In honour of Degrassi’s 2012 Emmy Nomination, Degrassi co-creator and executive producer Linda Schuyler recently did an interview with Gold Derby.
In the interview (which includes a 17 minute video), Linda discusses how Degrassi has been influenced by her years as a junior high school teacher. She also talks about Degrassi’s mission and what the series is known for, such as its fearlessness and issue-based storylines.
Obviously one storyline and character in particular is getting a lot of attention. Degrassi’s portrayal of a transgender teenager is definitely a television ‘first,’ and it has already won Degrassi a Peabody Award. This is obviously a source of pride for the producers of Degrassi (as it should be!). In this interview, Linda explained: “When we received that award they said to us, ‘Degrassi neither trivialized nor over-sensationalized the issue,’ and … that’s what we aim for.”
Make sure you watch the entire video interview with Linda on GoldDerby.com. It is very interesting for all past and present Degrassians!