Tag Archives: Degrassi

04.21.14
by

Degrassi 13C Finale Interview

Degrassi is deep into season 13. The spring finale is near and there is no better way to ring in the finale for block C of this season than to post a couple of brief interviews with a few of the cast members. To begin this Marathon Monday, we’ll start off with Aislinn Paul. She currently stars as Clare Edwards, the senior at Degrassi who I hope truly realizes she needs something better than what she has now with Eli. She left Eli that voice-mail and I hope she sticks by it.

clareedwards

Jr: We have seen Clare as far back as season 6. As a student, you are basically the bridge with the deepest roots (season 6, unlike season 8 for Alli and Connor) between the former Degrassi TNG cast, and the current crop. How does it feel having that nobility within the Degrassi community?

Aislinn: To call it anything but an honor would be wrong. When I first came on the show I had no idea what a huge impact it would have on my life. It’s become a home for me, as well as a connection point to so many young Canadian actors. I couldn’t have imagined a greater gift.

Jr: Clare has gone through such a drastic change over the seasons. If today’s Clare could go back in time to visit the freshman version of herself, what advice would she now give to the younger version of herself?

Aislinn: Where to start… I think, above all, I would tell her to more readily accept imperfection. Clare still has trouble with this now, but I think she would have been happier had she been okay with making mistakes.

Jr: Without giving anything away, do you personally feel that Clare should still be in a relationship or should she just be single and mingle with a great support system?

Aislinn: I think that long distance can strain any relationship, no matter how strong. And as much as Eli and Clare feel like they are meant to be, maybe they aren’t at this point in time…. We’ll just have to see where the chips fall.

Sparks Will Fly pt 2 (Premiering Tuesday, April 22, at 9:00pm ET)

Fireworks begin at Wild Wild West Night when Clare makes her decision known with regards to Drew and Eli. Zoë struggles to stand up for herself. Miles and Zig face off in a showdown for Maya’s heart.

New episodes of Degrassi continue this summer.

02.11.14
by

Interview w/ Deph Naught

Many of you knew Daniel Kelly as Owen, the rough and tough athlete on seasons 10-12 of the popular series, Degrassi. Forget everything you thought you knew about him then. Deph Naught is his stage name and he has been rapping for years. This raw interview is all about the artist known as Deph Naught.

*Some language may may be considered NSFW

Deph_Naught_04

Can you start off by introducing yourself?

What up yall, this is Deph Naught. I’m a rapper out of Toronto Canada; I like coffee, cigarettes, upsetting people unintentionally, and i have really nice socks.

How did the name Deph Naught come about?

The name came from a cypher one time when i was bout 13 years old. I had been spitting for a couple years by then, i started at 11, and i frequented all the hot spots in my area. This one was by my elementary school and some rapper clowned me saying “this lil white boy gone rhyme on me? if yall wanna hear a real mc kick it, tell this kid Definitely Not!” and had the whole circle chanting that sh*t. I got all heated and promptly handed him his own a** infront of everyone, but it got me thinking. Weaknesses into strengths and all that bullsh**..

At what point in your life did you really feel you could challenge the rap game?

When i was around 15 years old, I had like an epiphany with my rhyme schemes and just my general thought process. Where as before i was more concerned with fitting in and rapping how everyone else around me rapped, I changed into a more f*ck what they talking about, Im just gonna spit whatever comes to my mind and quit biting my damn tongue. Next thing you know i started rapping about how much my parents piss me off, and how out of place i feel all the time, and how badly i just wanna murder people when they give me that “white rapper” bullsh**. Also, killing puppies and kicking girls that dont like me off of buildings.. that too. That transformation led to a huge leap in artistic presence on the mic and really developing my sound and how i vocalize my emotions. I talked a lot with other Mc’s and cats i really looked up too and they all kind of agreed that I really had something special going on, seeing as how girls and sh*t would come out to see me rap at the cyphers and sh*t, something that was unheard of and i figured with all this doodoo going on in the mainstream world, maybe i could come and show these cats what it is while keeping a mainstream appeal.

Who were your inspirations in the music industry?

Well the biggest i’d have to say is Eminem. Through thorough study of how he did his thing I really learned to capture my own feelings and thoughts, and again, vocalize them in a way that was personal and relatable. Other then that I always bumped a lot of Nas, Pun, Jadakiss, 50, Fabolous and Luda to name a few. Another point i like to make though, is i draw a lot of what i do from sources outside Hip Hop too. I f*cks with alot of 80’s rock and 90’s grunge sh*t which I think really rounds me out and helps me keep things interesting. Even comedians too, I learn a lot from the way they make an audience understand a point without saying it blatantly, and satire has to be my favorite thing in the universe.

Your mixtapes have shown much progression, take us through the creative process of each of your mixtapes.

My mixtapes are a good indication of where exactly my head is at when their recorded. My creative process is pretty tedious; and like most rappers worth their weight in salt, i throw out more rhymes than I keep. My biggest issue is making sure that my point gets across, and with that said, I really focus on how exactly i do it. I dont like to blatantly say how Im feeling or what I’m thinking when i rhyme, I always try and figure out a really creative way to send the message. I use a myriad of different literary techniques to do so, and though i feel like not everyone gets it the first listen, I’m confident that my work will stand the test of time when cats look back at it and go “Damn, I didn’t even realize what he was saying there but.. DAMN!”.

Now that you have multiple mixtapes, what are your plans for the future as we recently rang in 2014?

One of my biggest issues that i felt needed to be taken care of was my lack of content out and available to people that wanna check it out. I mean, I’ve been rapping for 10 years but Ready or Naught was my “real” body of work that i ever released (not counting local tapes that i would just hand out to friends and people on the block and sh*t). Now that I have done that, and I am super proud and confident in what I’ve released, Now i’m going to focus on attacking the mainstream. And dont worry guys, I wont be coming out with some sh*t featuring One Direcsh*t or no garbage like that. I feel like i have really dope content available online and wherever thats super lyrical, super creative and as Hip Hop as it gets, which i busted my balls to make, so now that i have that behind me, I’m really to hit that T.V screen with the next phase of “Project Sh*t Disturber”. <–trademarked btw…

Who is an artist you would hope to work with? Who is a producer?

I would love to work with some of the cats from Funk Volume, just to mention one off the top of my head. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the independent grind fest happening over there and it’d be dope get busy with them. As far as producers there are tons of local talent here in Toronto that i got a lot of love for and i really wanna start branching out from the tight knit circle I’ve got over here in Clarkson, Ontario and start messing with brand new sounds.

Blended with Twitter Questions

@ohhayjenn

what was the best part about playing Owen on Degrassi?

@ohhayjenn lul, the money. Nah i met a lot of really cool people on that show, definately them. Great hardworking bunch of folks on that set.

@Savvy_Logic

what will be your tell of making it? At what point would you feel you’re successful?

@Savvy_Logic I’ll probably feel successful when other, even younger rappers are looking up to me and saying “I wanna do it like Deph did it”.

@DephCorreia

What was the most meaningful track off Naught Again to you?

@DephCorreia Thats hard, because on some cliche sh*t, they all mean a lot to me. Their all manifestations of how i feel, think, and deal with my surroundings on a day to day basis. But as far as the most heavily emotional song on that tape, dephinately “Bellezza In Fiore”.

You have put in a lot of work with your music and the successful stint you had on the popular t.v series, Degrassi. I want to thank you for your time, is there anything you want to say to your fans and our readers?

Shout out to everybody out there holding it down for Deph Naught, I love you guys, all of this is for YOU! Special shout out to my fams, Trixx, Ace, Lane Dorsey, J Frazer, Lucid and everyone else that keeps this alive. Leeeezdewwwwit

Deph Naught Official Website

Mixtapes

01.23.14
by

Interview w/ Tamara Duarte

tamara.workbooklive.com

tamara.workbooklive.com

She stars in Hard Rock Medical and have had roles in Wingin It, Warehouse 13, and Degrassi. Check out this interview with the Actress/Producer  Tamara Duarte, all the way from Toronto, Canada.

You star in Hard Rock Medical, can you talk about your character, this series, and perhaps the future of the series?

The series focuses principally on a core group of eight medical students at Boréal Medical School in Sudbury. The students are learning both a traditional medical curriculum, and how to cope with the unique demands of the school’s focus on rural medicine. And boy are they unique! We are planning to do a second series soon which I am very excited about.

How did you end up with the role as Gina?

Well… I put my audition on tape! I was told after by the creators of the show that I was the first tape they saw for Gina and my performance stuck to them. Then I went into the TVO building in Toronto (In blue scrubs lol) and did my second audition this time in person. My agent called me and said they loved me and to come in and do a chemistry read with two other characters, Mel and Cameron… but to not wear scrubs …just normal clothes. So I went in for the third and final audition. And it went so well!

What has been your favorite project to work on?

To date? Id say HRM… they are family to me.

Which tv series past or present could you envision yourself being a part of, and what type of character would you or would you have portrayed?

I would have loved to be on Seinfeld and Friends. But currently… I’m loving period pieces right now like Game of Thrones, the Tudors, and Reign. Also, a bad ass funny character in “Orange is The New Black” or Weeds.. Also, a super analytical character that belongs on Homeland. That’s a broad range but that’s exactly what I am.

Some of my readers are familiar with you through your role in Degrassi as Charlie, a very brief love interest of Annie Clark’s Fiona Coyne in Degrassi. How was that experience and do you keep in touch with any of the cast members?

Everyone at Degrassi is so lovely and welcoming… and yes one of my best friends is Shannon Kook who I actually worked with before Degrassi as well.

Are you working on any upcoming projects? What is your role with them?

I’m writing right now and working on the development of my own projects. I think being a storyteller involves many facets of my… being. Performing is the vastest, but writing and developing stories is also a part of who I am and I have been neglecting those parts for a while because of fear. So I thought lets analyze this closely this thing that is “Fear”. And I came up a lot of reasons why I cant and shouldn’t and wont and bla bla bla… but these are just REASONS and I am not on this planet to live a reasonable life but a fully expressed one.. so I started writing…

What have you learned about yourself throughout your time auditioning, training, and acting?

My most important lesson I have learn is….doing. Just do it. It leaves no space for worry or reason. Get on the court and play the game.

You’re very involved with yoga, can you talk a bit about your practice of yoga? How old were you, and what has it done for you as a person?

Yoga is a moving mediation for me and I have very HIGH levels of energy at all times of the day. Sitting still wasn’t my strong suit, that said “strong suits” have their constraints. I want to master being fluid and not attached to parts of myself that I think I am or am not. So simply… it allows me to sit still and focus. I started 6 years ago.

Can you talk a bit about what your experience as a producer, and where you hope to go with that ability?

I went to school for Business Marketing and I was very lucky to be able to exercise that those parts of myself as a producer and will continue to do so. I always strive to be the most well rounded person I can be.

This is the Blended part of the interview where fans and readers can get to know you the person a bit more with some laid-back questions.

Color that most reflects your personality is? 

Right now in this very moment id say Purple… yesterday was yellow.

Favorite Food? 

Fish tacos and coconut cake from toast bakery

Most embarrassing moment is? 

Wow take me back to grade school… I wasn’t a great reader as a child and reading out loud terrified me. So during class I would try then stutter, say words wrong, and stop reading. Kids would laugh, so eventually I stopped reading out loud! I remember being made fun of during lunch break and kids asking me to say the alphabet out loud. Total downer.. sorry guys lol.

Last song you listened to? 

John Legend – made to love

I want to thank you Tamara for taking the time for this interview, do you have any last comments you want to say to your supporters, and the readers?

Thank you for taking your time to get to know me just a little better.

10.10.13
by

Luke Bilyk Degrassi Interview

This retro interview from 2011 when Luke Bilyk decided to take some time out of his schedule to give me an interview.

1. Fans raved about Drew before season 10 started, then disliked him in the Riley conflict, then loved him for trying to protect Adam, then disliked him again. How do you feel about the see-saw approach to Drew’s character and are there any changes that you hope Drew makes by the time he graduates?

I feel because Drew is the type of person who is good, but makes bad decisions, it makes sense for the fans to be see-sawing. This lets me play Drew as two different characters – the nice loving brother and the cheater who gets boilers from other girls. I do hope that by the time Drew graduates he will be able to make the right decisions the first time around and not to have to get caught in order to learn. 

2. What do you like to do in your spare time when you are not filming?

Since I am home schooled, I am home a lot! On my leisure time I usually play Hockey. I also enjoy my time making music in the recording studio with Jordan Francis. I do hang out with my older sister Christina a lot too!

 3. Back in November you had your successful birthday bash. Whose idea was it to throw this party and do you see something similar happening for your 17th birthday bash?

Well I would like to take all the credit for it, but it was my sister Christina’s original idea, I agreed and thought it was a great idea to have the fans included. I would definitely love to do the same thing for my 17th but I guess we will have to wait and see.  

4. Is there another character on the show that maybe you feel that you can relate to the most?

No not really but if I had to pick I would pick Sav in having parents who are strict. 

5. Is there any advice that you have for those out there who may want to perhaps be the next star on Degrassi?

I would say it is an awesome experience and that learning and growing is the key to success. Study hard!

6. What can we expect to see from Drew in the rest of the season?

Drew experiments with drugs in these episodes. Let’s just say that it’s very animated if you know what I mean. 

Questions from Twitter

 7. BilykSquad – Who is your favorite musical group/singer?

I like Drake, L’il Wayne, Kanye West, Eminem and Lacrae. 

8. cassi_degrassi -What is your funniest memory from set? 

This didn’t really happen on set because we are always so busy but one day I had put a note on Munro’s car that said; “Sir, I am sorry I scratched your car and I will pay for the damages here is my number”. When he checked his car there was no scratches. He looked at his car for 30 minutes in the rain trying to find where this scratch was but there wasn’t any sign of one. He called that number and it was me – the prankster! Harmless fun really.

9. COURTandNIC – Most memorable fan encounter? 

I think that would have to be at my 16th birthday party, I wasn’t expecting that many fans to come out!  

10. ohhayjenn -What was the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?

When I was in senior Kindergarten my mom caught me when she walked in during playtime, and saw me kiss a little girl! My mom said “Luke! What are you doing kissing her and where is the teacher?” It is embarrassing because I still know the girl to this day and everyone still talks about it!

Catch Degrassi every Friday at 9pm on Teenick and Much Music