ET on The CW. Simone's rough start includes getting on the tennis team. He graduated college in 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in Media & Public Communication, with a minor in Media Production. Real-life inspiration notwithstanding, The CWs All American seemed to fit pretty squarely into the template of high school dramas set in ultra-posh neighborhoods. John Marshall Jones has previously appeared inFor All Mankind,Big Little Lies, andBosch. All American season 3 gave us a . Later, in a conversation with the aforementioned elite baseball player, Damon Sims more on him in a minute Simone is all too aware of the heavy tennis competition shes facing, and Damon encourages her to use that as motivation. It really has to do with being able to be exposed to such a different world with people that look like her. Mitchell Edwards as Cam Watkins- Cam Watkins is Spencer James' former rival and an excellent football player. ), At first, Bringstons president is content to sweep the cheating under the rug; since these ghost classes were offered to everyone, and not just student athletes, the NCAA likely wont penalize the school for giving athletes exclusive advantages. During the worst of her stress, Simone takes her aunts advice to point to examples of Black excellence and see what is possible, taking inspiration from the real HBCU alums whose portraits hang in the hallways, like Their Eyes Were Watching God author Zora Neale Hurston. Thea commends her for trying. Here's who appears in theAll American spinoff. Whether they are friends, love interests, or foes,All American: Homecoming's cast includes plenty of recognizable characters from the backdoor pilot. This universe is just really special and I was coming home. At the end of the day, that's how you grow pressure. Its storylines tend to revolve around the ways its characters come through for each other while trying to become better people themselves, whether that means guiding someone through a panic attack, opening up about their true fears or simply apologizing when theyve failed to listen to someone elses needs. 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. This is especially true considering there have been no signs that Jordan is moving toAll American: Homecoming. It's a testament to something [creator Nkechi Okoro Carroll] wanted to talk about, because she is young and trying to figure herself out. Simone knows shes messed up but she needs Loni to know shell never see Simone like that again. The thing about collegiate athletes is they just have a different level of responsibility put on them to be perfect at what they do, especially being a Black athlete. PMC Entertainment. College kids are messy. Simone gives Loni her clearance note from President Allen, making it in time for Queen of the Court. On this team, things wont be handed to her, it has to be earned. What the plots in juicy twists or epic emotions, they make up for with a warm sense of community, often built over the weekly family dinners that Simone hosts at her aunt Amaras house. All American Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. ), though their romantic outlook is now a bit hazy with news of a potential spinoff. Camille Hyde as Thea Mays - Thea Mays is Simone's biggest tennis rival at Bringston who wants to proudly represent the Black community in athletics. 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. If she is meant to be an exciting draw for the spinoff, as a character fans know well, thenAll American should have given her a bit more to do in preparation for her to lead a brand new series. However, Damon also has a little-known connection to the HBCU, as his birth parents attended the university before giving him up for adoption. All American: Homecoming's Geffri Maya on All American spinoff | EW.com Why do you think it's the right way to begin her college journey? Simone Hicks (Geffri Maya) heads to Bringston University for a fun weekend and ends up finding the place where she belongs. There's a beautiful history that stands firm on a foundation of strength, perseverance, art, music, and creativity. 'All American: Homecoming': Recap of Spinoff Series About Simone | TVLine Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. It was nerve wracking for us because we're not going to working together as much anymore. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Amara is in journalism because she has a powerful palette and mind, which Simone is inspired by. When he isnt writing about or watching new releases, Cooper is a fantasy football obsessive and looking to expand his Blu-Ray collection because physical media is still king! Were watching the development of a best friendship that is born out of what both of them had gone through. At the end of Simones time on All American, she left Beverly Hills High and her boyfriend, Jordan (Michael Evans Behling), behind. At least, if Im reading their dance-floor makeout sesh correctly, that is. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was it like to return to All American and reunite with the cast? We spoke to the All American: Homecoming star about Simone's first days at Bringston, what we can look forward to in its debut season, and what the show means to her. (TVLine first broke the news in December that The CW was eyeing an All American offshoot centered on Mayas character.). Bring excellence, or dont play at all, Thea tells her. It's my family, you know what I mean? That was fun. This included thinking he was the father of her baby, which led to them starting a relationship that continued even after the truth came out. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. They might not be married anymore, but Jordan and Simone's relationship is as strong as ever heading into her spinoff show. The former assistant coach for Bringston's baseball team finds himself learning how to be a head coach in the series after the previous coach was fired for an academic scandal. Thea (Camille Hyde) and Simone have a frosty reunion. We don't know what's going to be in store for Jordan and Simone's futures, whether together or apart. All American: What Jordan & Simone's Marriage Means For Her Spinoff The biggest thing I took away from the bonfire scene is remembering when I first stepped foot on Clark Atlanta University's campus. To explore Black families, especially Black motherhood and sisterhood is important. What all of them take seriously is that their friend group is extraordinary. The writer notes that for years, shes had conversations with her friends about different types of emotional relationships, friendships and boundaries. 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The next day, Thea finds Simone practicing on the campus tennis courts, and though Theas still got a serious catty streak, she gives Simone some advice on how to perfect her form. PMC Entertainment. Feb 21, 2022, 09:00 AM EST | Updated Jul 20, 2022. All American: Homecoming - Season 1 - IMDb Once the semester officially starts, Coach Loni breaks down the schedule for the tennis players. 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Simone Hicks | All American Wiki | Fandom Thea makes a point of telling Simone that four other girls are striving for a spot on her team. All American: Homecoming can do more with her character than the original series had the opportunity to, and should use that chance to create meaningful storylines and relationships for her. 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. Oh, and an important development for the mothership series: Spencer and Olivia are finally getting together, yall! The network confirmed on Monday that it's moving forward with a potential spinoff of the football drama, to be focused on Geffri Maya . She's carefree, self-fulling in mind, body, and spirit, she's diligent to her dream and to her voice. A lot of the time when you film things that require so much vulnerability, no matter how close you are with someone, it's scary because you're unzipping your emotions and thoughts. While she gets to see Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan) and Layla Keating (Greta Onieogou), the shift she has felt in her relationship with Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling) takes up a large chunk of the trip home. What are you hoping Homecoming explores about Simone's family? Simone's relationship with Amara is different from what we've seen from her family. When is it just a friendship?. Is emotional cheating a thing and is that a thing you have to apologize for? America So She Could Breastfeed Privately, Michael J. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. How worried should we be about what Simone's Homecoming journey means for her and Jordan? Rebecca Iannucci / How All American Season 3 Set Up Simone's Spinoff - Screen Rant Even if Bringston is a fictional university, the representation at the end of the day matters most. Thea has no choice but to show up now that everyone knows, but Simone convinces her to show up so they can celebrate her. Simone's mother has a story. During the hour, Simone pays a visit to the (fictional) Atlanta-based school Bringston University, where her aunt Amara teaches a course on journalism and activism. Peyton Alex Smith did appear inAll American: Homecoming's backdoor pilot, but viewers also might recognize him from his recurring role onLegacies asRafael Waithe. 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. GeffriMaya is known for Private Practice (2007), WTF, Baron Davis (2019) and Loco (2020). This is [Simone] walking into a new realm and she's going to feel that pressure, and ultimately she'll shine in it. She is queen-bee sophomore that gives off slight mean girl tendencies. Warning: This story contains spoilers for the latest episodes of All American and All American Homecoming. The CW is officially expanding its All American universe. It was a collaborative effort, which is honestly the most fun for me, especially as a dancer and especially with art. Airdate: 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21 (The CW) Cast: Geffri Maya, Peyton Alex Smith, Kelly Jenrette, Cory Hardrict, Sylvester Powell, Camille Hyde, Mitchell Edwards, Netta . The All American universe expanded with the debut of spinoff All American: Homecoming on Monday night, which follows Simone (Geffri Maya) as she attempts to launch her tennis career at college in Atlanta. The chemistry is definitely there. Everyone loves a frenemy situation and this takes it to another level. Its teammate versus teammate in a series of single-elimination matches. I trained with Debbie Allen at the Alvin Alley Dance Academy, so. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The CW is officially expanding its All American universe. After a heart-to-heart with Spencer, in which Spencer tells Damon that his next career move should be forhim and not his mother, Damon makes a major announcement the next day: He wont be participating in the MLB draft, and will instead commit to playing baseball at Bringston. When they arrive, the room is empty except for a few male students playing video games, Keisha, and Nate. But, instead, she receded to the background. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. But even as the series stumbles into the occasional rough patch, Homecomings dependable north star is its generosity of spirit. All American Spinoff Adds Legacies' Peyton Alex Smith, 5 Others to Cast. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. (And Jordan might have good reason to worry, because Damon Sims is clearlyvery interested in his girl.). This seemed to be a clear move to set up Simone going off on her own forAll American: Homecoming. There's a nice dynamic between the two and they'll be able to teach other things. Ser Baffo/The CW. Titled All American: Homecoming, the spinoffs pilot will air as an episode of All Americans current third season (aka a backdoor pilot). Season 1. Simone Hicks (formerly Baker) is a recurring character in the The CW series All American and the main protagonist of its spinoff All American: Homecoming . I cannot wait until this is normalized and we're simply sharing what the world looks like, and what Black excellence looks like. Still, Simone should have had some room to develop onAll American before crossing over toAll American: Homecoming. Thea arrives having heard about the party. Sylvester Powell previously appeared onCriminal Minds. 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. This is on top of her ongoing relationship with Jordan, butAll American season 3 began setting up her future away from her friends, family, and life in Beverly Hills. Simone is confused as Thea said Loni couldn't be on the field. She gives props when due.[2]. Simone and Thea head to the party together where Thea agrees to feign surprise. A backdoor pilot for the spinoff wasincluded in season 3that set up Simone for her college adventure. Laura let Simone in her house to stay with them with Laura knowing the baby was not even Jordan's . Since Jordan is still heavily involved with the original show, it seemsAll American: Homecoming will mix Behling into the show using FaceTime primarily, although physical appearances by the actor can still happen. Can you speak to Jordan's significance to Simone and how big a part of her journey he is? Simone insists shes only spending the weekend to see her aunt but the school clearly grows on her while shes there, too. It's pretty exciting. It was such a beautiful experience because it was so genuine. Where to Watch Free Movies Online in 2023 - IGN Cory Hardrict is also set to play a major role inAll American: Homecoming, as he returns as Marcus Turner. All Rights Reserved. Still, it seemed that Simone and Jordans story could have been preparing for an eventual breakup to give them each a chance to start fresh when they go to college. A successful journalist-turned-journalism professor, Amara is Simone's aunt and the most popular professor on campus. This includes reconnecting with a variety of people she met during her visit to Bringston University inAll American season 3. It's not easy at all. All Americans third season is currently airing Mondays at 8/7c; theres no word yet on when the plantedHomecoming pilot will debut. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. ET, followed by All American: Homecoming at 9 p.m. Simone hears about the event and everyone's aversion to throwing a party for Keisha. Simone is attracted to her Aunt Amara because she's so different than her mother.