Casting information for the upcoming HBO Max Degrassi series has been found on Casting Workbook. The details include some interesting information on the series and what kind of kids they are looking for. Here is a summary of what we have learned:
Degrassi is currently casting for all series regular roles. No character descriptions have been provided (at least publicly), so it sounds like they are looking for actors they can create characters for
They seem to still be committed to casting age appropriate. The breakdown specifies that they are looking for actors between the ages of 13 – 20 years old of all ethnicities and experience levels
While the breakdown doesn’t indicate specifically that the actors have to be Canadian citizens, it does say they are looking for performers “from across Canada.” In my opinion, this strongly suggests they will not be casting American actors as some feared they would.
The shooting location is listed as Toronto, but it does say that anyone across Canada can audition. In the past, Degrassi always required their cast members to live in Toronto or at least be able to easily get there during the shoot. I wonder if the HBO Max budget is allowing them to potentially pay for lodging in Toronto if anyone from outside of the GTA is selected.
The storyline description reads as follows: “A one-hour serialized reboot of the beloved Canadian franchise, DEGRASSI follows a group of Toronto students and faculty coping with events that both bring them together and tear them apart. Like past iterations, Degrassi explores the tumultuous high school experience through diverse perspectives of complex and authentic teen characters. Ultimately, this is a series that leads with heart and hope, reminding us that the way we get through the hard stuff is with each other.” This is very similar to the description in the official press release, just worded slightly differently. But I think it is comforting to see that the heart of the show is still reflected in these high level descriptions.
Filming will apparently go from July 1 – November 30, 2022, although they do make it clear that these dates are tentative and subject to change. I doubt filming will start exactly on July 1, because July 1 is Canada Day and it would be weird to start on a stat holiday. More likely they will start filming sometime in early July. I do think it’s interesting however that they are estimating that filming will end in November. To me, this suggests that they will take a much slower approach to filming than previous iterations of Degrassi. From the Season 10 era onwards, Degrassi was filming 4 episodes every 11 days. Now they are going to be filming 10 hour-long episodes over 5 months.
Anyone who is interested in auditioning can do so via the Casting Workbook website (you have to be a member of Casting Workbook to apply). The deadline is fast approaching as submissions are due tomorrow (February 25).
It’s super exciting to get this information, because I’ve been wondering for a while when casting notices would start to surface online. It’s also interesting to see that they are taking a similar but slightly different approach to casting this series compared to what they were doing during previous eras.
Hopefully we’ll continue to get more news here and there over the next little while as we get closer to the start of filming in July. Personally, I am very eager to find out where in Toronto they plan to film this series (i.e. on a set or on location at a real school). I will keep you posted as we learn more!