last year,
I think I've finally

gotten to a place where
I can think about dad

and not feel my gut plunge.

The growth and
continued metamorphosis

of our other characters
were able to happen,

inspired by all the things
that he had taught them.

Raise a hand if, like me,
you are shocked but happy

that these two finally
got their act together

after all these years.

(laughing)

- My heart and soul always
made it back to you.

- You may now kiss
your damn bride.

(clapping)

- The Spencer and
Olivia wedding,

to me that felt like the end
because we really didn't know

and we were all together
and so I did a lot of

grieving in that moment.

- I thought it was done.

I watched season
six and I was like,

Oh man, I'm gonna
miss this show.

So when the audition came in,
I was shocked and excited.

- I had auditioned for
this show since the pilot.

I think it was eight
or so auditions.

- Finding out that I was
gonna be a part of it,

I was excited, I wasn't
even really nervous.

I was just ready to go.

- I couldn't wait to meet
everyone and get on set.

- One of the defining moments
for me personally as an actor

is being able to transition
to something new.

I wasn't entirely sure I
wanted to be a director

until I asked to try it.

I'm so glad I took the leap
because I was among friends

and I was among people
that wanted to see me win.

I could take risks and it
was always met with love.

It forced me to evolve in ways
that I wasn't prepared for,

which is the best way to evolve.

Just when I thought this show
couldn't give me any more,

it gave me some more.

Girl, when I tell you I love
football, I love football.

Blue 32, say go.

I'm fresh.

I'm the new guy in town.

I didn't know how
big of a role I had.

I think I found out
during the table read.

I'm like, OK, yeah,
I'm in this, OK.

I didn't know I was going to be
taking on a lead role like this.

We got royalty around here.

Coaches, son.

That explains the power trip.

It was tossed around
by some people like,

oh, you're the new
Spencer or whatever.

And I'm like, oh,
wait, hold on now.

I can't be the Spencer.

I can't do what Daniel did.

But it was cool to find
out that me and Antonio

are kind of making up
for Spencer's role

as the new hopeful dreamer.

[LAUGHTER]

Oh, my bad.

Watch where the hell
you're going, dog.

Hey, relax.

I said my bad.

I thought I'd come in,
do a couple episodes,

and everybody would move
on with their lives.

Your dad is some big deal crip.

You think that makes
him untouchable.

I didn't think that I'd
be still sitting here

20, 30 episodes later.

I've just been really grateful
to play a character like this

because he represents a lot
of kids in a lot of places,

similar to the places I grew up.

Clearly, a cast like you need
to be taught some respect.

- About who?

- A brother that's apparently
too stupid to graduate?

What's up?

- It's been really cool to
have old cast come back

and sort of tie the
two worlds together.

- Spencer James.

I can't believe I'm actually
meeting you right now.

I just hoped everybody
would be nice.

You know, oftentimes
you come into a show

and it's like been on
for six, seven years

and cast is burnt out,
crew doesn't want

to be there anymore.

No one cares about the
story or the plot.

It was beautiful to find that
none of those things were true.

KJ came in like,
"I'm from Oakland."

Guess I just got the Bay
written all over me.

No, but your hat does.

Oh, yeah.

You see the bright colors,
the bright patterns.

They're loud.

They're in your face.

He walks around with
his head held high.

He's very sure of himself.

Must be nice knowing everything.

He's adapting to this
new environment,

new friends, and this
new football team.

I'm from New York.

I moved out here for the show.

This is my first time
ever living on my own.

I made this big
move, just like KJ.

So we're similar in that way.

And if I'm not 100% on
something, I give myself grace.

We're not perfect.

We're all human, and KJ is
a perfect example of that.

I owe you a big apology.

I insulted you and made
all my teammates hate me.

- Even though people hurt
us and we hurt people,

that's not where the story ends.

You look like you
could use a friend.

Amina, Amina Sims.

- I think people
underestimate what it's like

to have somebody believe in you.

- How do you know so
much about football?

- I used to play a little.

- Yeah, why'd you stop?

- I don't know, I just did.

- He's not a bad
person, he's just a kid

with a rough past who's
made some mistakes.

Does that remind you of anyone?

Khalil, you have something
very special in you.

What would you say if I wanted
you to come play for me?

That scene was special because
it was like the first time

someone saw Khalil and
believed in Khalil

and wanted him to do better
and saw more for him than what

his circumstances may allow.

Yeah. Yeah, coach, I'll

come play for you.

It reminds me of a lot of people
over the course of my life

that saw something
in me and, you know,

want to help me do something.

We have an opportunity here
to build something great.

KJ and Cassius have a best
friend, brotherly kind of bond,

even though they're
father and son.

All the way into
a bubble screen.

Nice, OK.

But that's how I am with my dad.

We clown on each other.

We joke.

I see what you're doing.

My dad is my best friend.

And I try to bring that into KJ.

I just want to be
certain that I'm putting

you in a position to succeed.

I love that about Cassius.

His ability to learn
from his mistakes

and do what's best for
the people that he loves.

I wanna be more like
Cassius in that respect.

Some of his actions
are questionable.

- Are we related to the Bakers?

How long have you
known about this?

- All my life.

- When he finally
fought for his family,

that's when he really started
to become his own man.

- My son is destined
for great things,

but his legacy, that's his own.

Khalil's often misunderstood.

He is very undefinable
in so many ways.

Zero, that's the number I want.

It's all yours.

Nowhere to go but up from here.

I pitched that.

That was the second or
third pitch I've ever made

that actually hit the page.

He chose number zero because
zero is the one character,

numerically, that is undefined.

It's a number, but is
it really a number?

It's time to bounce.

Khalil is in the middle
of taking a test.

What you trying to say?

I can't take my
son out of school?

I get a lot of DMs about how
Preach stepped up to the plate

to watch out for Khalil.

I know where you
really from, Teach.

You should know my whole
get-down, partner.

He kind of steps back into
his old ways to let him know,

"Hey, listen, Street Preach
hasn't gone too far.

He's still there if you
want to push that button."

Take it easy, Teach.

Don't call the hall monitor on
me.

When he decides not to
support his father,

he becomes a man, in my opinion.

I can't go with you, Pop.

It's just more important
than some game.

Now, come on, let's go.

Just 'cause it's
your responsibility

don't make it mine.

You feel like, because
you love someone,

you have to be loyal to
them, but you also have to

be loyal to yourself.

It's all about evolution,
and it's all about growth.

Amina was standing
up for the people

who couldn't stand
up for themselves,

which is something that
her mother taught her.

We are worthy, we are powerful,
and we are everything.

- Delivering the speech
was very nerve-wracking.

I, Alexis, felt all
of her real emotions.

I was really proud to help
her take that stance.

- She's 16, Preach.

On the cusp of adulthood and
all that comes with that.

- Keep balling and
making us proud.

Thank you.

I made my choice.

I want Dinsburg.

We're down to the final
play of the game,

and they're going
to need a miracle.

Boom! 32!

We know KJ wants to win.

When you see him
throw that ball,

it's a relief because
it's the final play.

I'm releasing the ball, like
whatever happens, happens.

But we also feel that pressure
of it at the same time.

When we got the chance
to do a season eight,

it was really about completing
the journey for these kids.

that everything they've
been through was worth it.

I've been a crying mess
for the last three weeks.

I literally delayed
writing the final scene

because if I wrote that scene, I
was gonna write end of series.

I just couldn't write
those final three words.

It was 3:30 in the
morning, and so I finally

wrote the final scene.

And I was crying, and my
husband was looking at me,

and he's like, "Honey,
just hit send."

And I was just
like, "Oh, my gosh.

We're really doing this.

Like, we're really
ending the series."

And then I hit send and
slammed closed my laptop

like it was gonna
implode or something.

All American's family,
it's football,

and it's the friend vortex.

So I really wanted
this final chapter

to climax in a way where
all of those things

reach the best version
of themselves.

There's a lot of turns this
year that I didn't see coming

when I read these scripts.

Some of these characters
are gonna find themselves

in positions that they're
not gonna see coming.

This season challenges
Khalil in every way.

A lot of skeletons
from the past come up.

- Hi, son.

- He really has to make some
choices about who he is,

who he wants to become.

- It's been you, me, and
Dylan against the world

since day one.

This ain't no different.

- Today's either gonna be one
of the best days in my career

or one of the biggest
mistakes I'll ever make.

This season is about Spencer
becoming a father himself.

That peace is the peace I
wanted for him this whole time.

He had a severe
superhero complex.

One of several things
that we shared.

My favorite storyline, Spencer
was learning to put that down,

and it helped me put
that down a little bit

in my own personal life, too.

Season eight for Coop's all
about stepping into her power.

You and me are going
to rule the world.

Damn right we are.

There's more law.

There's more of a suit and tie.

There's a more
professional aesthetic.

This season is
challenging for Jordan

because he's met with an
incredible opportunity.

At the same time,
this opportunity

may be the downfall for others.

If season seven for Cassius
was all about him trying

to do right by his
father, season eight

is more about doing
right by his son.

I am proud of you, son.

The KJ that we all know is very
confident, borderline arrogant

sometimes. This
season, we see a crazy

amount of pressure for KJ.

He's learning how to persevere
through different obstacles

that he's never
had to deal with.

Amina is trying to
stand for where

her moral compass is pointing.

I did the right thing,
and I would do it again.

Hey, wait.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

But instead, everyone
else's opinions

on the choices she's making
in her life are very harsh.

KJ, it's bad.

And I don't know what I'm
going to do in the minute

but I gotta find Tom

Come. Come here.

Come, come, come.

She's back.

I'm a little scared that I
function a little too well

on the road without him.

What if I'm turning into my dad?

I think the really beautiful
thing about her journey

is that where her mental
health is concerned,

it wasn't sort of
like a storyline

that we did and wrapped
up in one episode.

Every season we see
how that evolves.

This season, she's
reverting back

to some of her old patterns.

And it's very much about her
learning to be vulnerable again

and lean on the
people closest to her

and not sort of
take everything on

and feel like she has
to do that alone.

Welcome home.

As individuals, we get caught
in our own thing of just,

it's about me.

And it's not.

It's about others that may
not have the voice to fight.

You two sit down.

I'm going to handle this.

This season, I think
Preach does a good job

standing up for people.

(screaming)

- This year, it's
forcing people to move

a little bit out of
their comfort zone.

- Enough, everyone, go to
a corner and cool off.

- There's a huge
episode coming up.

At the very start of the
season, I said to the studio,

I was like, I'm just
gonna be honest,

this is the one I'm
gonna fight for.

It's important to me
that we tell this story.

I watched friends, I
watched kids I know

have to deal with this.

I think it's important
that we show our kids

dealing with it, but I'm
not gonna say what it is.

I'm gonna let people guess.

The fans, they're getting ready
to graduate with all of us.

- Everyone kept saying,
"It's the last scene in

the Crenshaw hallway."

That was when I think
I finally realized

it was coming to an end.

There was like a lot
of amazing people

who have walked those halls.

It completely changed
the course of my life

in really beautiful ways.

There are many, many moments
that was very accurate

to what was happening
in our lives.

People got married,
people got divorced,

people had babies,
people lost parents.

- Hey, Layla, thank
you for the dance.

- This week, we did the
final read-through.

It was like the longest
read-through we've ever had

because we kept having
to stop and start

'cause people were just
crying and tearing up.

- We were wrapping
sets every other day.

- Which means the wrapping
of a writer and a director.

It really, like, moved my heart,
'cause these people have been

here since the beginning.

[ Cheers and applause ]

-This place was a
very special family.

-You can't say that about
everything you work on.

I have a family,
and I have friends.

I was one of the youngest
people at the time I came in.

I felt like a
little caterpillar.

Now I feel like I can fly.

[ Cheers and applause ]

I will never let go of Spencer.

This is the most significant
character I've ever played.

I'll go on and I'll wear
different costumes,

but he'll be with
me all the time.

I don't think our fans are
ready for this to end.

I don't.

I think they will
love what's coming.

Hands down, they will not
be ready for the ending.

It's game time.

Game time.

We finished strong.

(crowd cheering)

- Oh my gosh, to our
fans, I'm a writer, so

I'm supposed to know
how to say thank

you, succinctly.

But truthfully, I don't know
that there are enough words

in the English language
to say thank you.

- Especially if you've been
there since the very beginning,

October 2018.

You made this ride so
special, so thank you.

- Thank you for believing
in the show from day one,

like I did, but also
giving us a shot.

Simply thank you from
the bottom of my heart

for really sticking
and staying with us.

- We filmed during
really trying times,

but we pushed through and I
am so thankful for your love

and your support
and your passion.

So thank you.

- Everyone that's
ever messaged me

or stopped me in the
street to tell me a story.

Sorry. See, this is not fair.

I was trying not to do this.

Hold on, let me finish.

This show affected so
many people's lives

in so many different
ways that I never ever

could have imagined.

It wouldn't exist
without you guys.

So thank you.

- When we first came out, we
were limping a little bit

and you guys showed up
and continue to show up.

So thank you.

- And I hope it continues
to live with you forever.

Thank you.

- You guys blew the show up.

Truly became a word
of mouth success.

And it's the reason why we
went as many years as we did.

So thank you.

- It just meant the
world that you were with

us on this ride.

No show is perfect.

is ever gonna get it all
right, but I could not be more

proud of what we did.

And if there's anything to take
away is we tried damn hard.

All American is you.

You are All American.

There is no All American
without you.

So thank you.