Homecoming star Geffri Maya at the premiere of the third season

SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from the premiere of the third season of Very American: homecoming.

There have been some changes at Bringston University.

The third and final season of All American: Homecoming debuted Monday with a time jump to eleventh grade, which speeds up Simone’s (Geffri Maya) story a bit, as there are now only 13 episodes left until the series ends. But thankfully, the first episode takes a few steps back to catch audiences up on everything they missed.

Season 2 had audiences on the edge of their seats, waiting to see how the love triangle between Simone, Damon and Lando would play out. Turns out… she chose Damon.

But soon there is trouble in paradise as Bringston is devastated by the news that sports funding is being cut, meaning two whole teams will be eliminated. Although Simone does her best to shed light on the matter, there is no stopping him.

“We’ve always kept in mind what it really means to attend an HBCU, how important it is to be represented and how important it is to support these schools… It’s very, very important to be seen,” Maya told Deadline about the latest challenge Bringston faces.

While a generous donation from tennis superstar Coco Gauff protects the tennis team, the athletic department is quite surprised to learn that the baseball team – which just won a championship – is on the hit list.

At the end of the episode, Damon and Simone go their separate ways as the former accepts an offer to play professional football in the Dominican Republic. Damon’s time at Bringston may be over, but the rest of the team is still there, and the rest of the season is full steam ahead toward junior year.

“I think the beauty of this season is that it’s so layered. There are so many storylines that are really focused and tailored to the character’s journey. We’re doing our best to bring these fictional characters to life,” Maya added.

In the following interview she tells more about the episode and what we can expect. All American: Homecoming closes its final chapter.

DEADLINE: How do you feel about the series ending after season 3?

GEFFRI MAYA: Well, I think the most important thing (what I want) is to preserve the legacy of All American Universe. It started out very humble and then it grew into this epitome of hope and encouragement and inspiration for families and children and the next generation of artists and creatives. I think it’s very special to be a part of that and to honor and celebrate it. The simple fact that NK (Nkechi Okoro Carroll) and Marqui (Jackson) are just carrying on the legacy with HomecomingI mean, it’s really special. Even though we’re coming to the end, I think we’ve had three strong, great seasons that represent so much of this generation and the importance of representation and legacy and culture, so I couldn’t be happier.

Apparently, Homecoming had such a big place in my heart… whether it was three seasons or, you know, 500 seasons, I think it’s the simple fact that we have the opportunity to do something that has meant so much and will continue to mean so much. I’m very proud to be a part of it in whatever form.

DEADLINE: I’ve been waiting so long for this premiere because I had to know who Simone would choose. How did you react when you found out Simone chose Damon?

MAYA: The funny thing about NK and Marqui is that they liked this little love triangle so much that they wanted us to be excited (too). It was always a fun topic to discuss and play with, and we know how much fans are interested in that love triangle. So when I found out – I had my suspicions from the last few seasons when I knew it was going to be that love triangle – I was actually very surprised because I had all the components to be clear about what I thought my choice was. But it’s about keeping the show lighthearted and being part of what fans love the most, which is drama. I think whoever puts Damon and Simone together wins. I think it’s going to be pretty exciting to see how the rest of the season plays out for these characters.

DEADLINE: I really thought it was going to be Lando.

MAYA: I love people who are part of Team Limone because it makes sense.

DEADLINE: So this episode catches up on everything we missed during the time jump. The rest of the season takes place in the year before last. What was it like for you to make that time jump to move the story forward?

MAYA: I mean, I think there’s no right or wrong way to tell a story. What makes these characters so compelling is the journey that we get to be a part of, and sometimes it’s just our imagination that makes TV and movies so great. I think it’s the best choice for our circumstances since this is the end. I think the time jump was necessary.

DEADLINE: The majority of the episode is about Bringston sports no longer being funded and two programs being axed as a result. Simone usually makes pretty bold moves so I wasn’t necessarily surprised by how she handled it, but I’m curious what you think about her decision to speak to the press despite being instructed not to?

MAYA: As artists and actors, we must never judge our characters. I think if anything, it allows me to develop a sense of identity and connection with that character because it allows me to ask, “Okay, why did that person do that?” As humans, we all have reasons why we make certain decisions. We all have intentions… Experience is the best teacher. I try not to really judge each character, each role, each scene, but to be more open to the journey and learning.

DEADLINE: Simone and Damon have a really difficult episode. Damon is very supportive of Simone’s decision until he learns that the baseball team is being cut. How did you and Peyton navigate the ups and downs of the episode together?

MAYA: I mean, these are two characters from different backgrounds coming to a school with a lot of heritage. In reality, certain HBCUs are not properly funded or don’t really have the support and backing to continue to believe in and encourage and support the dreams and visions of these kids. So I think Damon’s answer is absolutely valid, but I think what makes the glue for that level of storytelling with these characters so important is the All Americans Universe in general and in particular Homecomingour whole foundation was family, support, excellence. We built each other up. So I think we naturally have feelings and we can express them however we want. We always seem to find and return to our center, and that is family.

I think we play it really well. We’re both so attached to these characters, and we’re both so attached to our artistry and our techniques. In acting moments, you rely on each other. It’s like a tennis match.

DEADLINE: At the end of the episode, Simone and Damon end their relationship when he gets an offer to play baseball in the Dominican Republic. Did you have any feelings about that?

MAYA: To be completely honest, I don’t really approach it that way. But at the end of the day, I’m a performer. I’m an artist. So I honor and respect every decision and my goal is to just play it truthfully and honor my role and my artistry. I was willing to make every decision. I think we have to take care of the fans. I’m just there to provide a service and give back to the stories and the character. I love Simone so much and I love the journey that she’s been on. Relationships come and go and at the end of the day, I feel like Simone and Damon have served each other in life. You know what I mean? I think it was the right direction. I think, like I said, Peyton and I played our roles and we played them well and we serve the story and I think that the people who love the show will honor and respect the journey as well.

DEADLINE: As you mentioned, the characters on this show are very close and I love watching their interactions. I actually laughed out loud this episode when Simone asks if it would be crazy to try to stay friends with Lando after choosing Damon. Keisha and Nate don’t hesitate.

MAYA: It’s crazy (of Simone). That’s one thing I will say, the writers and I talked about it a lot because I always came to them and said, ‘Simone lives in her own little world. She has her moments of delusion. But what great women on TV weren’t delusional. You know what I mean? She’s young and she’s just figuring it out… If she feels like she can be friends with Lando and have Damon as a lover, then guess what? I support my girl because, like I said, I don’t judge my character. I tell the story. But I think it’s hilarious. To be honest, you need friends like that to tell you when you’re completely in a situation that doesn’t make sense for who you are or where you are in your life. That’s real.

Our writers tell the story of those friendships well and also honor the importance of having a community. As an HBCU graduate at Clark Atlanta University, I built such a beautiful community during my time there and to this day, I have brothers and sisters that have stuck with me for life. That really comes from my time at an HBCU. I’m grateful for that and I think we captured that brilliantly. You don’t really see a lot of stories about friends going through ups and downs at that particular time in life. That’s a very pivotal time in all of our lives, whether you went to college or not. So I think there’s so much layering to highlighting what it really means to be a loyal friend, what it really means to focus on your mental health, what it really means to focus on your overall health and what it really means to love someone. I think we play with those layers and honor them very truthfully.

DEADLINE: What can you say about the rest of the season?

MAYA: I just want to say that people should be prepared for the unexpected. I’ve mentioned before that life is just the best teacher and I think people are going to be swept up in our journey this season. I feel really privileged to have been given the opportunity to finish this journey for her once again. So I think everyone should buckle up and be prepared to finish this journey with her.

It’s definitely a special season and a season that’s close to my heart. It was close to everyone’s heart. It wasn’t just because of my storyline. I really believe this season was such a wonderful ensemble effort. We went through a lot of changes, but I think we persevered and created something really special. I’m really excited to see what everyone gets to see, what their favorite characters and artists really created this season. So I’m really grateful that I left it with so much love.