I love how the show does a great job of attacking problems healthily and maturely.
I recommend everyone to check outThe Crossoverbecause, I promise, it has something for everybody.
So, theyre trying to sort of throw the opponent off balance.
Jalyn Hill as Josh Bell (L), Amir O’Neil as JB Bell (R).Disney/Alyssa Moran
So, its really to throw the opponent off balance and get around them.
Thats the literal translation of what it means.
He would take me to the basketball court as a three-year-old to let me dribble and shoot.
Derek Luke and Sabrina Revelle as Chuck Bell and Crystal Bell inThe CrossoverDisney/Alyssa Moran
One day, he asked me to shoot free throws.
So, this playground supervisor came over, my dad tells me, and tried to lower the goal.
And my dad was like, Stop.
No ones going to lower my sons goal.
And so, the idea was, my dad said, He doesnt know he cant make the shot.
Thats always resonated with me; I view it as a metaphor for life.
Never let other people venture to lower your goals or your expectations.
How do you stay focused?
How do you stay successful?
How do you stay sane in the midst of all the chaos thats happening?
And so, when life crosses you over, are you going to fall off balance?
Are you going to pick yourself back up?
To extend the metaphor even further, how do you rebound?
This theme comes across most of your works; what was your upbringing like?
And for this show, where does your experience end and where do your characters begin?
For instance, the dad is sort of this amalgamation of who I wanted my dad to be.
Because my dad was extremely bookish, and he used to make me read the dictionary, the encyclopedia.
I didnt feel like he was a cool dad.
Hes also an amalgamation of who I hope I am to my teenage daughter.
I like to think Im cool.
She doesnt think that [laughs].
But I think that I am in everybody.
I played tennis, ended up being pretty good at that, and was very much into athletics.
And I won the spelling bee and could write my butt off in high school.
I was this smart kid, who was also athletic, who just loved life.
it’s possible for you to do all these things.
DEADLINE:What was it like adapting your work for the television and engaging with the source material differently?
Was there anything you were looking to highlight specifically this time around for the TV show?
Those two things came together, and I feel like we were successful.
And so, pairing up with Damani Johnson was just the best thing ever.
DEADLINE:Lets talk about this stacked cast.
Youve got Jalyn Hall, Amir ONeil, Derek Luck, and Sabrina Revelle to play the central family.
What qualities did they possess that made them fit the roles that they played?
ALEXANDER:The casting folks were incredible.
They put so many people in front of us, and it was tough to make those decisions.
That was a big thing for me.
There was this spirit of collaboration and community that came together in the audition process.
When it came to seeing all of them together, it was magical.
[Casting] is one of the things Im really most proud of.
And I feel like we had that from day one, and it was a blessing.
DEADLINE:This is the first TV show youve spearheaded, right?
What has it been like collaborating with your other Executive Producers?
Youve gotLeBron James, Maverick Carter, and George Tillman Jr. What did you learn while making this show?
But this is my first show of being a co-showrunner and being an EP.
And its my first book being adapted for the screen.
It was real work, 14-hour days of real work.
And I think what I learned is Im highly opinionated.
I got a lot of opinions, and everybody else does too.
I walked a fine line between This is my book.
I am the source material.
Its the fine line between walking and having that stance and, I got to trust my other EPs.
I got to trust the writers in the room.
I feel like we were able to do that.
They let me have my vision.
They understood and respected that I was the source.
I trusted their vision.
It was us against the world.
Always shoot for the sun, and you will shine.
Its all about who is the right team around you.
And like the poster says, There is no team tighter than family.
Can you explain the cultural relevance and why this show is important in todays climate?
ALEXANDER:Much like books, TV shows, and movies are mirrors and theyre windows.
It can be aspirational.
And how important is it for all of us to know and appreciate each others humanity?
When we appreciate each other, we become better human beings.
Ultimately, thats the goal.
The Crossoveris nowstreamingon Disney+.
