If you’ve spent any time watching All American on The CW (or Netflix, let’s be real), you know that Tamia "Coop" Cooper is basically the soul of the show. She’s the character who bridges the gap between the glitz of Beverly Hills and the harsh realities of Crenshaw. But if you're wondering who plays Coop in All American, you aren't just looking for a name. You're looking at a performer who brings a level of authenticity that most actors can’t touch.
Her name is Bre-Z.
She isn't just an actress. She's a rapper, a former barber, and a Philadelphia native who somehow managed to land two of the most iconic roles in modern television history without ever intending to be a Hollywood star. Honestly, her real-life story is just as compelling as anything written in the writers' room.
The Woman Behind the Mic: Who is Bre-Z?
Bre-Z, born Calesha Murray, didn't follow the traditional "theater kid" pipeline. She wasn't out here doing Shakespeare in high school or grinding through commercial auditions at age five. Instead, she was cutting hair.
Born into a family of barbers—her father and grandfather both did it—Bre-Z was a natural with the clippers. Even after she moved to Los Angeles to pursue music, she was still cutting hair to pay the bills. Fun fact: she actually cut Akon’s hair and Ludacris’s hair before she ever stepped foot on a major film set. It’s that blue-collar, real-world background that makes her portrayal of Coop feel so lived-in. When she’s on screen, she doesn't feel like an actress playing "tough." She just feels like a person who has seen things.
Breaking Out Before Crenshaw
Before she was Spencer James’s best friend, Bre-Z was already a household name for fans of the show Empire. She played Freda Gatz, a battle rapper who gave Terrence Howard’s Lucious Lyon a run for his money. That role was supposed to be a one-off or a short arc. But Bre-Z was so magnetic that the producers kept her around.
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When it came time for All American to find its Coop, the casting directors knew they needed someone who could handle the heavy emotional lifting of a queer woman navigating gang culture and the music industry. Bre-Z was the only choice.
Why the Character of Coop Matters So Much
Coop isn't just a sidekick. In the context of the show, she represents the struggle of staying loyal to your roots while trying to grow out of them. Throughout the seasons, we've seen her deal with being kicked out of her house for her sexuality, getting entangled with Tyrone and the gang life, and eventually trying to find her voice as a legal assistant after her rap career was derailed by a shooting.
Bre-Z brings a specific vulnerability to these storylines.
Think about the scenes with her mother, Grace, or her girlfriend, Patience (played by Chelsea Tavares). There’s a softness there that contrasts sharply with the "Crenshaw Coop" we see when she’s standing her ground against neighborhood threats. That duality is why people constantly search for who plays Coop in All American—they want to know if that person is that "real" in person.
The Identity Factor
Bre-Z has been very vocal about the importance of being a "masculine-presenting" woman on screen. In an industry that often tries to polish everyone into a very specific, heteronormative box, she has refused to change. She wears what she wants. She keeps her hair how she wants.
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She once told Teen Vogue that she just wants to be herself. That sounds simple, but in Hollywood, it's revolutionary. By playing Coop, she’s given a generation of LGBTQ+ viewers a character who feels familiar rather than caricatured.
More Than Just Acting: Bre-Z’s Music Career
You can’t talk about the actor who plays Coop without talking about the music. In the show, Coop is a talented rapper. In real life? Bre-Z is the same. She actually writes and performs much of the material you hear.
She started writing songs at 14. By the time she was in her early 20s, she was working with the likes of Dr. Dre and Jennifer Lopez as a songwriter. When you see Coop in the studio during Season 2 and 3, those aren't just memorized lines. That’s a professional artist at work. She released her EP, The Girl, and has continued to drop singles that bridge the gap between old-school lyricism and modern trap beats.
Common Misconceptions About the Actress
People often get a few things wrong when they look up the cast of All American.
- The Age Gap: Bre-Z is actually older than she looks. While she plays a teenager (and later a young adult) on the show, she was born in 1987. That makes her significantly older than Daniel Ezra (Spencer) or Michael Evans Behling (Jordan). Her maturity probably helps her anchor the show’s more frantic plotlines.
- The Barbering Thing: People think the "barber" backstory is a gimmick. It’s not. She still knows how to fade. There are stories from the Empire set where she would actually touch up the hair of other cast members between takes.
- Her Name: It’s pronounced "Breezy." Not "Bre-Z" like the letter Z in a vacuum. It’s a nickname she’s had since she was a kid because she was always "cool as a breeze."
The Evolution of Coop Across the Seasons
Watching Bre-Z evolve through the seasons is a masterclass in character development.
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- Season 1: She was the protector. The one who stayed behind so Spencer could go to Beverly.
- Season 2 & 3: The rapper. This was the peak of her musical arc, but also the peak of her danger.
- Season 4 & 5: The survivor. After the shooting, Coop had to redefine who she was. Seeing her transition into the legal world was a shock to some fans, but Bre-Z played the "fish out of water" vibe perfectly.
- Season 6 and Beyond: She’s become the moral compass.
The transition from a high school dropout involved in gang politics to a woman studying law is a massive leap. Most actors would make that feel forced. Bre-Z makes it feel like a natural progression of someone who is tired of losing friends to the street.
What’s Next for the All American Star?
While All American has been her primary home for years, Bre-Z is expanding. She’s appeared in films like Down for Whatever and continues to be a staple in the hip-hop community. She’s also a frequent guest on podcasts and talk shows where she advocates for authenticity in casting.
She’s also very active on social media, often sharing behind-the-scenes clips with her co-stars. The chemistry you see on screen between her and Daniel Ezra? That’s real. They are incredibly close in real life, which is why the "Spencer and Coop" friendship feels like the most stable relationship in the entire series.
How to Follow Bre-Z’s Career
If you want to keep up with the person who plays Coop, you should look beyond just the TV screen.
- Instagram: She’s @brezofficial. You’ll see a mix of high-fashion shoots, music studio sessions, and plenty of All American content.
- Spotify/Apple Music: Search for Bre-Z. Check out tracks like "Staying Alive" or "Best of Me" to get a taste of her actual flow outside of the Coop character.
- Interviews: Look for her interviews on The Breakfast Club. She’s incredibly candid about her journey from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and doesn't sugarcoat the struggles of the industry.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're a fan of Coop and want to dive deeper into the world of Bre-Z, start by listening to her discography. It adds a whole new layer to her performance on the show when you realize how much of her own life she pours into those lyrics. Also, pay attention to her wardrobe on the show; she often has a hand in styling Coop to ensure the character remains true to the "tomboy" aesthetic that she champions in real life.
Lastly, keep an eye on her upcoming production credits. Bre-Z has expressed interest in moving behind the camera to tell stories about the Philly streets she grew up in. Based on what she’s done with Coop, whatever she creates is going to be raw, honest, and worth the watch.
Whether you call her Tamia, Coop, or Bre-Z, there is no denying that she is the "heartbeat" of Crenshaw. The show wouldn't be the same without her unique blend of toughness and heart.