SPOILER ALERT! This publish incorporates particulars from Monday night time’s episode of All American: Homecoming.
Mitchell Edwards has definitely gone on a journey with Cam Watkins, the character he’s performed throughout a number of seasons of each All American and All American: Homecoming.
“It was a full journey of a personality to go from the pompous, cocky soccer jock who thinks he’s higher than the result in changing into the sleek, supportive boyfriend and buddy to the chief of the [latter show],” Edwards instructed Deadline, talking about Monday night time’s episode, when the arc actually got here full circle for him.
After Cam’s breakup with Keisha, he’s tasked with pouring his ache into new music for a significant recording artist. Whereas that artist finally doesn’t recognize what Cam brings to the desk, the character handles such an emotionally fraught second with a stage of grace that may’ve appeared unlikely to return from the model of Cam audiences meet within the first season of All American.
Not solely was Edwards capable of discover new depths to his character on this episode, he was additionally capable of infuse extra of his personal artwork into it, as his personal track, “Taking part in No Video games,” is featured towards the tip.
Within the interview beneath, the actor spoke in regards to the intersection of his artwork and mirrored on every thing that’s led Cam to this second the place he might deal with such heartbreak together with his head held excessive.
DEADLINE: What was the dialog to get your track, ‘Taking part in No Video games,’ on this episode, and what does it imply to you for that to occur?
MITCHELL EDWARDS: I used to be very excited to get a pair placements on the present! I wrote this track about 5 years in the past, and it was a few state of affairs that was fully imagined. So quick ahead to 5 years later, our showrunner [Nkechi Okoro Carroll] and reached out to me and…briefed me on what the journey of my character was this season, and clearly the breakup with Keisha was mentioned. So that they requested me if I had any songs in my catalogue that might probably work alongside that storyline. I pitched this track to them. They cherished it, [and] they have been capable of construct the script across the track a bit bit. The track sort of places fault on the lady, so to talk, so on this case, they made certain that Keisha was responsible of the issues that, basically, the track is about. So it was sort of cool. They simply sort of constructed the script round that, tweaked it a bit bit, and, growth, we have been capable of simply use the track.
DEADLINE: That’s so fascinating to listen to that the story was truly influenced by the track you had already written.
EDWARDS: I feel too, as a songwriter, typically you will get imposter syndrome since you’re like, ‘Man, I haven’t been by this.’ that was the case with this track. I had no actual supply materials for the story of the track. It simply was the sensation of the beat. So to discover a story later was actually dope. I simply applaud and thank [Nkecki] a lot for all the time pushing myself and my whole solid and tapping into the issues that we like to do, looking for methods to provide us the chance to showcase these issues on the present and simply to make the present higher. It was simply nice to have the ability to be of service to the script and have a track already prepared, and have the ability to deliver each of my passions collectively and inform an important story.
DEADLINE: How have you ever felt about Cam’s journey this season, particularly given the breakup with Keisha, but in addition attending to discover his songwriting?
EDWARDS: I feel having music and now having a complete new path in life actually excited him. And I feel, like most issues that we’re enthusiastic about, we’re solely excited in regards to the good issues, proper? We’re not likely excited about the challenges which will come. So I feel for him, as soon as these challenges begin to come, he’s not likely certain tips on how to navigate it. He simply is aware of that he’s very excited in regards to the alternative. He does speak in confidence to Keisha, as he all the time does, however she has her personal scenario occurring, so she doesn’t even know tips on how to totally help him within the second, in the best way during which he wants. So I feel for him, it’s an important enterprise into his personal solo journey, no matter it’s that he’s imagined to be doing. Now he’s not doing soccer, He’s engaged on music, and he’s simply looking for his manner, and he has to do it on his personal…I feel that’s a problem for him as nicely to discover ways to navigate the obligations of his profession path on his personal. There isn’t any accomplice or no pacifier which you could depend on to get there.
DEADLINE: I feel he’s dealing with all of it with far more maturity and beauty than the model of Cam we met in All American. How has it been so that you can see him grown over so many seasons?
EDWARDS: I feel that was what Cam sort of yearned for in All American, was to have a chance to be an actual particular person. In case you assume again to Season 1, him having a dialog with Spencer and being like, ‘Hey, I didn’t have that Fairy Godfather are available and save my life and provides me an opportunity to be a complete new man.’ And so I feel Bringston is that for him. When he goes to Bringston, it’s actually an opportunity for him to sort of redefine himself. He mentions that to Simone, like, ‘Please don’t maintain the previous in opposition to me primarily based off of who you’re aware of me being.’
I feel one other factor to consider is that he loses soccer very early. Whereas in All American, he had soccer as a masks, and he was capable of be the large, proficient soccer participant that no one might discuss dangerous about, as a result of his efficiency was so excessive. So dropping that, he just about misplaced his defend or misplaced his masks in life, and has to discover a new one. I feel that that naturally simply sort of humbles him and [we see] him studying tips on how to navigate a relationship, being in love, studying tips on how to navigate a buddy circle, and being supported. I feel all of these issues mixed actually simply sort of broke down his partitions and made him open up and be a member of the neighborhood. I feel he actually loved it, which is why we see extra grace come from him.
DEADLINE: Do you assume that’s additionally a part of the explanation that he feels so betrayed, not simply by Keisha, however by JR as nicely?
EDWARDS: Yeah, I feel so. I imply, I don’t assume brotherhood is one thing Cam takes flippantly, coming from sports activities, coming from soccer. He stated final season throughout his pledging, he realized that KEK has a lot extra to supply than simply scholarship cash. There’s a brotherhood that he was craving to be part of that he didn’t know. The primary brother that he made was JR. He made that reference to him nicely earlier than KEK, so I feel that’s why he was so damage and brought aback when JR wasn’t so excited to assist him be a part of. However as soon as he finally did and helped him get funding, I feel it took that relationship to a different stage, and I feel Cam was capable of take a layer off or permit one of many partitions to fall with JR as nicely, as a result of JR had proved himself to be such a great buddy. That’s what prompted that betrayal to be much more painful. I feel with each Keisha and JR, Cam was gradual to like them. He took his time to actually to be taught who they have been, after which determined to be their buddy, and determined to be the complete, loyal Cam that he is aware of he’s, and for that to be reciprocated with betrayal, I feel may be very, very painful for him. I undoubtedly assume he mourns each Keisha and JR, the lack of these relationships.
DEADLINE: Their breakup scene within the earlier episode was very heartbreaking. How was it to movie that scene with Netta Walker?
EDWARDS: I imply, other than all the good issues I get to do, singing, dancing on the present, my favourite factor to do, and the very best a part of my job, has all the time been working with Netta, just because the 2 of us have nice respect for each other and nice respect for the craft at giant. We’re each theater infants, and we knew what the project was when it got here to Keisha and Cam, as a result of this was the one relationship that was sustained over the three seasons to this point. So not only for the 2 of them, but in addition for our universe, for our present and followers, this was the largest breakup, so to talk, as a result of they’ve been collectively the longest. It was one of many first scenes, I consider, we shot that episode, and we have been prepared. Me and Netta simply have nice belief for one another. We’re all the time excited to do scenes like that with loads of emotion, as a result of we maintain nice area for one another on and off digital camera. When it’s her take and when it’s my take, we’re each in it. I feel that we did that that day, We got here in, we have been prepared. We knew what the project was, and the method was, actually, let’s simply do what we do. Let’s actually honor this relationship between these two characters and provides them the emotion that it deserves on the subject of their breakup.
DEADLINE: You’ve gotten to work a lot extra along with your different solid mates this season as nicely. How has that been?
EDWARDS: That’s all the time loads of enjoyable to combine up the circle and alter the dynamics. I feel within the first season, season and a half, actually, the main target is about establishing the first relationships. So I spent loads of season one working with Netta. So after we began to interrupt that up, that was already enjoyable. Then this season, I really feel like I’ve labored with just about everyone. It brings a complete new facet of the job out. Every character has a special relationship with the opposite. I actually love the connection between Cam and Simone, and the place their relationship is now, as a result of they do have probably the most historical past out of the circle. I really like that they began as potential foes along with her courting his former teammate or former finest buddy, and the 2 of them having odds of their relationship to now being like brother and sister. I really like the thought of Cam taking Lando below his wing, and now doing for Lando what JR did for cam. Simply exterior of that, with the ability to work with the completely different actors, Geffri [Maya] and I are actually shut. Me and Martin [Bobb-Semple] are actually shut. So with the ability to go to work with these guys and really feel out their completely different appearing habits and what that brings out of me, it was loads of enjoyable. It was loads of pleasure, with the ability to shuffle the playing cards, so to talk.
DEADLINE: How did you’re feeling discovering out the present would finish after this season? Do you’re feeling closure with Cam?
EDWARDS: Me particularly, I definitely do have loads of closure. It’s been a protracted journey. Everyone knows the place this character began. There was no foresight for the place he was going to finish, and the truth that it ended the place it did, with him moving into music, moving into dance a bit bit with Keisha. I feel it was fulfilling. It was a full journey of a personality to go from the pompous, cocky soccer jock who thinks he’s higher than the result in changing into the sleek, supportive boyfriend and buddy to the chief of the subsequent present. I feel that that was superior. We noticed him enjoying sports activities and the way he has different abilities within the arts. We obtained to see all these various things. So, for me, with the ability to present these completely different dynamics inside this character, I really feel extremely fulfilled and at peace, and I do really feel like I’ve closure. The information additionally got here on my final day of filming. So it was the day that I used to be placing the present down anyway, and so after I obtained the information, it simply made it a last occasion. This may be the ultimate time I put the present down, however I used to be very glad and pleased with what we completed, and really proud to be part of this present and the opposite present, and have the ability to signify the tradition in such a ravishing manner.
DEADLINE: What’s subsequent for you?
EDWARDS: So my journey is similar to Cam’s, in that the subsequent factor will likely be music. He mentions in episode 12, in a pair weeks, it’s time for his subsequent chapter, which goes to be wonderful, and that’s how I really feel. It’s time for my subsequent chapter. After all, I’m an actor for the remainder of my life. I’ve already established that, however I’m very excited to have been capable of drop this track on the present and get the ball rolling. I’ve one other one coming by as nicely, and after that, we’ll simply be dropping music and sharing that and pushing that ahead, in addition to persevering with to audition and persevering with to work and search work as an actor. Along with releasing music as an artist, I’m additionally actually trying ahead to creating new music for exhibits and movies to proceed to merge my presents and passions as a storyteller.
