Why Cam Watkins From All American Looks So Familiar
"All American" recurring character Cam Watkins originally appears as a South Crenshaw High School student and player for the Chargers. Watkins is a major antagonist to fellow receiver Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), in part because James outmatches him on the playing field. While Watkins is talented, he ultimately recognizes that he'll always be playing backup to his nemesis while at Crenshaw. He transfers to Westlake after Season 3, though he later makes guest appearances.
Watkins appears as a regular character on the spinoff show "All American: Homecoming," where he attends the fictional HBCU Bringston University in Atlanta. He originally signs on to be part of the Bringston Lions team, but an injury that results in a brain aneurysm ends his football scholarship. The former player decides to succeed at Bringston without it, pursuing music and dating Keisha (Netta Walker). Here's where you may have seen Mitchell Edwards, the actor who plays Cam Watkins, in action before.
The following article contains references to rape and assault.
Edwards played a rapper on Law & Order: SVU
Like many actors before him, Mitchell Edwards got his start on "Law & Order: SVU." He appears in the Season 18 episode "Broken Rhymes," in which Detective Benson (Mariska Hargitay) investigates a hip-hop record label that has been linked with the rape and assault of a transgender student and model named Eva (Sabel Gonzales). Eva eventually dies from her injuries.
Edwards plays Randall "Hype" Leonard, a rapper who got slapped by Eva in public after he insulted her. However, in a twist few people saw coming, Hype reveals that the incident was staged: He and Eva had been in a relationship. The real culprit is actually producer Cash Lewis (Okieriete Onaodowan), who felt Eva was a threat to the label. When Hype finds out, he kills him with a gun owned by label head Vincent Love (Wyclef Jean), and he's convicted for the murder.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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Edwards looked after his neighborhood in The First Purge
A prequel to the previous entries in the "Purge" franchise, 2018's "The First Purge" depicts the origins of the infamous Purge event where, for an extended period, all crime is legal. The dominant political party New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) creates a 12-hour experiment on Staten Island so citizens can "purge" and release negative feelings. Residents are offered $5,000 to stay on the island for the duration of the terrifying event.
Edwards plays Kels, a member of Staten Island drug kingpin Dmitri Cimber's (Y'lan Noel) gang. He's also friends with Isaiah Charms (Joivan Wade), a new recruit whose sister, Nya (Lex Scott Davis), is an anti-Purge activist. Kels and Isaiah go to a party during the experiment, but they flee when rogue killer Skeletor (Rotimi Paul) begins to murder attendees. Nya, Dmitri, and other gang members, including Kels, eventually realize that the NFFA is bringing mercenaries into the Purge to make the experiment look like a success. They end up battling the armed goons to protect the neighborhood. Unfortunately, Kels is killed in the process, as are many of Dmitri's men.
Edwards had a recurring role on ABC drama The Fix
The ABC legal drama "The Fix" centers on Maya Travis (Robin Tunney), an attorney who is asked to once again investigate a suspect who she failed to prosecute in court. Mitchell Edwards appears in five episodes as Sevvy Johnson Jr., the son of A-list Hollywood actor Sevvy Johnson (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje of "Lost" fame).
Sevvy Johnson has already been acquitted for the death of his girlfriend and another woman when, eight years later, he's named as a suspect for the murder of his new girlfriend, Jessica Meyer (Taylor Kalupa). Sevvy Jr. supports his father during the case, along with his brother Samuel (Jordan Calloway) and adopted sibling Gabriel (Alex Saxon).
Despite being co-created by Marcia Clark, a prosecutor for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office in the 1994 trial of O.J. Simpson, "The Fix" never did well in the ratings. ABC pulled the plug on the show before the first season had even finished airing.
Edwards was a regular on Netflix series Spinning Out
During an interview about his role in the Netflix show "Spinning Out," Mitchell Edwards explained how it was the "most informative experience" of his career. He told Pop Culturalist: "I have been training since I was 11-years-old to be a professional actor, and to be a series regular was a dream come true."
The show stars Kaya Scodelario as Kat Baker, a competitive ice skater whose head injury on the rink leads to a move into coaching. However, she soon finds a new path forward in pair skating with the bad boy character Justin Davis (Evan Roderick). Edwards plays Kat's friend and co-worker Marcus Holmes, who is also a talented skater.
Reading the script, Edwards especially liked how "there is also a side to Marcus that is more complex. For instance, he struggles a lot with being an icon for Black athletes in winter sports." He also enjoyed playing a more light, charming character rather than the bleaker ones he's often asked to come in for.
Unfortunately, Netflix canceled "Spinning Out" (which was created by retired competitive figure skater Samantha Stratton) after just a single season, despite positive feedback from viewers — the show holds a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.