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All American Season 7 is venturing into new territory—and viewers on both sides are wondering the same thing: where's Spencer James? Since 2018, Daniel Ezra, the actor who plays Spencer, has been front and center of the series. He is giving up his role as series lead. His departure is a huge transition for the CW drama, largely because Spencer's storyline has always been the emotional cornerstone of the show.
In an interview with People, Ezra described how he felt that he had a gut feeling that it was time to close the book on this chapter. He said,
"A lot of it was my gut instinct. For me, the goal was always to take this broken teenager, put him back together, and then turn him into a man. We’ve done that. We got him to the NFL, he got the girl. He accomplished his dreams."
Ezra added about Spencer that,
"He’s gotten to a place where he’s able to impart that wisdom to a younger generation to give back to his community. He’s done literally everything he set out to do".
When Season 6 ended, Spencer had achieved his dream of being in the NFL, had won a Super Bowl, and had married Olivia Baker—after a full-circle experience in his professional and personal life. With nothing still hanging in the balance, Ezra made a conscious decision to exit while Spencer was at an all-time high.
The departure of Daniel Ezra and the conclusion of Spencer's journey in All American
Daniel Ezra departed All American officially as a series regular at the end of Season 6. The choice was made after discussing with the show's creators and was not the result of off-screen tension or artistic disagreement. Rather, it was a mutual understanding that Spencer's storyline was concluded.
Ezra emphasized that leaving at this moment felt right. According to People, he said,
"I think it’s safe to say there’s going to be new people to fall in love with, a new generation to follow. I’m excited for them, and I’m really happy for them. I can’t wait to help guide them."
From a high school football player to a professional athlete, Spencer had fulfilled his emotional and athletic ambitions. Spencer, who Ezra described as “the most life-affirming character I’ve ever played,” had obviously had a profound effect on him.
Involvement in the show’s creative process
Ezra's impact on All American went far beyond performing. He went on to direct episodes, too, and made creative contributions to Spencer's arc. His departure wasn't a personal choice—it was a collaborative agreement with himself and the showrunner, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, to make Spencer's goodbye meaningful and true.
Ezra assisted in the staging of the lead-up to his exit so that Spencer's exit would be neither jarring nor disjunct. With careful planning, the character could make a dignified, closure-filled exit with emotional impact.
Spencer's appearance in season 7 of All American
Even though Ezra will not be a recurring character anymore, fans haven't completely lost Spencer James. Various reports confirm Ezra is coming back as a guest star in Season 7. Though his context and frequency still need to be confirmed, his presence will remain in the changing story.
This light touch allows for the possibility of ongoing continuity and periodic treatments of Spencer's life outside the central storyline, while still leaving the door open for other characters to step into the limelight.
The future of All American without Spencer
As Ezra recedes, All American goes in a new direction. Season 7 will shift the focus to other main characters and unveil fresh storylines and characters. Losing the main character is certainly serious, but the show's wide ensemble structure, provides it with space to expand beyond Spencer's narrative.
Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll revealed that the writers had been laying the groundwork for Ezra's departure and, in fact, wrote Season 6 specifically as Spencer's goodbye. She further included that the legacy of the character would still be felt in future episodes, even though the series is treading in different directions.
Daniel Ezra leaving All American puts an end to an era, but not the vanishing—it's a shift. His departure was driven by artistic fulfillment and instinct, not dramatization or tension. By leaving on a natural high note, Ezra paved the way for Spencer James to leave the show intact and with dignity.
Though every week we will miss him, Season 7 provides peeks at new facets of the All American world, one still steeped in Spencer's presence at the periphery.
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Also read: All American Season 7’s returning cast members get update from showrunner, details explored
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