Daniel Ezra opens up about stepping away from All American: 'We’ve accomplished the mission'

Warning: This article contains spoilers from the All American season 6 finale.

Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) made all his dreams come true.

After making it to the NFL and winning a Super Bowl, the season finale of All American was all about Spencer and Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan) making it down the aisle. With their venue ruined, the couple had to lean on their loved ones and each other to get their happy ending. And happy it was!

They end the episode married and looking on at their Crenshaw community full of love and admiration. With it, a chapter of All American comes to an end.

All American will return for another season, but without star Ezra. Recently, the British actor announced he would not be returning as a series regular. EW spoke to him about his decision to step away, Spencer and Olivia making it down the aisle, and what’s next for him.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why did now feel like the right time to take a step back from All American?

DANIEL EZRA: A lot of it was my gut instinct. Once I had the discussion with [showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll] about what the season was going to entail, I had this quiet realization to myself that we’ve actually completed the mission as far as Spencer’s story. 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. 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. I’m a big believer in going out on top and as far as Spencer’s story specifically it just felt right. We’ve accomplished the mission and that snuck up on me.

How does it feel to have told Spencer's story and see him finally living his dreams?

I feel really fortunate. In this industry there are not many people that get to end a run like this on their own terms. I’ve done everything I set out to do and more. When I got this role six years ago, I never expected to be able to do Shakespeare on the show — which is my first love — to do so much dancing, to direct. Not only direct a number of episodes myself, but our 100th episode.

The episode follows Olivia and Spencer fighting to get married despite their venue getting ruined, showcasing their commitment to each other. What has it been like working with Samantha over the seasons to bring their romance to this point?

The chemistry thing comes up so much for me and Samantha and I wish I had a good answer, but it honestly came naturally because we found a way of working together and trusting each other early on. Sometimes you have conversations, almost come up with a system with another actor to build those things. If you’re playing siblings, mother and son, any type of intimate relationship can require a bit of work and discussion. Me and Sam fell into each other’s lives as actors very easily and we rolled with it. We have so much fun in our scenes and learned how each other works very quickly.

What do you remember about filming the wedding scene?

How nostalgic it was. It was something people have been wanting for so long. It felt like an amazing culmination of the last six years. We all were reminiscing about where we were in the beginning and how different we all looked. It was quite an emotional experience.

Spencer and Olivia have had a number of memorable dances on the series. What was it like to do the one at the wedding? Dancing opposite Samantha.

It’s always terrifying for me. Sam has a dance background and I absolutely don’t, but it’s always fun. Again, that’s where feeling safe with each other really comes in because it was so nerve-wracking, especially this one. We were in front of so many people. The whole cast and a bunch of extras. I took the two days before to practice the dance until I was dripping in sweat in the gym by myself because I was so determined not to embarrass myself. It was so much fun and I don’t see how we could have done the wedding without some kind of dance and pay homage to everything we’ve done before.

Spencer has an emotional scene with his mother before the wedding and through her we see a parent celebrating her child accomplishing his dreams. What has it been like building their relationship with Karimah Westbrook?

She got her dreams, too. I’m not a parent, but I do have a mother that raised me in a similar way to how Grace raised Spencer, so I’ve seen firsthand how amazing to see this person you love and raised well do what he set out to do.

I remember those earlier scenes where Spencer was complaining about not having hot water and things like that. When he took the money that Billy gave him to fill her fridge instead of buying sneakers. Those things meant something, and it makes the moment where he can buy her a car and shouts her out at the Super Bowl more sweet.

Anything you’d like to add about the episode?

I just want to thank everyone for riding with us these last six years. I hope it’s been as fun to watch as it has been to play. I definitely want to shout out our crew. Crews go so undervalued in this industry. I feel so lucky to be able to deliver this episode in the way we’re delivering it and it’s been a long time coming. Our fans are so passionate, especially about Spencer and Olivia, so I hope this gives them what they’ve been screaming for the last few years.

What's next for you?

One thing I’m itching to get into is movies. That is one thing I haven’t done yet. I came up in the theater, I am a theater boy at heart, and obviously I’ve done a ton of TV work. All this has ever been about for me is telling really great stories and the one place I have yet to tell a great story is in the form of a movie. I’m also writing a lot and got more directing to do. The privilege of All American is I knew what eight to nine months of my year was going to look like, which is an amazing blessing. I don’t have that now, so I’m kind of back at school and have that hunger. It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to what’s next.

This interview has been edited and condensed.