All American Honors the Late Kamar de los Reyes: Read Cody Christian’s Tribute to His ‘Incredible’ Co-Star
On the heels of Billy Baker’s sentimental “return” and a nostalgia-fueled 100th episode, All American had fans reaching for the tissues once again on Monday with its tribute to the late Kamar de los Reyes.
De los Reyes — best known for playing cop Antonio Vega on ABC’s One Life to Live — passed away last December after a brief battle with cancer. He was able to appear as Coach Montes in All American‘s Season 6 premiere in April, but since de los Reyes’ passing, his character has been kept offscreen without explanation.
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Monday’s installment, though, brought real closure to Coach Montes’ storyline. He remained unseen for the duration of the episode, but viewers learned that he planned to leave Coastal California College for a job with the NFL. Asher, who had grown very close to Coach Montes over the years, kept his distance from the man all day to avoid having to say goodbye. But after receiving a parting gift from Coach Montes via his wife — the original Coach Montes, you’ll remember — Asher at last worked up the nerve to answer Coach Montes’ call and say a proper goodbye to his boss and friend.
Cody Christian, who plays Asher on the just-renewed CW series, opened up to TVLine about his time working with de los Reyes — who joined the cast in Season 4 — and revealed that his real-life relationship with de los Reyes often mirrored Coach Montes and Asher’s mentor/mentee dynamic on the series.
“I did have a very unique relationship with that man outside of the show,” Christian shares. “Just in those two-and-a-half years, I went through hell and back in my own life. Kamar was acting as a real-life coach for me many, many, many times. We would shoot all day and then spend a couple hours after shooting, just talking and catching up on life. I relied on him a lot.”
Because Asher has been attending and working at Coastal California, while Spencer James and other characters went to Golden Angeles University for college, Christian ultimately became the only series regular to frequently share scenes with de los Reyes — an opportunity he says he valued greatly, especially when de los Reyes fought cancer during Season 6 production.
“Just to have the opportunity to go in and work with him within those circumstances, to give him the respect and flowers he deserved, was a moment I’ll never forget,” he says. “I’m not even going to lie to you: Those first two episodes [of Season 6], it was difficult for me to watch it, simply because he’s an incredible man.”
While filming his final scenes with de los Reyes, Christian was acutely aware of how little time the actor had left. He says de los Reyes was transparent with him about his prognosis, and he asked Christian to continue to “raise awareness about cancer, and cancer in young men, and the ability to get screened early on.”
“I knew [working with him this season] wasn’t going to be something I could take for granted,” he continues. “That scene work was very special, and for me to have one of the last dances with him — as a human being, as the artist that he was — was something I’ll never forget. He was a great man.”
How will you remember de los Reyes? Drop a comment below with your remembrances and thoughts on All American‘s sendoff.
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