After coming off of a full summer which is filled with food, events, and friends, the Fall continues our ability to enjoy staying outside and thankfully with Football season, it gives us a lot of reasons to enjoy games in the stadium, tailgating outside of it, and even having events in our homes. We caught up with actor Taye Diggs (How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Best Man franchise, All-American) to talk about what he loves about football season, how he enjoys taking in this season's games, his partnership with Lysol and upcoming projects that we'll want to keep an eye out for!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be an actor?

TAYE DIGGS: When I saw my mother on stage, she went from being my mother into this other person that I didn't know in front of all these people watching her. I was so taken aback and impressed, scared, curious. That was all it took.

AM: We're in the midst of football season - from watching game day with friends whether that’s at the game or elsewhere, tailgating, and just having good vibes. What do you love about football season?

TD: I like going over to a pal's house and watching the game and eating various sundry snacks. I like it a lot better now because I don't have to worry about germs as much because I use Lysol® Air Sanitizer. I used to be one of those people that would just glare at people that used to cough - people don't like to be around that. So I don't have to worry as much and I can enjoy the game and the company without worrying about getting sick. I don't like getting colds and it's that simple.

AM: What are your go-to watch party must-haves when you're watching the game and who are you cheering for?

TD: No specific team, I’m with my son and we like players. That's what the young people are into these days, I don't know that I agree with it, but it's not worth the argument with my son. So when we watch the players, I make sure that the fridge is stocked and that nobody gets too out of hand. I don't like when fights break out. So people know not to bring that mess into my house.

Lysol Air Sanitizer is another must-have for me during watch parties. It actually sanitizes the air - so I use it before people come over to get my space ready and after they leave to sanitize after all that cheering!

AM: You partnered with Lysol Air Sanitizer - why did you want to work with them and how important is it to have whether at a watch party or the stadium?

TD: Football season is one of my favorite times of year, especially hosting game-day watch parties at-home. But I learned through my partnership with Lysol that cheering for your team can result in viruses and bacteria expelled in the air – shouting can produce up to 100,000 droplets per minute (Source)! That’s why Lysol Air Sanitizer is my game day must-have. It kills 99.9% of airborne viruses and bacteria† to eliminate odors in the air*, so you can protect your home while cheering on your favorite team all season long!

AM: In All American, you played coach Billy Baker, a high school football coach. What did you love about playing this role and how did you look at football after doing this?

TD: I thought I knew a little bit about football before that role and realized that I knew nothing about football. I gained a ridiculous amount of respect for professional athletes because we were exposed to so many and the intelligence that these athletes have that people assume they don't. Which is really, really cool. Getting to understand something that you thought you knew. Being able to yell at all these young people, that's a situation where pretending was really, really fun because that is so far from who I am as a person. Which is one of the reasons why I took the role and it was so much fun because in this career, a lot of times you play characters that are kind of close to you and this one wasn't, and I really had a great time.

AM: You're always working on a number of amazing projects. The first film I remember seeing you in was How Stella Got Her Groove Back and I know that you are working on another project from Terry McMillan, Forever on Lifetime. What do you love about her work? Tell me about Forever.

TD: They're great stories and that's where all of this begins. If you don't have this story, for me, you don't have anything. That's where my interest begins. I've had experiences with her, so it was a no brainer. What was interesting about this film was I got to kind of chronicle how far I've come from How Stella Got Her Groove Back and that was kind of cool. I'm a different actor, the way I approach a role, all of that was different, and I noticed it. So that was cool.

AM: Do you have any other upcoming projects that you would like to share that we should keep an eye out for?

TD: I'm a judge on this new show coming out called Second Chance Stage where it gives performers that had a dream and put their dream by the wayside another chance to pursue this dream. It's very eye opening, it's very emotional. These folks are terribly talented and we were put in the positions to give them more opportunities and it was kind of life altering.

IG @tayediggsinsta

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 32 Joey Andrew | PG 34 Second Chance Stage/Magnolia Network | PG 36 - 38/Taye Diggs Social