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When an actor on a show passes away, the creators face a difficult decision. Some shows go down the route of recasting, while others write the characters out of the show so they live off-screen. After the tragic passing of Kamar de los Reyes, All American had to figure out how to handle his character, Coach Montes.
What happened to Kamar de los Reyes?
Kamar de los Reyes passed away in December 2023 from cancer. Besides All American, he was known for starring in One Life to Live, and Sleepy Hollow. He is survived by his wife, Sherri Saum, and his children. De los Reyes was filming season 6 of All American at the time of his passing and was also preparing for a role in Marvel’s Daredevil series. His final appearance will be in Hulu’s upcoming limited series, Washington Black, which he had already filmed before his death.
All American says goodbye to Coach Montes
Although his stay was short-lived, Kamar de los Reyes’s stint as Coach Montes cemented him as one of the most beloved characters on the show. De los Reyes joined the cast of All American in season 4 as Coastal California University’s new coach. He played an integral role in the fourth season and features less frequently in the fifth. He was only able to appear in the first episode of season 6 before his passing, and the show decided to write a reason for his absence.
Initially, it seemed as if the show wasn’t going to address his absence, especially since he had already been reduced to a lesser role. However, episode 10 brought a satisfying conclusion to his character’s story. The episode, titled “Mass Appeal,” revealed that Coach Montes had taken a job with the NFL, a move that made sense for his character. Having him still alive on the show allowed for his young protege Asher Adams to have an emotional goodbye phone call with him. The episode concluded with a tribute video to the actor reading “in loving memory of Kamar de Los Reyes.”
Speaking with Deadline, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, All American‘s showrunner, shared her experience working with de Los Reyes on the show. She shared that he, “brought so much love, light, and joy to the set every day, even during his final days,” and shared her condolences for his family. Cody Christian, who plays Asher Adams, also shared his feelings on de Los Reyes’s passing, saying that de los Reyes was, “almost like a second father figure,” to him.