In All American season 5, Billy Baker unexpectedly passed away. However, since the show is based on a true story, did the person Billy was modeled after also pass away?
Billy Baker’s passing in season five of All-American did not stem from a true tragedy. Together with Taye Diggs, the producers made a clever choice. Carter Paysinger, the real-life football coach, served as Billy Baker. The fictional Billy Baker on All American has a very different life than the real Carter Paysinger, who is still alive today.
While speaking with TVLine, Diggs shared:
“I was having a great time. It was just a feeling that I got [that I was ready to leave], and I just honored that feeling. It was maybe the mid-fourth season. Since my relationship with the showrunner, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, is close, I honestly can’t recall.
She had been aware of our communication, as we had been conversing. We also decided on storylines and other details, so everything was done legally and everyone was informed.”
What happened to Coach Baker on All-American?
In All American Season 5, the unimaginable occurred: Taye Diggs’ character Billy Baker perished in a bus accident, leaving everyone to mourn their beloved coach.
In All American season 5, episode 11, the South Crenshaw football team traveled to a combine to flaunt their skills to college coaches. Their bus burst a tire on the way back, leaving it perched precariously on the edge of a precipice. At first, viewers were made to believe that everyone got out safely, but then the coach realized that Jabari Long was still inside.
Billy lost his life while trying to save Jabari. Considering that All American modeled the fictional coach after an actual person, some questioned if the death of Billy Baker was influenced by a true tragedy.
Why did Taye Diggs leave All-American?
The demise of Taye Diggs’s character in the fifth season did not sit well with fans. Regretfully, this meant that he would not be coming back. However, Diggs’s departure was decided upon after the conclusion of the fourth season and before the creation of the fifth season’s plans.
Diggs gave the following explanation for his decision to end his time on the show:
“I was willing to try something new because I had done everything and this chapter had closed.”
Diggs was prepared to take on new roles, which was one of the reasons behind his departure. While we are disappointed that Diggs will not be returning to sports drama, we are excited to see what project he will take on.
