"When Miriam McDonald and Amanda Stepto read through scripts for Degrassi: The Next Generation in the early 2000s, they had no idea they'd be revisiting the famed Canadian franchise 25 years later. The documentary Degrassi: Whatever It Takes shares the behind-the-scenes stories of actors on the generations-long program. But before its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, Stepto and McDonald, who played mother and daughter, took a trip down memory lane."
"Stepto, who played Christine "Spike" Nelson from 1987 to 2010, said she didn't realize how famous the show would become when she first saw the auditions flyer on her school's bulletin board. McDonald, who played Emma Nelson, said acting was just a hobby for her at the time. But the fan base continued to grow and people across the world shared their adoration for the show, she says."
"While the fame was certainly there, both McDonald and Stepto struggled with the dual reality of being celebrities and regular teenagers. Stepto, who first took part in Degrassi: Junior High, says she wasn't paid enough to afford groceries and felt the impact of a sudden income halt when she stopped acting in the show. Now, Degrassi broadcasts on a variety of streaming platforms and Stepto says she still doesn't get a penny from it."
Miriam McDonald and Amanda Stepto revisited Degrassi 25 years after early script readings and appear in the documentary Degrassi: Whatever It Takes. The film shares behind-the-scenes stories from actors across the generations-long program. Stepto, who played Christine “Spike” Nelson from 1987 to 2010, did not foresee the show's fame when she first saw auditions at school. McDonald, who played Emma Nelson, treated acting as a hobby while the international fan base grew and fans expressed deep emotional connection. Both actors struggled with celebrity life as teenagers, faced financial challenges including lack of streaming royalties, and McDonald battled anorexia while portraying a character with an eating disorder. Co-creator Linda Schuyler settled a short-lived dispute with the documentary's producers.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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