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Daniel Ezra teased the All American finale while chatting exclusively with PEOPLE at The Running Man premiere on Nov. 9
He shared that he will be directing the finale, and though he hasn’t read the script yet, he’s heard from his former costars that “it’s beautiful”
The actor exited the show as a series regular in 2024, but still returns to direct episodes
Daniel Ezra is teasing a sentimental finale of All American.
The 33-year-old actor — who exited the show as a series regular in 2024, but still returns to direct episodes — opened up about the conclusion of the CW drama and what fans can expect to see.
“I haven’t read [the script], but I’m hearing it’s beautiful,” Ezra told PEOPLE at The Running Man premiere on Nov. 9. “I’m getting calls from everybody saying, ‘I can’t stop crying’ at… however they ended it.”
“Apparently, it’s very emotional, very beautiful, and so I’m very excited,” he added.
Daniel Ezra attends “The Running Man” New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square
Daniel Ezra at ‘The Running Man’ premiere on Nov. 9, 2025.
John Nacion/Getty
He also revealed to PEOPLE that he will be playing a key role in the finale episode — though it’s mainly behind the scenes.
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“I actually get to direct the last-ever episode, which I cannot wait for,” the A Discovery of Witches alum said. “I’m very excited to bring it home, and I’m convinced it’s going to give the fans that closure that they want.”
Things Done Changed Pictured (L-R): Bre-Z as Tamia Cooper, Michael Evans Behling as Jordan Baker, Daniel Ezra as Spencer James, and Samantha Logan as Olivia Baker
From left: Bre-Z, Michael Evans Behling, Daniel Ezra and Samantha Logan in ‘All American’ (2024).
Troy Harvey/The CW
Ezra also reflected on the impact that All American has made on fans, noting he still gets stopped in the street and asked about the series.
“You know this show, it came out during the whole COVID of it all, and it meant so much to so many people,” he said. “I still get stopped in the street [by] people telling me that the show got them through COVID and they grew up with the show, as did we.”
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Ezra, who played Spencer James, confirmed to PEOPLE in a June 2024 statement that he made the “difficult decision” to exit the show, calling season 6 “Spencer’s goodbye.” His final episode as a series regular aired on July 15.
His character’s journey came to a close with Spencer’s long-awaited wedding to Olivia (Samantha Logan), and the All American star told Entertainment Weekly that he knew it was time for him to depart because they had “completed the mission as far as Spencer’s story.”
“A lot of it was my gut instinct,” he said. “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.”
All American, Season 6
The cast of ‘All American’ in season 6.
Bill Inoshita/The CW
Ezra said that while it “snuck up” on him, he’s “a big believer in going out on top, and as far as Spencer’s story specifically, it just felt right.”
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In his statement to PEOPLE, Ezra called Spencer “the most life-affirming character I’ve ever played,” adding, “I’ll miss him. I’ll miss our cast and crew. I hope it’s been as fun to watch him as it has been to play him.”
“I think it’s safe to say there’s going to be new people to fall in love with, a new generation to follow. I’m excited for them, and I’m really happy for them. I can’t wait to help guide them,” Ezra said. “This is a weird thing, handing it off to other people. But there’s also like a proud, sending your kid off to college type of moment as well.”