Mondays episode of the CW drama doubled as the pilot for All American: Homecoming, a Simone-centric spinoff that was officially ordered to series in May. Though Simone works to maintain a cool and composed faade, Maya lets her anxiety show in subtle facial expressions that grow gradually more drawn. On this team, things wont be handed to her, it has to be earned. Although she has never been as central to the plot as the other main characters, knowing she was set to lead the spinoff series should have been a reason to give her a more substantial storyline before leaving. In addition to makingAll American season 4, the network also began developing a spinoff for Simone Hicks. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Keisha and Nate are such a huge part in the ebb and flow of [Simone's] college life because they are good friends and sophomores. All American season 3 reveals Jordan Baker and Simone Hicks got married in Las Vegas, and that adds a huge twist to the story ahead of Simone's spinoff show, All American: Homecoming. It shows how far they can really go, not just romantically but platonically as well. Its not going to be what people are going to expect in terms of the nature of the love triangle that exists across these two shows, with both Simone on Homecoming and with Jordan on All American. It just gets a little messy, but at the heart, whats undeniable is the love the Jordan and Simone have for each other.. All American showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll will executive-produce and write Homecoming, while Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Robbie Rogers all exec producers on the mothership series are on board as EPs, as well. Simone Hicks (Geffri Maya) has made it to Bringston University! What was shooting the backdoor pilot like? PMC Entertainment. Marcus is a former professional baseball player who had his career ended by an injury. It was a collaborative effort, which is honestly the most fun for me, especially as a dancer and especially with art. All American: Homecoming. Offers may be subject to change without notice. New episodes of All American air Mondays at 8/7c on The CW and the franchise is expanding via All American: Homecoming, a Simone-centric spinoff that was ordered to series at the. Follow Cooper on Twitter @MovieCooper. Nate (Rhoyle Ivy King) and Keisha (Netta Walker) welcome Simone back to Bringston with open arms. (And Jordan might have good reason to worry, because Damon Sims is clearlyvery interested in his girl.). This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Its hard finding something that fits who I am when I feel like Im a work in progress, minus the progress, Simone sighs to her friends while picking out school outfits in the second episode. A warm and likable spin on the college experience. Amara is responsible for revealing the truth about Bringston's former baseball coach and the academic scandal. It would be beautiful to be able to see that unfold and see their relationship take a turn. It's a great question. 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Mitchell Edwards reprises his role fromAll American, but viewers might also know him fromSpinning Out. OK, your turn. Every year Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up on Oscar films near the end of the year. She leaves, feeling humiliated by the event. From the surface, her mother comes off as harsh and a little smothering, but she could just come off that way because people don't necessarily understand her off hand. If you like TVLine, you'll LOVE our email news alerts! With All American: Homecoming set to premiere on Monday, February 21, it would have made sense that Simone would have been a more significant focus in All American's fourth season. What can you share about the part their friendship will play on the show? Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Did you play her differently, given her growth at Bringston? I was able to connect with so many Black people from many different walks of life. Simone's rough start includes getting on the tennis team. While many expected Jordan and Simone to break up duringAll American season 4 then, the series has not gone in that direction. The idea of living on my own and making new friends and being in a totally different state was exciting. All American episode 7 was full of secrets and confessions as the show finally revealed what went down in Las Vegas, something that kept haunting the fans ever since the first episode of season 3. It's very empowering that she's able to step into that world of Blackness and Black joy. Peyton Alex Smith did appear inAll American: Homecoming's backdoor pilot, but viewers also might recognize him from his recurring role onLegacies asRafael Waithe. But, instead, she receded to the background. Yay! Leonard Roberts as President Zeke Allen- Zeke Allen is the president at Bringston University and trying to keep the school afloat amid budgetary concerns. The trajectory we see with Simone from season 2 [of All American] to All American: Homecoming is a lot of her decisions have always been made with someone else in mind. Homecomings sprawling cast allows it to approach the college experience from all angles, some inevitably more compelling than others. The CW's All American universe expands with a Simone-focused spinoff, and here's a guide to the cast and characters of All American: Homecoming.The original football drama based on Spencer Paysinger's pre-NFL career has become an incredibly popular series for The CW, as a wider continues to find it on Netflix. It'll be exciting for people to see Black girls from different backgrounds find ways to support one another. While there's a chance he could spend time as a recurring character on both shows, that could get complicated quickly. Being able to be exposed to an environment of people that look like her and come from different backgrounds opens her eye to life, to Black excellence. Oh, and an important development for the mothership series: Spencer and Olivia are finally getting together, yall! He joined Screen Rant in late 2016 following a year-long stint with MCU Exchange, which came after first developing an MCU blog of his own. The next day in class, Simone, Damon, and Theas presentation goes well and the class claps for Simone's speech. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action, Inside the powerful, transformative 2nd episode of. It's a testament to something [creator Nkechi Okoro Carroll] wanted to talk about, because she is young and trying to figure herself out. As we all know from the mothership show All American, Simone had a baby at a very young age, and she gave the baby up for adoption and decided to stay in the baby's life. She is Simone's aunt and a journalism teacher at Bringston University. Read on for EW's interview with Maya about returning to All American, that emotional scene with Damon, the big breakup, and more. "All American: Homecoming" follows Geffri Maya as Simone Hicks, a teen mother and tennis star from Los Angeles who heads to Atlanta to begin college. Sorry. Also, with Nate being non-binary, the door is open for that community to be showcased, supported and loved. After spending time with her Aunt Amara (Kelly Jenrette), a journalist and professor at the university, and meeting elite high school baseball player Damon Sims (Peyton Alex Smith), Simone leaves the campus with a sense of purpose and knowing where she wants to go next. "It was just an exciting feeling to know Peyton and I are at the helm of this show and are able to see that and really fulfill a vision of bringing a universe together with so much love and so much fun," Maya says, looking back on filming the episode. John Marshall Jones as Leonard Shaw- Leonard Shaw is the former Bringston baseball coach who finds a new job at a rival school. Simone finds Thea later that evening and apologizes as she wanted to celebrate with her friends. The pressure explodes in a very emotional scene with Damon. OnceAll Americanrevealed their marriage, though, it's difficult not to think about what it means for Simone's spinoff. Every year Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up on Oscar films near the end of the year. What are you hoping Homecoming explores about Simone's family? What were exploring is what friendship between members of the opposite sex look like and when that starts to get complicated. To me, Jordan holds that significance because he always saw her for who she was supposed to be and wanted to be. As he attempts to prove he made the right decision for his baseball career, Damon is also searching for answers about his birth family. Tennis is such a beautiful sport that I have respect for. [Rhoyle Ivy King, who plays Nathaniel Hardin] is an amazing partner because you want someone you can be vulnerable with. Although this proved to not be the case, Jordan and Simone fell in love and the two have had a strong relationship ever since. Coopers love for movies began by watching Toy Story and Lion King on repeat as a child, but it wasn't until The Avengers that he took an invested interest in movies and the filmmaking process, leading him to discover the world of film journalism. EW spoke to the All American: Homecoming star about honoring Black athletes, getting to tell Simone's story on the new show, what's next for her character's relationship with husband-to-be Jordan, and much more.