‘All American’ Star Taye Diggs Reveals How ‘Night Swims’ Brought Him Closer to Son Amid Pandemic (Exclusive)

Like many parents across the U.S., Taye Diggs has been taking on a little more as a parent these days as schools and summer camps have shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the All American actor has found a silver lining. In an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com for our series, PopCulture @ Home, Diggs reveals how even though his 10-year-old son, Walker, was disappointed summer camp had been postponed over recent events, the pair have been able to enjoy some quality father-son time together.

“We have broken out a lot more board games and you know my kid’s 10, so I know a lot of the stuff he’s doing [is] just because I wanna do it, but it’s still fun so we break out the board games. Obviously, the basketball, the football, nature walks,” the 49-year-old Diggs said when asked about activities they’re participating in throughout the summer months as most of Los Angeles is still highly restrictive at the moment. He further shares how something his son came up with on his own has also given both of them quality time with one another.

“One thing that he came up with that I’m very proud of and appreciative we got a little pool in the back and he — it was his idea to wait ’till it was pitch black and to go out and have these, what he calls ‘night swims’ — and we go out there, we float, and we have these really great, intimate conversations with each other and I can’t help but wonder if we’d have these conversations if things were different,” he explained. “We obviously wouldn’t have them if he were out at camp hanging out with his buddies […].”

Because things are a little different for everyone this summer, Diggs decided to partner with Quaker Chewy’s “Camp Chewy” program to bring the summer camp vibes to their backyard. “It helps parents get together with their kids because most of the camps have been — as you’ve said — shut down,” adding that Walker was “devastated” when he found out he wouldn’t be hanging with his pals this summer. “But with the help of “Camp Chewy” and “No Camp No Problem” […] it really encourages parents to get out there with their kids and kind of re-create the camp feeling that they are no longer able to have because you know, as you said, this summer’s looking a lot different.” Parents can visit No Camp, No Problem for more information. “We’re spending more time together and finding these little gems of interesting moments.”

In the meantime, Diggs is waiting to rejoin his castmates of All American to start Season 3, and he’s continued to write children’s books — which has also opened up topical conversations between he and Walker. After having already written three: Chocolate Me; Mixed Me and I Love You More Than… . His fourth one is called My Friend and he just wrote his fifth that touches on the Black Lives Matter movement that’s continued to make waves across the world. Needless to say, Diggs is staying busy this summer and “doing alright” so far, given the nature of 2020.