The CW’s popular sports dramaAll Americanhas been airing since 2018, and during that time, the Baker family has grown larger and more complex. The Baker family is initially introduced right at the beginning of the series whenSpencer James, a talented football player, is recruited to switch to Beverly Hills High. Though the series first begins with Spencer’s story and the challenges he faces at a new school and on a new team, the Baker family have always been some ofAll American’s best characters.
As the series has progressed, the characters have changed and grown, facing and overcoming major challenges. Though the members of the Baker family are far from perfect, their journeys have been some of the most compelling to see on screen, and theBakers' losses have been some of the hardestto watch. More recently,several cast members leftAll American, including key members of the Baker family, but at the same time,All American’s biggest family also gained several surprising and important new members.
Billy Baker (Taye Diggs)
Billy Is The School’s Football Coach
Billy Baker is one of the original Baker family members that audiences ofAll Americanare introduced to, and one of the most important. Billy is the head coach of the football team at Beverly Hills High, and he recruits Spencer to come play for them. He is married to Laura, and they have two children, who are also important parts of the community. At the end of season 2, Billy becomes the coach of South Crenshaw High, where he later becomes the principal.Billy Baker sadly dies during a bus crash in season 5, leaving his family devastated.
Laura Baker (Monet Mazur)
Billy’s Wife, Laura, Is A Lawyer
Leading the Baker family along with Billy is his wife, Laura Baker, played by Monet Mazur. Like her husband, Laura is one ofAll American’s original main characters. She is a lawyer who takes on various challenges as the series progresses, eventually becoming the District Attorney before later giving up the position.Her relationship with Billy is not always easy, especially as she discovered his affair in season 2. The pair separated for a while, but they eventually reunited at the end of season 3. Mazur exited the series following season 6.
Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan)
Olivia Is Billy & Laura’s Daughter
Olivia is the daughter of Billy and Laura, and, like her parents, she is one of the most important characters inAll American. Olivia meets and befriends Spencer immediately following his transfer to Beverly Hills High, and the pair’s relationship is one of the best in the show. Initially,they became friends before finally dating and getting married.
Throughout the series, Olivia is politically active in student government and wants to become a journalist. As the younger generation graduates from high school and moves to college, Olivia continues to pursue this field before eventually becoming a novelist.Olivia eventually leaves the series with Spencer following season 6and moves to New York.
Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling)
Jordan Is The Son Of Billy & Laura
Jordan Baker is Olivia’s twin brother and Billy and Laura’s son. At the beginning of the series, Jordan is introduced as one of the other players on the football team, and he becomes friends with Spencer after his initial jealousy wears off. In the earlier seasons, Jordan does have some rebellious moments, but he matures as the seasons progress. Likewise, towards the beginning ofAll American, he is in a significant relationship with Simone, but eventually breaks things off after Simone moves to Atlanta.Season 7 focused on his adult life as a coach and husband to Layla.
Willie Baker (Brent Jennings)
Billy’s Father
Willie Baker, also known as GW, is Billy’s father and Olivia and Jordan’s grandfather. In season 1, Billy’s relationship with his father was somewhat antagonistic as both men blamed the other for not being present enough in their lives. As the series continues, Willie becomes closer to his family members, especially Jordan. As of season 7, GW still appears in the series, with his main plot this season revolving aroundJordan’s search for a missing family member.
Frank Jeremy (Steve Harris)
Billy’s Half-Brother
Undeniably, the least seen and most mysterious member of the Jeremy family is Frank Jeremy. He is only seen briefly during season 7, but his story has become incredibly important.Frank is the long-lost link to the Baker family that Jordan has been looking for. Frank is Billy’s half-brother, making him Jordan and Olivia’s uncle. However, he separated himself from the Baker side of the family for years due to his preoccupation with destroying Billy’s legacy. He is also the father of Cassius and the grandfather of KJ.
Cassius Jeremy (Osy Ikhile)
The New Coach Is Billy’s Nephew
Just asAll Americanseason 7 introduced Frank Jeremy, it also introduced an even more important member of the Jeremy family with Cassius. Much like Billy at the beginning ofAll American,Cassius is the new head football coach for Beverly Hills High. He moved to Los Angeles from Oakland with his son, KJ, to get a fresh start, though things are not exactly what they seem.
Cassius is the nephew of Billy Bakerand the cousin of Jordan and Olivia. While this might seem like a good way to form a familial connection after moving to a new city, Cassius’s goal is the exact opposite. In becoming the coach of Beverly Hills High, he is determined to beat South Crenshaw, where Jordan is now coaching, and begin a new legacy for the team that bypasses Billy’s.
Kingston “KJ” Jeremy (Nathaniel McIntyre)
KJ Is Cassius’s Son
Another new character and member of the Baker extended family that is introduced in season 7 is Kingston “KJ” Jeremy.KJ is Cassius’s sonand a talented football player who initially struggles to fit in with his new team. This also makes KJ Frank’s grandson and Billy’s great-nephew. He is initially unaware of his father’s plan to take down the Bakers and is mostly interested in forging new relationships while at Beverly Hills and playing pro football.
Spencer James (Daniel Ezra)
Spencer Marries Into The Baker Family
Beyond the core Baker family and their extended relatives in the Jeremy family, there are also a few characters who are part of the Baker family by marriage. One of these characters is Spencer James, who marries Olivia. Spencer is one of the show’s main characters from the outset, as he transfers from Crenshaw to Beverly Hills. Spencer is immediately a football star and remains that way for the entirety of the series. Eventually, he becomes a pro football player in New York, but Daniel Ezra does reprise his role as a guest star in season 7.
Layla Keating (Greta Onieogou)
Layla Marries Jordan
Like Jordan,Layla is one of the few characters that has appeared in every season ofAll American. She is introduced at the beginning of the series as the daughter of a wealthy record producer. Layla seems confident and outgoing, but also struggles with self-doubt and depression. Throughout the series, she and Olivia are best friends, though they often fight and later make up.
Throughout the series, she becomes a successful record producer after starting her own label and later opens her own bar. When she is first introduced, Layla is dating Asher and later dates Spencer before ultimately realizing her true feelings were for Jordan. Thus, Layla is also a member of the Baker family because she eventually married Jordan in season 6 ofAll American.
Cast
WHERE TO WATCH
This sports drama, inspired by the real-life journey of football player Spencer Paysinger, follows a high school student from south L.A. when he is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High.
