All American is losing another key cast member. Daniel Ezra, who stars as Spencer James, is exiting the CW football drama after Season 6 concludes this July. So, why is Daniel Ezra leaving All American and what will happen with his character? Here’s everything we know about the British actor’s departure and the future of the show.
Why is Daniel Ezra leaving All American?
According to our sister site Deadline, Daniel Ezra will be leaving All American as a series regular following Season 6, but he is expected to make guest appearances throughout Season 7. The outlet reported that his exit was a creative decision made by both Ezra and showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll ahead of Season 6, which kicked off on April 1, 2024.
“After making the difficult decision to leave All American, my sole focus became completing the journey of the most life-affirming character I’ve ever played in the manner he deserves. Thanks to Nkechi and the writers, I got my wish. Season six is ‘Spencer’s goodbye.’ I’ll miss him. I’ll miss our cast and crew. I hope it’s been as fun to watch him as it has been to play him,” Ezra said in a statement.
Ezra has led the show as football super star Spencer James since Season 1. The series originally followed his journey from South L.A. to Beverly Hills, where he played high school football for Coach Baker (Taye Diggs). The past few seasons have focused on his and his teammates’ experiences playing college ball at the fictional Golden Angeles University. Off-screen, Ezra’s role on the show has evolved as well. The British actor has stepped behind the camera to direct a number of episodes and he will continue to do so in future seasons.
News of Ezra’s exit comes on the heels of Season 6’s “Victory Lap,” which saw Spencer finally get drafted into the NFL. It also featured a time jump, where Spencer played in the Super Bowl and proposed to his girlfriend Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan). The remaining two episodes of the season will reportedly focus on Spencer and Olivia planning their wedding.
“Partnering with Daniel Ezra over the last six seasons to bring Spencer’s story to life has been such an amazing, fulfilling, experience. Daniel truly is a gift and brought so much to the character on and off the field,” Okoro Carroll said in a statement, adding: “And while Spencer has achieved his NFL dreams, I’m grateful Daniel will still remain an important part of this family, both in front of and behind the camera as we step into a new, exciting chapter of All American.”
The casting shakeup also follows the cancelation of its only spin-off, All American: Homecoming, and rumors of budget cuts for Season 7, though Ezra’s exit was allegedly not related to financial concerns.
All American earned an early renewal for Season 7 in June 2024, but fans are now questioning how it will go on without Ezra and what future casting changes can be expected. The show has already lost Diggs, who played an integral character for the first five seasons. In the Season 5 episode “Time,” Billy Baker was tragically killed during a bus crash, leaving both his family and fans devastated. It’s unclear if his kids, Olivia and Jordan (Michael Evans Behling), will remain on the show past Season 6, but with Spencer’s departure looming, we can expect that Olivia will also be reduced to a recurring or guest role.
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