Bomb threats against HBCUs inspired the All American spin-off’s traumatic and powerful episode.
A major crisis at Bringston University sent the latest episode ofAll American: Homecominginto chaos.
The call sends the campus into lock down as law enforcement begins investigating.
The CW
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:What inspired the episode?
There’s a lot packed into the episode.
What did you want to touch on with the bomb threat through the characters?
‘All American: Homecoming’.The CW
MARQUI JACKSON:It’s almost an instinctual thing.
When you think about this event, it lends itself toward certain conversations.
We wanted to talk about that and the lens with which these things happen in our communities a lot.
We looked at what the takeaways are for HBCUs.
What their perspectives are when they are going through it and how they feel six months out.
We wanted to tap into what the experience actually is like.
There’s uniformity to all of it.
What conversations did you have with the actors about the episode?
What was it like to film it?
NOC:God bless our cast.
They were so prepared and understood the magnitude of what they were taking on.
Every time I look at [Kelly Jenrette] I cried immediately.
Their performances Mitchell Edwards, he took it to another level in these two episodes.
He’s just been phenomenal this season, but these two episodes in particular.
If we don’t get episode 4 right, then episode 5 is gonna fall flat.
What he actually hears is so much more the hate and vitriol.
Cam comes to Bringston because it’s supposed to be his oasis.
Amara feels the weight of being responsible for the students.
What part does this event play in her overall story as the new person running Bringston University?
Were any other resolutions considered?
The reality is this is really happening at HBCUs.
NOC:To broaden the conversation beyond Bringston shows that Black excellence was being targeted.
It was more than one HBCU.
That’s how much Black excellence offended that perpetrator.
We felt it was important.
How does Bringston heal after this?
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
All American: Homecomingairs Mondays at 9pm ET on The CW.
