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Adamo Ruggiero and Ana Golja Talk About Playing LGBTQ+ Characters on Degrassi

In honour of Pride Month, ET Canada recently spoke to Adamo Ruggiero and Ana Golja about what it was like playing LGBTQ+ characters on Degrassi. The interview was part of ET Canada’s support for Blue Door’s INN-Clusion program, which provides emergency housing for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. In the interview, Adamo and Ana spoke about growing up with their characters and the reaction they received from fans. Watch the full interview below on ET Canada’s YouTube Channel.

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Degrassi Cast in Performers Magazine

A few Degrassi cast members were featured in the pages of Performers Magazine recently. Charlotte Arnold along with Adamo Ruggiero and Evan Williams were there along with 5 other up and coming actors from the Toronto region. The magazine includes a new photoshoot with all 8 of the actors featured as well as an article & short individual interviews. Here are all of the scans. Thanks to Epitome for sending this to me!

Page 1; Page 2; Page 5; Page 6; Page 7; Page 8

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Adamo’s Message to LGBT Youth

Adamo just posted this video on Youtube telling LGBT youth that it does get better. He talks about his struggles as a gay young person coming out, and how everything was okay in the end. This is definitely an important message to hear.

Categories adamo ruggiero cast: alumni interviews

New Adamo Ruggiero Interview

Adamo Ruggiero recently did an interview with Out Magazine which you can now check out online! In the interview, Adamo talks about his latest movie (Making the Yuletide Gay), what it was like coming out to his friends, parents, and brother, as well as Adam Lambert’s AMA performance. Here’s an excerpt:

You said you’d like to play more gay characters in the future. What kind of gay characters would you like to explore?
I want to play a character who struggles with issues outside of being gay. My straight friends go through the same kinds of things that gay people my age do. We’re worried about finding a job or how to deal with our families. I think if we show a character who doesn’t talk about his sexuality so bluntly, it will be more powerful.

Click here to read the full interview!

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More From Adamo and Lauren in New York

Adamo and Lauren did a lot of interviews while promoting Degrassi Goes Hollywood in New York. Here is another one with PopEater. It includes a video, and Lauren and Adamo discuss their fame level in the US vs. Canada, Drake’s recent success, plus more! Here’s an excerpt:

Lauren: “The die-hard fans of the show, no matter where they are, are the same, and they’re all really supportive. But I think in general, there’s a much more media-obsessed culture here in the States. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing… so we always get a huge, huge response… We never experience that in Canada. Never, ever ever ever”
More?

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More From Adamo and Lauren in New York

Above is a picture of Lauren Collins at Planet Hollywood in New York yesterday. She and Adamo were there to make their memorabilia donation like I posted earlier. You can check out a video of their appearance courtesy of Popstar! Magazine on youtube. Lauren and Adamo also made an appearance on MTV’s It’s On With Alexa Chung which you can check out on youtube right here. MTV also has an article up on their website about Degrassi Goes Hollywood, which includes quotes from Lauren and Adamo.

Categories adamo ruggiero appearances degrassi goes hollywood lauren collins

Adamo and Lauren In New York

Adamo Ruggiero and Lauren Collins are currently in New York promoting Degrassi Goes Hollywood. They will be appearing on the Alexa Chung Show. Also, according to Degrassi on Facebook they will be at Planet Hollywood Times Square TOMORROW to donate some memorabilia at 1:30pm! If you’re in the area, why not head over? If you take any pictures send them to me at Erin@degrassi-fans.com and I’ll post them on the site!

And speaking of appearances, details about the Degrassi Goes Hollywood screening in Toronto are slowly starting to come in. We’re now hearing that there will be a contest in which one lucky fan will win a trip to Hollywood. Hopefully they will announce how fans can attend the screening soon!

Categories adamo ruggiero cast: alumni

Adamo Talks to The National Post

In a new article, Adamo talked to The National Post about playing Marco, coming out, and representing the LGBT community. Here’s an excerpt:
“People sometimes ask if I’m worried about being typecast now that I’m out,” says Ruggiero, “but I’m not afraid of it — at this point I want to play roles that represent the LGBT community.”
Click here for more!

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Confirmed: Adamo to Appear in Season 9

Adamo tweeted yesterday that he will be making an appearance in season 9! This is what he posted:

“spending time with nonna + nonno, drinking latte cafe and memorizing Degrassi script. Marco is making an appearence in season 9!”

Categories adamo ruggiero cast: alumni

“The Next Star” Season 2 Premieres Next Week

The Next Star, hosted by Adamo Ruggiero, will begin its second season July 17th at 6pm on YTV. The show is a cross country talent competition for Canadian kids aged 15 and under. The first three episodes feature young contestants auditioning to get to the next round. From there, 6 are eventually chosen to be mentored over the course of a number of weeks. Ultimately, one winner is chosen by the audience during the grand finale in September. Adamo did such a great job hosting last season, we’re happy that he’s back again for season 2. For more info on the series, check out The Next Star’s official page at YTV.com.

Categories adamo ruggiero cast: alumni

Adamo on the Cover of Frontiers Magazine

Adamo Ruggiero is on the cover of Frontiers in LA Magazine (a gay LA publication) promoting his new movie Making the Yuletide Gay. Adamo talked to the magazine about coming out, fan mail from Degrassi fans, and his new film which he describes as a “sincere coming-of-age film.” Read the interview, check out some more pics right here.

Categories adamo ruggiero cast: alumni interviews

Adamo Participates in LGBT Hot Hollywood Teen Panel

Adamo Ruggiero participated in a panel of young LGBT stars hosted by Kathy Griffin on Thursday night presented by Academy of Television Arts and Science’s Diversity Committee. Adamo was asked about playing Marco, as well as his own coming out story.

“I got Marco just around the time I was starting to stand up for myself,” Ruggiero, who had been picked on in school for being different, remembered. “So Marco was kind of my idol.”
“I felt like I could do what I wanted to do on the playground and on TV as well. And so, growing up with him, he was coming out faster than I was, and I just wanted to keep up.”
Griffin followed that question by asking what it was like to be playing a character who was more out than the then very young Toronto-born actor.
“It was petrifying,” the actor admitted. “And my parents were watching the show! I ran out of excuses [not to watch it with them]. At the beginning I kind of resented [Marco] a bit, but then I realized I had like the best gay manual ever… and I got to gauge my parents reaction.”

You can read some of the rest of what he had to say right here.