Categories aaron martin aislinn paul alicia josipovic ana golja annie clark articles billy parrott cast: alumni chloe rose cristine prosperi degrassi hbo max ephraim ellis eric osborne interviews linda schuyler melinda shankar miriam mcdonald murtz jaffer olivia scriven sara waisglass stacie mistysyn

Degrassi Cast Discuss Reboot in Toronto Star Article

After weeks without any news, Degrassi fans got a surprise this weekend when it was revealed that The Toronto Star was doing a 3-page feature on the cast’s reaction to the Degrassi reboot.

The article, which was in yesterday’s print version of the Saturday Star, includes interviews from Ephraim Ellis (Rick), producer and writer Aaron Martin, Alicia Dea Josipovic (Bianca), Miriam McDonald (Emma), Ana Golja (Zoe), Chloe Rose (Katie), Billy Parrott (Shane), co-creator and executive producer Linda Schuyler, Stacie Mistysyn (Caitlin), Cristine Prosperi (Imogen), Sara Waisglass (Frankie), Olivia Scriven (Maya), Aislinn Paul (Clare), Annie Clark (Fiona), Eric Osborne (Miles), and Melinda Shankar (Alli).

There is no new information about the reboot in this article, but it is very interesting to read the cast’s thoughts on it and what they hope to see, since most of them haven’t said much about it up to this point. The article was written by Murtz Jaffer, an entertainment writer and Degrassi fan who has interviewed the cast numerous times previously. Murtz also confirmed in his Instagram story that Stefan Brogren, Pat Mastroianni, Nina Dobrev, and Ricardo Hoyos were asked to participate in the piece but they declined.

You can read the article on The Star’s website, or check out scans from the print version below.

Continue reading Degrassi Cast Discuss Reboot in Toronto Star Article

Categories appearances cast: alumni cast: current chloe rose nina dobrev pictures TIFF

Chloe Rose at the Toronto International Film Festival

Congratulations to current Degrassi cast member Chloe Rose!

Today Chloe’s new film The Lesser Blessed premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film, which is based on the critically acclaimed novel, follows a teenager living in a remote area of the Northwest Territories grappling with the challenges of growing up. Chloe plays the popular girl – Juliet Hope – who the main character has a crush on.

Chloe attended the premiere, and looked stunning in this regal black halter dress. She also attended the Guess Portrait Studio, and took some gorgeous pictures while there. Check out a complete album of Chloe at TIFF in our gallery!

Some of you may have also noticed that former Degrassi star Nina Dobrev has been making the rounds at TIFF this week for the premiere of her new film The Perks of Being a Wallflower. ‘Perks’ will be in theatres later this month!

Categories cast: alumni landon liboiron twitter

Landon Liboiron Joins Hemlock Grove and Twitter

Netflix still finds a home for Landon Liboiron despite passing on the pick up of his recent series Terra Nova. Landon has been cast as Peter in the new series Hemlock Grove which will air on Netflix in early 2013. The Hollywood Reporter has released this bit of information on the show’s premise and Landon’s character:

The 13-episode horror show from director/executive producer Eli Roth is set in a ravaged Pennsylvania steel town and begins with the discovery of a young girl’s body. As the crime goes unsolved and outlandish rumors mount, Roman (Bill Skarsgard) and Peter (Liboiron) decide to find the killer on their own, confronting unspeakable truths about themselves and Hemlock Grove as the mystery unfolds.

Terra Nova has not been completely abandon by 20th Century Fox according to reports but Landon, on his newly acquired twitter account, confirmed the out look isn’t good.

Landon has also created a new YouTube channel after his last one was accidentally deleted and loaded his music to Pure Volume.

Categories annie clark appearances cassie steele cast: alumni cast: current ctv

Cassie Steele & Annie Clark Attend the Juno Awards


Degrassi stars Cassie Steele and Annie Clark were both at the Juno Awards last night in Ottawa. They were there to present the Dance Recording of the Year award along with Francois Arnaud from The Borgias. Annie looked adorable in this neon pink strapless dress, while Cassie chose a revealing leather number that I’m sure turned a lot of heads. Check out more pictures from the event in our gallery!

Categories cassie steele cast: alumni interviews

Cassie Steele Talks About Returning to Degrassi


Former Degrassi cast member and current star of The LA Complex, Cassie Steele, recently spoke with HollywoodLife.com, expressing interest in returning to Degrassi. While nothing is confirmed yet, Cassie said that she would like to return if the right storyline came along. Lauren Collins recently returned to Degrassi for a brief appearance in a webisode. Would Cassie be willing to do the same?

I’m not on the show anymore, so it’s not about us anymore, and we really need to capitalize on the new characters — the budding careers these young actors have. It has to suit their story line. So if I have the chance, I’d love to. It’s a really big part of my life, and it’s so great to see these young adults working and being amazing at what they’re doing.”

Its nice to see Cassie talk about how she would love to be back on Degrassi, yet she’s still so supportive of the new cast members!

Read the full article right here.

Categories cast: alumni interviews judy jiao

An Update on Former Degrassi Cast Member Judy Jiao


The University of Toronto’s student newspaper, The Varsity, posted an interview with former Degrassi cast member Judy Jiao earlier today. Judy played Leia on Degrassi for a couple of seasons before becoming a student at Harvard. In the interview, Judy talks about the difference between Degrassi and her real life high school, her favourite places in Toronto, and her plans for the future.

On why Toronto teens in particular love Degrassi, Judy had this to say: “It is very representative of Toronto; it shows how Toronto embraces multiculturalism. It’s something Degrassi does amazingly. Canada is unique. If you look at Canada and America culturally, they are very similar but very different in terms of multiculturalism. The concept has a different connotation in the States than in Canada. Here we embrace it, and Degrassi shows that.

Read the full article right here.

Categories appearances cassie steele cast: alumni

Cassie Steele at the Genie Awards


Former Degrassi cast member & current star of The LA Complex, Cassie Steele, attended the Genie Awards last night in Toronto. The Genies celebrate the best in Canadian film, and Cassie was on hand to present an award. Cassie wore a gorgeous dress from Toronto designer Amanda Lew Kee. Check out Cassie’s interview on the red carpet!


Categories cast: alumni season 12 stephen stohn webisodes

Emma Nelson headed back to halls of Degrassi

 

@StephenStohn @OfficialMiriamM

Degrassi Executive producer Stephen Stohn and former lead cast member Miriam McDonald share a tweet exchange that could potentially reveal a future minisode plot for Season 12. Miriam played Emma Nelson on the show from Season One to Season Nine. Twitter is already buzzing with speculation of the plot point for her character, with confirmation of the demise of her exiting relationship with Spinner being the number one suggestion. Many fans have been calling for a cameo of notable former cast members and it seems that mini episodes are the perfect way to do it.

 

Follow @StephenStohn and @OfficialMiriamM on twitter

Categories cast: alumni mike lobel music

Boys Who Say No Release Their First LP

Mike Lobel’s band Boys Who Say No has been making waves on the Toronto music scene lately. This week they released Contingencies, their first LP, and they have recently performed with Born Ruffians (!!) and Japanther. Along with our own Mike Lobel, the band also includes Luke Correia-Damude, Antonio Naranjo and Frank Cox-O’Connell. Follow their official twitter account and check out their website for show dates & more.

And I know that most of you will be watching the season premiere on Friday, but some of you old Degrassi fans might like to go to Boys Who Say No’s record release party. It’s at the The Steamwhistle Brewery in Toronto. The cost is $5, and doors open at 8pm.

Categories cast: alumni neil hope

Former Degrassi Actor Neil Hope Died 4 Years Ago

The Degrassi community is in shock this week, as it was revealed that former Degrassi actor Neil Hope died 4 years ago in November of 2007.

Neil Hope played Wheels on Degrassi Junior High, one of the most popular characters and a core member of The Zit Remedy.

It has been confirmed that Neil died on November 25th, 2007 in a Hamilton rooming house at the age of 35. According to the police, he died of “natural causes,” but not much else is known about his mysterious death. The revelation was made known to his family only last month, and became public on Thursday.

Neil made a few guest appearances on Degrassi: The Next Generation, most notably going bowling with Snake and Joey during Snake’s cancer storyline in season 3. He also was a part of the 2005 Degrassi documentary “The Degrassi Story” (Watch Neil’s interview right here). However, he did not stay in touch with the producers after that appearance.

Former Degrassi cast members began sharing the news of Neil’s death a few weeks ago. Dan Woods, better known as Mr. Raditch on Degrassi, knew Neil for his entire run on the show. “We’re all pretty shocked about the news. We’re saddened by it. Neil was a great guy and a great light,” he said. “[Neil] was a quiet guy when we were off set, but full of energy, very bright-eyed.”

Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn released a statement, saying: “Neil made an important contribution to our lives, to the lives of our television team, who are like a family to us, and indeed to the live of many Canadians and others around the world who were influenced by Neil and the roles he played.”

For more information, check out this article from The Toronto Star.

Categories appearances cast: alumni jake epstein

Jake Epstein Stars in ‘American Idiot’

Degrassi alumnus Jake Epstein has been busy with a successful theatre career lately, starring in the Toronto production of Billy Elliot last summer as well as the tour of Spring Awakening. Now he is starring in the North American tour of American Idiot – the Tony Award winning musical based on the famous 2004 Green Day album.

In the musical, Jake plays one of the main characters, Will, who feels left behind when his two friends leave for the city. The story is about these three friends, whose lives go in different directions as they search for meaning in a post-9/11 world.

In an interview with CTV.ca, Jake explained why he identified with this character: “I went to Los Angeles earlier this year … to audition for TV shows and be a huge star, or whatever that means, and I didn’t know anyone and I sat pretty much on my couch for the entire time, waiting for my phone to ring — and that was when I had my ‘American Idiot’ audition … It came right around that time and I really related to the guy that didn’t know what the hell he was supposed to be doing with his life, that was sitting on a couch. So I think about that a lot.

The show just wrapped up its time in Toronto, but will be in Detroit, Boston, Raleigh, Seattle and more. For complete dates and ticket info, visit AmericanIdiottheMusical.com.

Categories appearances cast: alumni paula brancati

Paula Brancati in the Film ‘Moon Point’

We previously told you about Degrassi alumnus Paula Brancati’s new movie Moon Point. Now the film is making the rounds, with various screenings in the Toronto area.

The movie follows Darryl, a socially awkward and ambitionless 23 year old who “seems desperate to live forever with his mother.” Darryl is determined to change people’s expectations of him, so he decides to track down his elementary school crush.

Moon Point opens February 3rd at AMC in Toronto.

Check out the film’s official website for more news and videos, as well as the official trailer.

Categories cast: alumni john bregar lauren collins

Degrassi Alumni in ‘Servitude’

The new Canadian film ‘Servitude’ features a slew of Degrassi alumni including Lauren Collins and John Bregar.

The film is about a group of waiters who take over their restaurant one night after realising that they are about to be fired. It finally opens in theatres on March 30th.

Categories cast: alumni shenae grimes

Degrassi Alum Directs Music Video

Former Degrassi star Shenae Grimes continues her passion of being behind the camera as well as in front of it, by directing a new music video for singing sister duo Megan and Liz. The video for their song “Are You Happy Now?” is part of the anti-bullying campaign “Step Up to Bullying” in conjunction with DoSomething.com.  While Shenae doesn’t star in the video, you can see her in a behind the scenes clip featured at the end of the video. Another six degrees of Degrassi tidbit, Megan and Liz also have a song titled “Run Away” co-penned by current Degrassi opening sequence theme singer Alexz Johnson.

Categories cast: alumni interviews stefan brogren

The Secret to Degrassi’s Success

With the recent premiere of Landon Liboiron’s new show Terra Nova, it’s clear that Degrassi is still one of the top teen shows for discovering new talent. From Shenae Grimes to Nina Dobrev, several of Degrassi’s cast members have gone on to take Hollywood by storm.

In a new interview with The TV Addict, Degrassi executive producer/writer/director/actor Stefan Brogren explains his thoughts on the secret to Degrassi’s success:

I think it has a lot to do with the show’s caring environment that allows young actors to flourish … Our kids are getting a lot of education while they’re behind these walls that allows them to experiment. That and, we’re always putting these characters through hell which means they have to grow and they never get soft about it. We don’t want to keep these kids on a certain plain and they’re always trying to take it to the next level.

He also discusses the importance of Degrassi being an ensemble effort:

I think a big part of our alumni’s success is that the show is not a star vehicle for one person, it really is a group activity in a lot of ways. We get them when they’re young where they have to learn to work with others. So if this place was an acting school, the one thing that they’re learning is to be giving to their other actors and I think that’s a big big thing that a lot of young actors miss is that there’s some give and take involved. They come out of here really well rounded people in a lot of ways and they’ve learned a lot of skills.

My take: You definitely get the sense that Degrassi is more like a performing arts company as opposed to a TV show. The current cast of Degrassi are well aware that this show has been around longer than they’ve even been alive, so they become a part of the group instead of the “star.” The Degrassi cast are given the opportunity to experience fame in small doses, but still represent the longstanding Degrassi “brand.” I’m proud of all of our cast members, and I’m sure they will continue to find success in the future.

Click here to read the full article!

Categories cast: alumni landon liboiron

Reminder: Terra Nova Premieres Monday

Ever since Landon Liboiron landed one of the lead roles in the highly anticipated television show Terra Nova, fans have been predicting that he will be the next Degrassi cast member to make it big. Frequently compared to other former Degrassi students like Aubrey Graham, Nina Dobrev, and Shenae Grimes, Landon seems poised to make his mark in Hollywood.

Terra Nova is set to premiere this Monday on Fox, and the early reviews have been mixed. It’s going to be interesting to see if the show is able to keep up with its own hype. Nonetheless, Landon is definitely getting a lot of exposure. He describes his character on the show as a “quintessential boy dreaming of independence.” Landon explains: “He is the only one (in the family) not excited about going back to Terra Nova, because he has this beautiful girlfriend in the future that he does not want to leave. But it was either give up his girlfriend or give up his family … And then he is opened up to this crazy, vast new world, you know, that he really didn’t think was possible. And it really becomes the story of a boy turning into man and having to deal with larger responsibilities greater than he ever imagined.” [Source]

Sounds interesting! I’m sure that all Degrassi fans will be tuning in on Monday night to see how Landon does. Terra Nova airs at 8pm on Fox.

Categories cast: alumni cast: current cristine prosperi jamie johnston luke bilyk mike lobel

Mike Lobel’s Really Me Renewed

Mike Lobel
Former cast member Mike Lobel’s new show Really Me was picked up for a second season.  On the show he plays lead character DJ and costars with Wesley Morgan, who had a reoccurring speaking role in Degrassi Episodes Beat It Parts 1 and 2. Mike has been joined by several guest starring Degrassians, both alumnus and current cast members, such as Jamie Johnston, Cristine Prosperi, and Luke Bilyk. Really Me aired from April to June earlier this year on Canada’s Family Channel. Catch season two on on Sundays this fall.

Season 2 finds Maddy immersed in more mishaps, drama and embarrassing moments alongside her best friend Julia as they continue to negotiate the awesome benefits as well as the trials and tribulations of being stars on their own reality TV series. Viewers can catch season one of Really Me on Saturdays and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT on Family Channel this fall.

Read the rest of the press release here.

Categories cast: alumni interviews jake epstein lauren collins

Lauren Collins and Jake Epstein on Steve Agee’s Podcast

Ellen Page, Lauren Collins, and Jake Epstein on a PODCAST? Yes folks, dreams really do come true.

In episode 44 of Steve Agee’s Podcast, the former Degrassi stars join Steve and Ellen for an all-out Degrassi love fest. We all knew about Ellen and Steve’s longstanding Degrassi obsession. Now they got to talk to two of our favourite TNG cast members Lauren (Paige) and Jake (Craig). Michael Seater (18 To Life, Life With Derek) also joins the podcast. And all I gotta say is listen listen listen, because all of you 20-something Degrassi fans are going to love it!! Download the podcast at Steve’s website!

Categories cast: alumni paula brancati

An Update on Paula Brancati

It’s so difficult to keep up with all the old cast members, but we’ve got a little update on Paula Brancati today. A trailer for her new movie Moon Point was released yesterday, and it actually looks really good! The movie does not have a specific release date yet, but hopefully we will get a chance to see it soon. This is what the description says:

Moon Point is the funny, quirky story of Darryl Strozka, an ambitionless 24-year old who travels hundreds of miles in a wagon hooked onto the back of his friend’s electric wheelchair. He embarks on this quest in hopes of tracking down Sarah Cherry, his elementary school crush, now an obscure B-movie actress shooting a horror film in Moon Point. Darryl believes that taking Sarah to his cocky cousin’s upcoming wedding will finally prove to his family that he isn’t as worthless as they make him out to be.

Categories cast: alumni drake interviews

Drake Responds to His Degrassi Past

The Grammy Awards are this Sunday, and I can’t wait to see Drake perform with Rihanna! In the meantime, check out this interview with Drake via Billboard.com. Drake is asked about Degrassi, and he talks about growing up on TV. He mentions how other celebrities have reacted to his Degrassi past, and the embarassing Degrassi photos that constantly come up. The Degrassi part is towards the end of this interview. To watch the rest of the interview, click here.