Actor Taye Diggs says goodbye to “All American” after fans noticed that he was written off in the Monday episode called “Time.”
His character, Billy Baker, was killed after being involved in a bus accident. Diggs, who was part of the original cast said, “It was just a feeling that I got that I was ready to leave and I just honored that feeling.”
He went on to say, “It was maybe mid-fourth season. I don’t even remember, to be honest, because the showrunner, Carol, 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.”
Nkechi Okoro Carroll, the executive producer of the show also spoke on Taye Diggs’ departure. “It has been an honor to work with Taye over these last five seasons, and to watch him bring such incredible life to the role of Billy Baker. It has truly been a gift for me and my fellow writers to write a character that was equally flawed and heroic.”
She continued, “Billy was all of us and what a joy it was to watch this character grow as he raised his kids and his football players as one big family.” Carroll went on to say, “We wish Taye the very best in this next chapter of his life and he remains a beloved member of the All American family.”
“All American” is based on Spencer James, played by Daniel Ezra, a football player from South L.A. who was recruited by Diggs’ character to play at Beverly Hills High. It also shows the obstacles that he has to overcome in two separate worlds.