Andrea Lewis (Hazel Aden)

So I love "Give Me Your Love"; tell us all about it.
Well, I cowrote it with another Canadian artist named Bobby Blake. I met him through a songwriters conference that a radio station here in Toronto put together, they partnered us up and we wrote the song together. It's a love song where you know, the guy is tryin' to get the girl, and she's not really wanting to get with him but in the end he wins her over.
Aw, so it's got almost a '50s vibe.
Yeah, kind of a Grease feel! The video is definitely that storyline, everybody's going out after the club to the diner, the girl's there with her friends, the guy's there with his boys, and he's all trying to get me and I'm all like, "Nooo."
Do you love that decade? Do you wish you were born around then?
I always wish I'd been around for that decade and the 40s, 'cause i really love that era. It's so classy.
Right, like with the sophisticated chanteuses...
Everyone wanted to get dressed up all the time! And then I also wish I was born in the '50s so i could have been alive and aware for the '60s!
Really? What do you love about the '60s?
I guess it's just the music! Everything about it. And naturally I have really big hair, so I think it would have been cool.
Hey you could have been a Ronette!
Yeah!
Who are your favorite artists from the whole old school era?
I listen to a lot of like Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan... I mean I'll listen to anybody. Sometimes I'll just go to the store and just buy CDs from artists from those eras that I don't know yet...
That's great! Have there been any discoveries, like you buy something that you have no idea who it was and then you totally fall in love with it?
Actually yeah! There was this artist named Candi Statton, and I think her CD is just like a picture of her face and no title, but I just picked it up and I love it. It's really old soul and she's got kind of this aretha franklin voice and I'm so glad that I got it.
Is there any historical singer you would like to portray in a biopic?
Ooh, maybe Whitney Houston! 'Cause it's such a good story, you would have so much drama.
Yeah, word that.
So how was shooting the video?
It was a night shoot, so it started at 7 pm and went 'til like 7 am, so that was crazy. But a lot of my friends came by and hung out and my family was there, like my grandma was there.
Did any of your friends get to be extras this time like they did with "Superwoman?"
Yeah, actually some of them did walk around in the background. They were like "we're here, why not" but with the editing of the video it's kind of in close up so you can't really see them. But it was just exciting to be there.
Yeah, it's fun just to go, I bet! Even though you're up til like 7 am. So is "Give Me Your Love" on an album that's coming out?
Yes! This song is going to be on my upcoming album, out September 20th.
So what is the general vibe on the album, what can we look forward to?
It's pop R&B with an old school twist. The CD is called Float Away. My music is really easy listening and really just relaxing.
Do you think you'll go on tour?
I want to go on tour, definitely, but it may be more toward the winter season because right now I'm filming Degrassi so it's kind of hectic.
How's Degrassi going?
It's going really well, the storylines are getting really good and our mall tours are really fun...
Yeah! How was San Francisco!?
It was a lot of fun. The weather there is actually colder than in Toronto, so that kind of caught us off guard, but it was really fun. Adamo and I got these really awesome oil paintings of ourselves from these two guys, so that was definitely one of the highlights. We couldn't stop talking about them! Adamo's like "I'm gonna put this up in my room" and I brought mine home to my mom and she was so excited. And Stacey also got one before in LA, so I thought it was so cool that the guys came all the way up to SF, too.
Seriously, that's like a 6 hour drive! That dude is going to be so stoked when he reads this. OK, so what woman in music do you think is doing it perfectly right now, as far as image and music and the whole package?
I'd have to go Beyoncé all the way. 'Cause everyone wants to be Beyoncé when they grow up, and she's doing everything perfectly, she's got great style, she's a well-rounded artist.
She could have done well in the '40s, too!
Exactly... and she's the type of artist too where she's always starting lots of projects.
What's your ideal career path? Do you want to concentrate on acting, or let that go for a little while you do music?
I'd definitely like to incorporate both but right now I'm really focused on my music. I really want to get out there and establish myself, like as a real artist and an actress and not just an actress that's jumping on the bandwagon. I want to establish credibility and then I'd really like to incorporate both, because I've done both all my life, but it just so happens that i started professionally acting
Like you got Degrassi and then acting just sort of floated to the top
Yeah, and other roles.
So with all the musicians on Degrassi are you guys gonna do a musical show?
You know we talk about it all the time... I mean the cast talk about it all the time but I don't know what they're going to do with that. I mean it's so weird that there are so many different musicians on our show. So a musical episode would be good, but they probably won't because we're such a dramatic show.
Do you guys trade CDs with all the music you're creating?
Yeah, Aubrey lets me listen to some of his songs, and I always let him listen to mine. Jake always invites us to his shows and Cassie always tells us what's going on... You know we all try and support each other, 'cause even though we all have different styles and we all listen to different types of music, we all have that common bond.

 

 

Aubrey Graham (Jimmy Brooks)

-Aubrey-: Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaary?
The-Mary: AUUUBBS!
-Aubrey-: what's up my lover!!!
The-Mary: DUDE! so I just talked to Stacey... i can't believe you dealt with that super high energy woman on Good Day L.A. on 3 hours of post-flight sleep
The-Mary: i'd have broken down in tears
-Aubrey-: nah we handled our biznass...stacey holds me down in every interview, we're a duo to the fullest
The-Mary: word. was jake bummed that he didn't get to go?
-Aubrey-: I don't think he likes that kind of stuff
-Aubrey-: but we would've had fun
The-Mary: so was meagan good at the young hollywood party?
-Aubrey-: YES! but I have a story of why she was disappointing and why my new crush is Jennifer Nicole Freeman
The-Mary: TELL ME! tell us all.
-Aubrey-: ok ok...first of all nobody matches up to JaSaun before I get into all this...
The-Mary: HAHAHAHAH [dear everyone: JaSaun is an associate producer at the N on whom Aubrey has openly crushed longlongtime.]
-Aubrey-: buuuuut...Meagan was in her own world...she pulls rude jokes like looking you up and down when you talk to her and she was being molested by this guy that looked like he played a black character in Y&R and he was a mannequin for all the latest trends...and they were making out and going at it full on.
The-Mary: bleah. hollyweird.
-Aubrey-: but Jennifer was the sweetest girl ever...Ra-Fael [from The N] kept telling me that she was looking so I talked to her and I think had Meagan not pulled her off to go to some other party we could've had a proper vibe going on
-Aubrey-: but Meagan has lost all her previous appeal with me...once u meet someone things can really change, Eva Mendes is cool though, she could have my babies
The-Mary: she does look very... fertile.
-Aubrey-: and I met my childhood crush Garcelle Beauvais who is the most elegant woman in the world...she has my utmost respect and my heart should she ever desire it
The-Mary: googled them both, they are BEAUTIFUL
-Aubrey-: yes ma'am
The-Mary: ok so i heard there was some mischa barton static in an elevator... if you don't want to say it out loud you don't have to...
The-Mary: but if you want to, you are MORE than welcome...
-Aubrey-: you know me...I'm honest, I have no obligations to keep anybody's secrets...I enjoy upholding my image but at the same time I give credit where credit is due (both positive and negative) ...in regards to Mischa, it's just a personality thing where she's not that friendly, but then again who says she has to be? She may have made a comment about Degrassi and I may have been right behind her but who's to say I didn't hear wrong??
The-Mary: fair enough
-Aubrey-: things I can confirm are as follows: Nick Cannon is black hollywood and I respect him so much more now, Jennifer Freeman is a sweetheart, Wilmer loves Stacey, Hilary needs to meet my aunts in Memphis for some southern cooking, Brandon T. Jackson made me feel comfortable at that party and I appreciate that...and Billy Dee Williams is my hero
-Aubrey-: oh and Kanye is the ish for telling off Toronto's #1 radio station this morning...
The-Mary: wait what did kanye do?
-Aubrey-: they edited "white girl" out of his new song to protect the ears of young caucasian listeners and he ripped them on air
The-Mary: wooooooooooah
-Aubrey-: I raise my glass to him...toronto is a city full of conservative haters...
The-Mary: that's messed... i mean the edit.
The-Mary: ok, so this party: did the levels of celebrity madness seem like fun? or did it seem like something that's out of control, like something you need to keep in check lest you find yourself in their shoes?
-Aubrey-: I love humble people, I think it's one of the most noble human qualities you can possess... it's funny to me because I know I'm insecure and don't have that much confidence, therefore I don't put on a show when I go out, I meet who I need to meet and I try to subtly make a huge impression, but the way these people bury their issues is funny to me, it's like some of these kids are going to break down one day in a hotel with dingy green light bulbs and an overflowing sink
The-Mary: HA!
-Aubrey-: where the champagne dreams are over...I can't imagine what'll happen when the actual person hatches out of this thick shell
The-Mary: but some of them get it right, right? like jennifer freeman and garcelle...
-Aubrey-: oh there are some beautiful people in hollywood, and I mean personality wise, those that take the time to actually converse and set aside their fame and assets and just let you know they're real...that's a beautiful person
-Aubrey-: Garcelle is the definition of a classy, beautiful person, you can quote that in all caps on CNN
The-Mary: and how about a shout out to all the voters who clicked and Teen Chose you?
-Aubrey-: To anybody who's ever said the word Degrassi in a positive or negative light...thank you. If you've clicked or typed anything for us...thank you. We appreciate it more than you'll ever know!
The-Mary: rad.
The-Mary: what's going on with music?
-Aubrey-: aaaaaah...the question of all questions! ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT...coming Mid-October...the sampler songs are up on www.myspace.com/thisisdrake, it's dirty backpack music for anybody that loves hearing good ish! I'm proud of it
The-Mary: are you gonna tour or anything?
-Aubrey-: once I find a home or a label to rep for...
-Aubrey-: right now I'm doing my independent thing...I love that hustle, it creates a mainstream desire
The-Mary: yeah, and it keeps you honest. keeps you out of that green-lit bathroom with the scummy walls
-Aubrey-: true that son.
The-Mary: anything else on your mind lately that you want to share?
-Aubrey-: Jake Epstein is in my dressing room with his shirt off (YES!!!)
The-Mary: TAKE PICTURES
-Aubrey-: done deal
-Aubrey-: where's JaSaun?
The-Mary: wait, didn't she go to LA with you guys?
The-Mary: did you take her to in n out burger and put two straws in a milkshake and feed each other french fries as you stared longingly into one another's eyes?
-Aubrey-: that's a me and you thing...JaSaun isn't for the sappy romance... I told her she's too hard to read, she's like a closed door, with a wreath on it.
The-Mary: hahahahah
-Aubrey-: but I know of her hallmark feelings, she can try to hide it but I think deep down she knows where her heart lies!
The-Mary: allright, i should let you get back to oiling Jake's chest.
-Aubrey-: yes yes, the johnson & johnson awaits...
The-Mary: enjoy yourselves. it was a blast talking with you as allllllways
-Aubrey-: I love you like you don't even know!! I tell everyone to read your column, you're a true friend for real!
-Aubrey-: I'll hold you down mamichula...but I'm off to some boring tv guide interview
The-Mary: my interview was so much awesomer than theirs will be. talk soon. Lates!
-Aubrey-: bye

 

 

Jake Epstein (Craig Manning)

-Jake-: Hi Mary!!
The-Mary: JAKE!
-Jake-: Mary!!! How are you?
The-Mary: I am now awesome.
-Jake-: aww
The-Mary: so, what have you been DOING all this busy time?
-Jake-: I've been filming, and prom-ing
The-Mary: How was prom!?
-Jake-: It was pretty awesome. I went with a really good friend of mine, and we partied the whole night. I had to work on set the next day though...
The-Mary: Oh man. Early call? That's cruel and inhuman.
-Jake-: I agree. It wasn't too too early, but let's just say my acting wasn't ........amazing
The-Mary: heh. So any big plans for the summer?
-Jake-: Well, I'm going to be shooting most of the time. Which will be fun. My big sis is moving back to Toronto, so we're thinking of traveling, and just lotso rocknroll and parties.
The-Mary: rock and roll. Do you burn easily, Jake Epstein? Or are you more of a tanner?
-Jake-: ............my people are from the desert......so yeah I burn!
The-Mary: wait, if they're from the desert, shouldn't they tan??
-Jake-: ..........yeah......I might tan too one day...one day
The-Mary: one day when you're not shooting. So what's the last rock show you went to?
-Jake-: Last show I went to was Hawksley Workman.....he's amazing....but just last week I went to see a couple friends of mine at this club downtown T-dot.....they're called Golden Ticket, and they're funky. What was the last show you went to?
The-Mary: Me, the Hold Steady. Who are awesome and who you should check out, though they're not everyone's cup of tea.
The-Mary: (they have a classic rock sound, you might seriously be down; the guy is a great storyteller)
-Jake-: I'd love to hear some of their music....maybe you can send it over.....we can exchange music?
The-Mary: YES, gladly. So when you go to a show, do you stand at the front or the back?
-Jake-: Depends what mood I'm in. I went to the Red Hot Chili Peppers last year, and I waited 8 hours to see them front row in the mosh pit. But other times the pit can be rough, so I like to chill and listen to the music.
The-Mary: Word. At least you can see from the back, being somewhat tall.
-Jake-: I am somewhat tall. This is true. I'm also somewhat trim....?
The-Mary: What songs would you put on a mix CD for a girl that you would never put on one for a boy?
-Jake-: ..........definitely some Hawksley- "safe and sound"......some Coldplay "green eyes" and maybe some Jack Johnson
The-Mary: Did you hear that new Coldplay yet? it's kind of a snoozer
-Jake-: I've only heard it on the radio....I still need to pick up the album.....yeah it's kind of "trip-hop"-ish....I still like it though
The-Mary: actually the trip hop parts are the best parts, the rest is ballads ballads ballads. So, ok, I have to ask some Degrassi questions
-Jake-: alright degras away
The-Mary: Without giving anything away, since the US-ers haven't seen it yet... we know Craig has some crazy stuff coming up with [TOP SECRET].. how do you feel about what's going on with your character? Is it tough to perform?
-Jake-: It was strange, but we were professional. I approached from a professional actor's perspective............does that make any sense?
The-Mary: completely.
The-Mary: Did you injure yourself at all in the manic Craig shoots? Like that hotel room scene looked kinda harsh on the ol' joints...
-Jake-: yeah it was pretty wild.....I actually broke a lamp during the scene and electrocuted my hand.....but I was so into it I just kept going. It was a really intense couple weeks of filming
The-Mary: I bet.
-Jake-: Alright Mary I was just told I have 2 minutes before I have to go back to set to film.....
The-Mary: OK... I know this was a while ago, but when they made those "Craig in flames" T-shirts for the girls to wear... was it weird seeing your face all burny all over the place?
-Jake-: Yeah it was totally weird! But really funny.....my friends all got hold of those Tees and wore them for about a month
The-Mary: ha! awesome. OK, go back to work, make awesome Degrassis.
The-Mary: tell everyone they're the best.
The-Mary: including yourself
-Jake-: always. Thanks for the talk.
-Jake-: it was fun
The-Mary: take care and thanks tons!

 

 

Shane Kippel (Spinner Mason)

Shane-: hello, mary, it's shane
The-Mary: What's UP!
-Shane-: not too much, just trying to wake up
The-Mary: i sympathize
-Shane-: thanks
The-Mary: what's been going on this morning, fun scenes? not fun scenes? a bunch of sitting around?
-Shane-: well, just got here about a half hour ago so i haven't even gone through hair and make up yet. but there are some great scenes coming up today, lots of drama, if you will
The-Mary: as per usual. so SPEAKING of hair.... are all those haircuts Spinner's had throughout the years yours, or his? if that makes any sense...
-Shane-: it makes perfect sense
-Shane-: um, well for the first few seasons they were my hairstyles
-Shane-: actually when i went blonde it was my girlfriend-at-the-time's idea, but last year, that old flip-a-roo was the first time i did not have a say in the matter......and i wish i did
The-Mary: NO! That was my favorite one! You must not disavow it.
-Shane-: alright, alright, it worked, but..............it just wasn't exactly my thing, you have to understand
The-Mary: i understand. What was the deal there, they just sat you down and told you it would be a surprise?
-Shane-: no, actually, our hair stylist had this picture on the wall of these two guys with that kind of haircut, and she was the rocker kind of girl so she was pushing it all season and then, i was told a big hair change was coming up for my character
-Shane-: i said to her as long as i don't look like that guy (in the pic) its all good. "no worries" she said.........she lied
The-Mary: HAHAHAHAH
The-Mary: well, you can thank her for me :)
-Shane-: she's not here anymore, but i'll keep it in mind!
The-Mary: uh oh, i hope her absence isn't related...
-Shane-: no, i'm making it sound worse than it was, i had mixed views on the cut, it was a love it/hate it from person to person sort of deal
The-Mary: what did the girlfriend think?
-Shane-: well, she is my ex right?
The-Mary: ah
The-Mary: that hair is a life ruiner.
-Shane-: no no, i've been single for a while so i had no thoughts from the girlfriend
The-Mary: aha. I'm sure a lot of people will be very very pleased to hear it... so i heard you have some tattoos, too. what and where?
-Shane-: i have a lizard on my left foot, the Hang Ten footprint logo (or close to it) on my right foot, a Gemini symbol on my left leg, phoenix and a tribal sun on my right, and the good old maple leaf on my hip
The-Mary: Gemini! Represent. dang, that's quite a collection. still getting more? any big plans for like full sleeves or anything?
-Shane-: full sleeves, no.....can't do that in this industry. I actually have decided to leave all alone except the lower right leg with the phoenix and sun, and just make it my own personal art pad. got some cool ideas, but.....it's gonna take a lot of time, money, and pain before it's completed
The-Mary: word.
-Shane-: yup yup
The-Mary: so... i'm curious... how complicit do you feel Spinner was in the rick/jimmy thing?
The-Mary: do you think he's being too hard on himself, or not hard enough, or what?
-Shane-: well, no i don't think he's being too hard on himself. I mean, what happened was indirectly his fault. He didn't tell rick to shoot jimmy, but he did pull the prank that fueled the rage for the shooting, and he made jimmy look responsible for the prank, which gave rick the target. he couldn't have foreseen what was going to happen, but he has to own up to the stupid decisions he's made.
-Shane-: he's of course learned his lesson but no realization he'll have can ever fix jimmy's disability
The-Mary: yeah, i guess that's about where I'm at on the whole subject, too. So um here's a more fun subject: who should spinner hook up with?
The-Mary: ideally.
-Shane-: i think spinner should hook up with.............. basically anyone who will look in his direction, because he has not a friend in the world right now, except Jay, but spinner wouldn't hook up with him....or would he? lol no, ideally, in his place right now, there are no main characters for him to hook up with....that i can speak freely about, that is
The-Mary: Jay. That is the best idea ever.
The-Mary: I smell Emmys.
-Shane-: ha ha, i can only hope
The-Mary: Who should Shane Kippel hook up with? Ideally.
-Shane-: who would I??? hmmmm......cast member or real person, or celebrity
The-Mary: Sky's the limit
The-Mary: though cast member earns you extra points
-Shane-: it's gotta be rosario dawson, but.......she's out of my league, so.....lindsay lohan is fine by me
The-Mary: Yeah, that Lindsay sure does seem single...ish. I guess there's that whole Jared Leto thing. OK anyway: are you still in a band? are you recording anything or playing shows?
-Shane-: still in a band, not much going on at the present time because i'm busy with work, school, acting lessons and drum lessons, so my time is spread rather thinly as it is. so my band has come to a stand still, but we all have aspirations of getting things back into full swing when the season is over
The-Mary: cool. what kind of music is it?
-Shane-: it's a swirl of incubus, system of a down, and a whole bunch of radio friendly punk rock, and metal
-Shane-: that was a crappy description
-Shane-: our lead guitarist has one of the most diverse musical collections i;ve ever seen, so he combines bits of all these different genres and puts them together to make very original, catchy, radio friendly riffs
The-Mary: do i have time for more or do we need to get you into hair and makeup?
-Shane-: i can stay, it's up to you.....do you still like me???
The-Mary: I LIKE YOU FOREVER!
-Shane-: YES!!!!!
The-Mary: ok good... so... who in the cast do you hang out with the most?
-Shane-: well, i gotta say that'd be big boy aubrey graham.....he's standing over me right now........who knew he could stand...oh!
The-Mary: HA!
The-Mary: who do you have the most in common with music-wise up in there?
The-Mary: (all i ever talk about is music by the way, sorry) (music and who people are hooking up with)
-Shane-: i'd say that would be jake epstein and jake goldsbie........we're similar, but overall i seem to stand alone
The-Mary: Like the cheese.
-Shane-: HA just like the cheese
-Shane-: music is awesome so don't apologize........ makes the world go round, brings people together, and eases road rage
The-Mary: so, so true. ok which of the girls in the cast smells the best?
-Shane-: they all smell incredible, at least the ones i can get close enough to and sniff without getting smacked....lauren collins, shenae grimes, cassie steele and miriam mcdonald all smell different and amazing....wow, that was quite a question
The-Mary: i dig deep. also: what has been your longest relationship?
-Shane-: my longest relationship has been 10 months, not that long........ been single for a while now, but, i feel it's time to settle again
The-Mary: who's it gonna be shaner? you know there's gotta be someone on your mind
-Shane-: i got a few girls in mind i gotta narrow it down to....hopefully it works out
The-Mary: you should hold a reality show to help you pick!
-Shane-: ha, i should. i just got a call....i'm gonna have to wrap this up
The-Mary: ok, go get your make-ups. hee
The-Mary: thanks much for talking and humoring my weird questions... and have a good day/week/season!
-Shane-: thanks yeah, it's been fun. take care
The-Mary: you too!

 

 

Lauren Collins (Paige Michalchuk)

The-Mary: hey, Lauren?
-Lauren-: hey!! I READ YOUR COLUMN EVERYDAY!
The-Mary: NO WAY! that's the best news ever.
-Lauren-: haha yes i really enjoy.
The-Mary: allright, so, how did you end up guest starring on Radio Free Roscoe?
-Lauren-: i had auditioned for the show a whole whack of times and we could never work out scheduling. then finally we were able to make it work for this role.
The-Mary: awesome. I haven't seen it yet, is it a fun role?
-Lauren-: yes!! a LITTLE bit like paige actually
The-Mary: but not so much that you were like "been there, done that"?
-Lauren-: haha no...the character is editor of the school newspaper....so that right there is not very "paige".
The-Mary: true story. so was it weird working on a different set? was it a different vibe?
-Lauren-: honestly, everyone at RFR is awesome. they have a real family vibe on set and you can tell how close everyone is but they welcomed me with open arms. plus i knew Ali and nathan s. before hand which helped
The-Mary: oh rad... wait, did you know ali from that time he was on degrassi? and through Aubrey?
-Lauren-: actually Ali and i go way back, before him and Aubs. we were on this show together called I was a 6th Grade Alien.
The-Mary: NO WAY!
-Lauren-: way....and i'll hunt you down if you try and find any pics on the internet from it haha.
The-Mary: who was the alien!?
-Lauren-: Ryan Cooley!
The-Mary: GET OUT!
-Lauren-: and Daniel Clark played his best friend
The-Mary: omg i HAVE to see it. i have to.
-Lauren-: small little child acting world up here in T.O.
The-Mary: serious, Ali was right about the canadian child actor mafia
-Lauren-: hahah yup we run things jkjk
The-Mary: heh. and how did you know Nathan S?
-Lauren-: we have the same agent, met at xmas parties and stuff. he's a really great guy. that's who most of my stuff was with on rfr
The-Mary: cool. so, allright, you and Stacey are headed to NY, right? What's the plan? Where's the shopping?
-Lauren-: yess...so excited. she left today but I have to work later so I'm coming insanely early tomorrow morning. stacey knows where to go cause of fashion week so i'm leaving it up to her. i've only been to NY once before.
The-Mary: oh man. wear comfy shoes. but cute, of course.
-Lauren-: natch! geez i have to pack........
The-Mary: who are your favorite designers?
-Lauren-: marc jacobs, zac posen, and i have this crazy thing for missoni. LOVE it.
The-Mary: what about makeup? are you obsessed with makeup at all? i don't know why but i suddenly like, discovered it this year
-Lauren-: haha umm...i dunno about obsessed. i'd say i'm obsessed with specific items.....like BRONZER. bronzer is life
The-Mary: word.
-Lauren-: i'm not very good at doing my own makeup though so maybe that's why
The-Mary: alright, so, you're walking down a street in NY, and this very hot boy comes up and says he's a degrassi fan and wants and autograph and a picture. do you flirt, or is that off limits, cause he's a fanboy?
-Lauren-: hmmm good question. i'm gonna have to say sign the pic, chat a bit, but that's all. don't think there'd be any number swappage. the boyfriend prob wouldn't approve.
-Lauren-: but maybe under different circumstances!
The-Mary: OH! who's the bf? what's the deal? how'd you meet?
-Lauren-: met in high school, went to prom together and have been dating since. not an actor!
The-Mary: so prom was like your first date?
-Lauren-: yes. isn't that incredibly weird!
The-Mary: it's pretty much adorable
-Lauren-: haha kinda cheesy
The-Mary: ok, music... what are you listening to these days?
-Lauren-: sometimes i take my music cues from you and what you write about on the n'sider! i'm pretty all over the place. i used to be a little anti-hip hop but that has totally changed and i'm listening to the black album a lot. and i'm going to see snow patrol in a few weeks. then oasis.
The-Mary: OMG. i didn't even know snow patrol was touring again. thanks!
-Lauren-: any new acts i should check out??
The-Mary: oh! ummm... i am in love with The Go! Team right now.
The-Mary: i tried to get aubrey to listen when he was in NY but he was too busy flirting with JaSaun.
-Lauren-: hmmm i will definitely investigate! haha oh aubrey... such a boy.
-Lauren-: i was supposed to go see him perform last week but i was working
-Lauren-: i'm hoping i'll get there when i'm back from NY. i've heard some stuff and he's awesome.
The-Mary: i believe it. OK. I should let you pack. Anything else you want to talk about? Dream roles you want to put out there to the universe so maybe someone will call you with them? Stuff you wish people would ask you about?
-Lauren-: i dunno man. as far as great roles... i'd love to be a part of the next great coming of age teen movie. you know like a breakfast club or something. that's my dream right now.
The-Mary: don't we NEED a breakfast club? i don't know why teen movies have to be so not-as-good-as-they-were-in-the-80s.
The-Mary: what's your favorite teen movie?
-Lauren-: oh man.......i think i'm gonna go with Ferris.
The-Mary: WORD.
-Lauren-: (again from the 80s)
The-Mary: it really was the golden era of highschool-ology.
-Lauren-: we need to bring that back. alright i better get to packin!
The-Mary: ok! pack well! have FUN in NY, hon!
The-Mary: I JUST CALLED LAUREN COLLINS HON!
-Lauren-: hahhaha i will!! thanks so much!!!
The-Mary: thank YOU so much!
-Lauren-: speak to you later, byebye!

 

 

Stacey Farber (Ellie Nash)

-Stacey-: MARYYYYYYYY
-Stacey-: it's s farbs
The-Mary: NO
The-Mary: WAY
The-Mary: OMG
The-Mary: finally finally finally
-Stacey-: why have we never met?
The-Mary: I KNOW!
The-Mary: next time you're in NY, for real.
-Stacey-: serios.... (pronounced seer-ee-ose)
The-Mary: allright, so how much sleep did you (not) get last weekend?
-Stacey-: I got some sleep. The first night was slightly HORRIBLE because our flight was delayed and we got to our rooms at 3:00 a.m. - approx. 7:00 a.m. our time. And then we had to meet in the lobby at 6:00 to head to "Good Day L.A."
The-Mary: OMG. and that woman has so much... energy. i was watching video of that interview like "how does she do that at negative 150 in the morning?"
-Stacey-: i KNOW
The-Mary: so how is aubrey as a travel/mall havoc/crazy early interview partner?
-Stacey-: he's amazing. I'm sure you can tell from Best Friends Date or whatever....we are very good friends. He's hilarious and whether we were walking the red carpet or watching movies at the hotel, we were laughing the whole time.
The-Mary: Did you get any In N Out burger?
-Stacey-: four times. and after i told an interviewer that i loved it, he sent me some gift certificates. TO In N out!! haha
The-Mary: NICE! such perks! ok: I heard you met Paris Hilton. Tell me everything, leave out nothing.
-Stacey-: o.k. Ra-fael [from The N] had just introduced me to Ashlee Simpson, but it was a little awkward meeting people through him. Suddenly this guy, Jose, appears and tells me he's a huge fan the show, blah blah blah. He does PR in Hollywood (though he's only 27) and he knows EVERYONE so he takes me to chill in Paris' booth/area.
-Stacey-: I met her...she was standing on the booth, naturally....but she was cool. Her hair was to her chin.
The-Mary: no way! so i'm really curious: when she meets people, does she use her high/soft/kinda ditzy voice, or her regular intelligent woman voice?
-Stacey-: please. the "out of it" voice.
The-Mary: of course. i should have known. i hoped, but... anyway... more geeky questions: what's it like to walk on a red carpet, is it really soft? what's going through your head?
-Stacey-: the red carpet is jokes. One photographer at the start of the line finds out who you are and then they tell the others. Eventually every photographer is yelling your name. Fortunately, I experienced the chaos at fashion week, so I was half-expecting it.
-Stacey-: Side note: At the Teen People party? I looked down the red carpet at one point and the order was: Aubs, Me, Chad, Hilary, Haylie, Joel. JOKES
The-Mary: sounds perfectly natural to me!
-Stacey-: And it has to be said: I got Jojo's number. And she now has mine. She practically JUMPED on me when we met. She's a huge fan of the show. She said, and I quote, "Degrassi is the realest it gets".
The-Mary: !!! Ok now i love her.
The-Mary: so seeing the different levels of celebrity insanity at that party (i can only imagine)... were you left feeling like there's a point where things could get TOO insane, like is there a fame level you're kind of frightened of reaching? or did it all look like fun?
-Stacey-: no. that's the thing. I found the whole situation very...comical. To sum it up...the major players at the party were: Hilary, Chad, Wilmer, Ashlee, Ryan, Paris, Nick Cannon, Hayden (the girl from racing stripes), Michelle (Ice Princess), etc. THE NEXT NIGHT...and the awards, IT WAS THE EXACT SAME CREW.
The-Mary: they just roll from one big event with lots of cameras to another?
-Stacey-: And it's not like they're friends....they just all go to the SAME events, SAME parties and see the SAME faces.
The-Mary: weeeeeeird
-Stacey-: they don't all hang out together. And they just check each other out.
The-Mary: so i don't know if you already have a bf but: meet any cute boys? get any other phone numbers? any late night games of celebrity truth or dare in the hotel?
-Stacey-: i do have a b.f. But wilmer was really cute in person. I didn't like him before I met him.
The-Mary: yeah I've never gotten the wilmer thing; why is he such a major player with one sitcom role? ex-role? is he just that hot in person?
-Stacey-: he is! he's really attractive.
The-Mary: ok so... duh, congratulations on the Teen Choice Award! do you have anything to say to all the voters who went out there and clicked that choice and clicked it hard?
-Stacey-: THANK YOU SOOO MUCH. we are so excited and flattered and thrilled that the voters chose a Canadian show as the best summer series. We are getting the recognition that our show deserves.
The-Mary: Word that.
The-Mary: So any lasting hand injuries from the signing in LA? i heard it was BONKERS
-Stacey-: it was redonkulous. soo many fans. I loved every minute of it. Plus, some people brought me birthday presents. (ITS ON THE 25TH)
The-Mary: I am going to mention it ON THE DAY IT HAPPENS. I am going to set an alarm. Any big birthday plans? How old are you now?
The-Mary: I sang that last part, if you couldn't tell.
The-Mary: I don't know if they do that one in Canadia though.
-Stacey-: haha. i'm turning 18.
The-Mary: radness. a good age.
-Stacey-: agreed. i'm excited.
The-Mary: dancing? party? sit at home doing facials and watching TV?
-Stacey-: a mix of those things lol. i don't know. maybe someone will throw me a party.
The-Mary: they better.
The-Mary: if they know what's good for them.
The-Mary: OK. I should let you get back to work...
-Stacey-: well it's lunch now...so i should grab some eats
The-Mary: k, enjoy them. the eats. It was SO GOOD finally talking to you... I can't wait to meet you for reals.
The-Mary: thanks much for all your typing :)
-Stacey-: i know! i need to visit NYC soon!! thanks so much for all YOUR typing. this was fun! xo

 

 

Miriam McDonald (Emma Nelson)

-Miriam-: yoyo gorilla!!
The-Mary: hey Miriam!
-Miriam-: hiii wasssup?
The-Mary: hiiiiiiii! ok ok. So what did you shoot today? that you can tell us about, I guess
-Miriam-: umm okay without divulging any big secrets we did a hilllllarious scene in a movie theatre involving ryan cooley and a root beer!
The-Mary: oh dear. What's Emma up to these days?
-Miriam-: to be totally honest i don't really know what they have in store for Emma this season. She is constantly changing though so i'm sure there will be some juicy surprises
-Miriam-: nono spicy surprises!
The-Mary: SPICY!
-Miriam-: spicy is my word
The-Mary: woohoo! So, since Emma's kind of evolution into less of a goody-goody, do you get any angry fans on the street yelling that they don't like the new Emma?
-Miriam-: ummm not so much yelling but i've read a few message boards where people speak their minds about all the characters and i've heard that some people miss the "old' emma....but that's okay too because you need controversy right?!
The-Mary: totally. life is so boring without it
-Miriam-: but really the fans are awesome and more of them love emma's new image
The-Mary: if emma didn't change they'd be mad about that too
-Miriam-: it's impossible to please everyone!
The-Mary: ok so, today's scene... were you allowed to crack up for it, or did you have to keep a straight face?
-Miriam-: OMG i was laughing soo hard but luckily i was supposed to so it was all good!
The-Mary: which is harder: keeping a straight face when something's hilarious, or crying on cue?
-Miriam-: for me crying on cue is not too difficult because i am really good at staying focused on something emotional. Comedic scenes need a different, less intense sort of focus so it's easy to crack up!
-Miriam-: but then i just slap myself
The-Mary: ha, literally?
-Miriam-: quite literally! hahah i'm odd, i'll admit!
The-Mary: ok, we need on-set dirt: who smells the best out of the cast?
-Miriam-: oooooooooh ME!!!!!! honestly i'm obsessed with vanilla lotion! hhaahhaa but i'm not gonna build up my odour cuz that would be conceited..... so....... maybe aubrey!?
The-Mary: haha who smells the worst??
-Miriam-: oivay you are gonna get me in trouble!!!!!
The-Mary: hahahah ok, ok, it's cool
The-Mary: so, do you have a boyfriend?
-Miriam-: no, and i go through phases when i'm like okay i really want a boyfriend, but more often i love having independence so i am very happy to be single!
-Miriam-: for now
The-Mary: so when are you coming back to NY???
-Miriam-: SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and honestly i am more excited than life
The-Mary: you heart it?
-Miriam-: june 18 or sumthin for the season 2 DVD!
The-Mary: oh RAD!
-Miriam-: omg yes, i ♥ NYC
The-Mary: where else on the planet do you want to go the most?
-Miriam-: hmmmm go or live.......Live is LA or NYC and go.......maybe Australia
-Miriam-: i want to try surfing sooo desparately
The-Mary: oh man... if you live in LA you'll be all set
The-Mary: malibu miriam. totally.
-Miriam-: yayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pleaaaaase!!! that would be a dream
The-Mary: ok, more random questions: do Stefan and Amanda [Mr. Simpson and Emma's mom] ever give you advice, having "grown up" on Degrassi themselves?
-Miriam-: well amanda reminds me to turn my mic off when i go to bathroom, and stefan just jokes around all the time
-Miriam-: but they also teach us about their experiences with mall tours back in the day and how not to get bad press!
The-Mary: oh nice! that's very handy
The-Mary: lindsay lohan should have such friends.
-Miriam-: LOL should she ever!
-Miriam-: but at the same time if it weren't for her "bad press" we wouldn't hear about her all that much and she wouldn't be as huge as she is
-Miriam-: so maybe she does have it right??
The-Mary: Good point! so since blondes going brunette is so hot right now, do you think you'd ever dye your hair? actually.... i guess maybe that moment is over now that ashlee dyed her hair back...
-Miriam-: thanks and ummm.......yea! i love changing....i would totally dye my hair especially cuz it will just grow back ya know!
-Miriam-: but not because that's what everyone is doing. just because i love to.... evolve and change
The-Mary: um this is random but do you sing along to stuff in the car with the windows down? just you know, trying to get a feel for the Real Miriam
-Miriam-: OMG yessss obviously!!!!!!!! it's so bad cuz i always have my ipod with me and i forget how loud i am cuz i have my headphones and i'm, like rockin out to ashlee simpson or something obnoxious and i get all these looks
-Miriam-: but
-Miriam-: WHATEVER
-Miriam-: i just have fun ya kno
The-Mary: they're just jealous.
-Miriam-: LOL of my stellar pipes. haah nottttt
The-Mary: ok, one more really weird question
-Miriam-: ask anything
The-Mary: have you ever met the person who played the baby emma on the original degrassi? or did they just use a doll?
The-Mary: i'm sorry, my mind is weird.
-Miriam-: nono she is real! and i have not met her but she does exist and i would love to meet her and have like, this emotional reunion type deal
The-Mary: that would be The Best.
The-Mary: OK, i think i've bugged you enough today...
The-Mary: anything else you've always wished someone would ask you?
-Miriam-: hmmmm.....i dono........don't always believe what you hear or see and talk to me often cuz i change alot! hahahaha
The-Mary: word.
The-Mary: thanks SO much miriam, you're awesome
The-Mary: have a great day
-Miriam-: no problem!! see ya lata

 

 

Deanna Casaluce (Alex Nunez)

-Deanna-: myellow? deanna here.
The-Seth: hi deanna!
-Deanna-: hey!
The-Seth: how's things?
-Deanna-: very well thanks, you?
The-Seth: good. wait before i forget i have to pass on a message from the-mary:
The-Seth: "Tell Deanna I love her and think she's awesome, so bummed i don't have time today"
-Deanna-: haha that's awright, tell her i say hi
The-Seth: will do.
-Deanna-: i'm leaving for new york tonight to see my boyfriend so i'm really excited about that.
The-Seth: your boyfriend lives in new york? city?
-Deanna-: whoa, our fonts the same. let's change that up
-Deanna-: there we go. yes, he lives in manhattan. just moved there 3 weeks ago.
The-Seth: nice. so this will be your first time visiting him? actually maybe it's not so nice if he moved away from you...
-Deanna-: ha, ya. but he's only gone for like 10 months. this will be my first time visiting him but my second time in nyc. i love it there. when i went i didn't want to leave.
The-Seth: that's cool. i see you were just in detroit a week or so ago
-Deanna-: yep
-Deanna-: it was cool, the crowd was huge. the fans were...fanatic.
The-Seth: so it looks from the pictures. must be kind of overwhelming, seeing people wearing t-shirts with your picture on them and stuff
-Deanna-: seeing my face on people's t-shirts leaves me speechless.
The-Seth: i heard you just watched the degrassi behind the scenes special. whad'ya think? (i haven't seen it yet)
-Deanna-: the n does such an awesome job at making everything look so cool. i'm really impressed. i also saw the behind the scenes special that centered more on the classic show. i wish more of that was incorporated in the n special just because it'll give the american viewers a better idea of the roots of the show.
The-Seth: yeah, you know a lot of our viewers will see Degrassi, Old School for the first time in a couple of weeks. what are your favorite parts they should watch for?
-Deanna-: i think when they watch they should take into consideration the time that the episodes aired, that way they can appreciate the guts our producers and writers had when they put the show out there.
-Deanna-: they should watch for spike's scrazy hair-do, too.
The-Seth: ha
-Deanna-: scrazy, that's a new word. all the cool kids are using it.
The-Seth: i think degrassi should go the star wars route and make a series that fills in the gap between degrassi high and degrassi the next gen. cast people to play 21 yr old spike and stuff. Degrassi Episode 4: The College Years
-Deanna-: haha, that was my idea! you read my mind.
The-Seth: so the-n.com users will attack me if i don't ask you this one: are you like alex?
-Deanna-: yes and no. i come off as a pretty tough and independent person, but like alex, i also have vulnerabilities. but our vulnerabilities are different, as well as how we might react on them. for example, i'm not going to ever resort to violence, and i've never stolen a laptop hah
The-Seth: do you have to deal with fans who forget you're not alex? who like come up to you on the street and yell "you bitch!"
-Deanna-: lmao
-Deanna-: nah, never.
-Deanna-: but that would be friggin hilarious
The-Seth: maybe the first time
-Deanna-: i got 5 mo' minutes
The-Seth: cool
-Deanna-: sorry
The-Seth: so are you in the middle of shooting?
-Deanna-: yes sir
The-Seth: fun or hassle?
-Deanna-: all fun, never a hassle
-Deanna-: seriously.
The-Seth: are you surprised how fast alex has come into her own on the show? from kind of a minor character to a major player so quickly...
-Deanna-: i felt her growing into a real person gradually, so i'm not too surprised. i'm surprised at some of the developments that happen to her AS she grows.
The-Seth: such as?
-Deanna-: i can't say. but i'll say this, we see a lot more of who alex is in season 5.
The-Seth: indeed. ok 5 mins is up. thanks for doing this. tell everyone how much fun it is to do the IMterviews! :)
-Deanna-: yeah this was pretty cool. awright! thanks for the interview! bye

 

 

Adamo Ruggiero (Marco del Rossi)

-Adamo-: Hey mary, its adamo.. whats up
The-Mary: Hey! How are you this fine morning?
-Adamo-: not too bad, feeling pretty good. how about u
The-Mary: a little foggy and weird, but what else is new. So last time i saw you, you were buying I heart NY shirts all of Toronto... how did they go over?
-Adamo-: hahah it was for me, my friends and my brothers girlfriend
-Adamo-: it was great.. i wear mine all the time.. haha i'm such a tourist
The-Mary: you're headed back there very very soon i understand... in fact i think i am having dinner with you Friday!
-Adamo-: really! well then i'll see u soon.. in person that is
The-Mary: totally. so when you do these mall events, is there anything you do to psych yourself up beforehand or prepare or anything? or do you just sort of wander in and go "oh look, thousands of people."
-Adamo-: well it's kinda like going on stage... you get the butterflies which is a definite energy source... you kinda like "peek through the curtains" to see the audience which gives you major butterflies! I usually just spend the time getting ready and putting together a cool outfit ... listen to music... the whole day is one big hype from the moment you wake up
The-Mary: awesome. do you ever have dreams about them? or nightmares even?
-Adamo-: haha nightmares for the first time.. i was super nervous.. dreamt no one would show up. hahah but the whole experience itself is like a dream really.. as cheesy as that sounds... but it's true. it's all so surreal
The-Mary: that's so rad. it must be so weird to know that you're a part of people's.... psyches in that way. like there are people out there who have never met you who probably have dreams that you're in... is that weird to think about?
-Adamo-: very weird. it's overwhelming. I mean, i think of my city here as just my own little space ... my friends, family... but to think that I.. me... is outside that space..... outside my close knit group of friends and family... affecting peoples lives across the continent.. that gives me butterflies. The thing is too, here in my "space" i'm just such a goof... and to think that I would be in someone's dreams
-Adamo-: ... well i could definitely say my friends would not know why lol
The-Mary: heh. I'm sure Madonna feels the same way. Well, maybe not Madonna, but anyway. Is Marco going to get the nice lovely boy he deserves any time soon?
-Adamo-: haha well.... the 5th season is great for my character because he's so independent... marco has a whole new frame of confidence.. he does not need the validation of some guy! In that sense, he does meet someone but they carry a friendship more than anything else... a possible romance? well... there might be a little bit of that too.. but it's not the foundation of their relationship
The-Mary: that's a good lesson for ANYONE... learning to just be happy single, not single, whatever. that's awesome. are you single right now?
-Adamo-: haha yes I am. I find that dating at my age.. when people are in university... some are traveling.. some are working.. everyone is very much soul searching to better understand themselves outside of being a kid and now being an adult..
-Adamo-: dating is just a train wreck
The-Mary: word.... too much flux. Well... so, how do you feel about how much speculation goes on all over the internet about your private life?
The-Mary: just this morning i've read stuff saying you're definitely gay, definitely straight, etc etc etc, and i keep wondering what that must be like for you
-Adamo-: that's exactly what it is. speculation. And in that sense you can't be angry with it. People feel as if they know you. and that's understandable. When you have someone in your living room every week, they feel as if you're buddies. So people are gonna talk and all you can do is laugh at the stuff that's not true.. and laugh at the stuff that is. No one knows but you, right?
-Adamo-: in regards to the gay thing.. that's the number one question because obviously people are curious. I say to myself, let the gay kids think i'm gay and let the straight girls think i'm straight.. this way everyone is happy!
The-Mary: Yay! Adamo just wants us all to be happy.
-Adamo-: of course... it's so much easier to be happy
-Adamo-: mary? its stacey...........:)
The-Mary: STACEY!
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: hiiii
The-Mary: i wish you were coming to NY this weekend 'cause i'm gonna go hang out with lauren and adamo!
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: NOOOOO adamo wants me to come and stay in his room (don't know where THAT would go....haha)
The-Mary: what's adamo's hair like right this second?
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: omg..i was just saying he looks like orlando bloom
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: face and all.....his hair is in a mini pony...swear to god it's orlando
The-Mary: i believe it, i do.
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: so what's up with you these days? how's that show doing? south of nowhere....
The-Mary: i have seen some dailies, sasha showed me. there is at least one VERY EXTREMELY HOT boy on it
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: hot boys are always appreciated on set
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: like adamo obviously
The-Mary: ok, tell me stuff about adamo that he wouldn't tell us about himself
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: well.....he's sitting beside me proofing what i write...... adamo is.... very special
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: he has his own vocab....
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: ex. "omg... i'm so mad i'm blowing up"....."wow... i have 10 million spears in my throat"....
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: and he calls me judith.... for no reason.
The-Mary: hahah.. what does he smell like?
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: #@$%
The-Mary: heh
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: dolce
The-Mary: does he give good hugs or half-assed ones?
-Adamo-/-Stacey-: we don't touch.....despite my best efforts
-Adamo-: she lies
-Adamo-: i give great hugs... i'm only selective of who i give the "great hugs to"... stacey is cut!
The-Mary: hahahahaha
The-Mary: so adamo, which of the girls in the cast smells the best?
-Adamo-: the whole crew is back in the room.. aubrey, shane, stacey and me lol
The-Mary: omg! it's a party. and i'm just computering in, no fair
-Adamo-: in terms of the best smelling.. because i like to make everyone happy I'm gonna have to say stacey because she's right here.. but in reality it's steph cohen [she's the first A.D., super-nice executive lady, sort of the set "Mom"]
The-Mary: what does steph smell like?
-Adamo-: morning dew haha
The-Mary: so fresh and so clean
The-Mary: so do you plan to keep acting forever, or do you have other career aspirations also?
-Adamo-: well i'm going to school for english and communications.. i want to work in the media ultimately, but in terms of acting... it'll happen at its own momentum ... right now i treat it as a hobby and if my hobby turns into a career then god bless.. that's my dream.. but my heart is split in a bunch of places so i have back up aspirations
The-Mary: always a good thing... and what are your shorter term plans like... tonight? what's a tuesday night in the life of adamo?
-Adamo-: hahaha well usually i have class only monday and tuesday so tonight would be my "NO HOMEWORK NO THINKING" day.. so a tuesday night would be... grab some mcdonalds... and a bunch of pillows.. throw it in my van.. pick up a few friends... and go to the DRIVE IN and watch a movie.... (while my cheap friends hide in the back)
-Adamo-: but i'm being called back now. they are all barfing
-Adamo-: barfing.. there's another phrase of mine lol
The-Mary: hahaha ok, go stop the barf
The-Mary: thanks for chatting with me... see you this weekend!
-Adamo-: nice talking to you and see u soon in NY!!
-Adamo-: ciao!

 

Cassie Steele (Manny Santos)

The-Mary: hi cassie!
-Cassie-: hey! how r ya?
The-Mary: i'm good... how are you? how is it on the set today?
-Cassie-: fun...kinda sad cuz it's our last day shooting this episode.
-Cassie-: then we get a pretty big break
The-Mary: oh awesome... was this one a good manny episode?
-Cassie-: more so a great emma ep. but manny is definitely in there.
The-Mary: awesome. so i saw that your CD is called "How much for happy" which is the best title ever... what's the story behind that phrase?
-Cassie-: well, anything u want to interpret it as i guess
-Cassie-: how society/ media tells us and advertises what things can make us feel what
-Cassie-: if u buy this bag it makes u happy...if u buy this brand it makes u better then someone else
-Cassie-: but most of all i think its just a cry for help... when you're in that time where u feel happiness is so far and u'll give anything to have it
The-Mary: wow. for real. what makes you happy for real in your real life?
-Cassie-: self satisfaction. at the end of the day to know i did a good job, to see peoples faces in the audience when i'm preforming. to surprise people and do the unexpected. to be unique...friends.
-Cassie-: my social life. i'm such a people pleaser, i guess that's why i'm in the entertainment business.
The-Mary: right, that's a good set-up for you. what are your friends like... have you known them since before degrassi?
-Cassie-: no. i'm the youngest, so i started filming and tutoring on set when i was in grade 7. it was really hard for me and my friends in elementary to adjust to the time that i was away and when i came back. i went to 2 high schools and now i'm home-schooled. i have a really hard time keeping friends. it's hard to find people that won't desert you when ur away for that long
-Cassie-: it's unfair to me and them. i can't expect people to come whenever i call when i'm away for 2 months
-Cassie-: but every summer break i always end up finding someone along the grapevine to party with
The-Mary: yeah... so who do you end up staying closest to?
-Cassie-: not really anyone..
-Cassie-: a lot of my friends i hung out with this summer just went to university
-Cassie-: so i guess i'll see them next summer if they're here
The-Mary: are you close with your family? i met your dad that one time in LA, he seemed SO rad
-Cassie-: yeah i'm really close with my dad
-Cassie-: but sometimes i don't see them
-Cassie-: because me and my mom work during the day and my sister's at school and after a day of work my mom comes home and i go out with friends
-Cassie-: but we always hang out on weekends
The-Mary: so it seems like you could really identify with that period manny went through, which i wanted to talk about anyway... i thought it was SO powerful to see Manny who was so bubbly and had clearly felt so powerful and kind of in control... when she kind of gets smacked down by life...
The-Mary: i thought she seemed so much wiser for it all, like she can See Through people now... do you feel that way about her?
The-Mary: Like she gives DEVASTATING withering looks these days... like that one she gave Spinner after everyone found out about what he'd done..
-Cassie-: yeah like she's kind of jaded
-Cassie-: they haven't really looked into that with other scripts, but i sooo agree. they should show the more serious, cynical real side of her that i know, and everyone knows is there (i have to go in a sec)
The-Mary: i hope we get to dig in to it... ok, i probably should let you go but: any quick music recommendations?
-Cassie-: hm...i'm into 80s stuff mostly
-Cassie-: and indie bands
-Cassie-: jack johnson just had a concert
-Cassie-: that was pretty chylln
The-Mary: cool, yeah, he's very chill
-Cassie-: so 0o0o0o its been really fun talking with u and i hope u enjoi the new season
The-Mary: yes, thanks for talking! i know it's hectic over there.
-Cassie-: stay foxy(K)
The-Mary: you TOO hot stuff
-Cassie-: bu-bye!

 

Sarah Barrable-Tishauer’s (Liberty van Zandt)

-Sarah-: hello hello!
The-Mary: HELLO! Thank you SO MUCH for fitting this in when you're in frickin' HONG KONG!
-Sarah-: greetings from Hong Kong!
The-Mary: What are you doing there?
-Sarah-: my mom is here on business and I'm just tagging along!
-Sarah-: Lucky me!
The-Mary: that has to be the most awesome tag along opportunity ever! are you enjoying it? seeing anything crazy? had you ever been before?
-Sarah-: i have been able to tag along on many the adventure.... you name the place I've probably tagged along to it
-Sarah-: At the beginning of the summer we went to Singapore
-Sarah-: I've also been all over Europe with my moms
-Sarah-: Hong Kong is AWESOME! everything is crazy here! there are 7 million people on a few tiny little islands, so everywhere is always hustling and bustling
-Sarah-: there is an amazing buzz here
The-Mary: is it like new york times ten?
-Sarah-: absolutely! people complain about new york but they have never experienced HK
The-Mary: That sounds SO fun. Are you exhausted though?
-Sarah-: i was REALLY jet-lagged for the first 3 days (since there's a 12 hour time difference - AHHHHH!) but I'm okay now
-Sarah-: We leave on Sunday - it's a 15.5 hour flight!
The-Mary: omG! i hope you got to fly business class!
-Sarah-: nope, plain old economy with NO leg room
-Sarah-: and my legs are like 75% of my 5'8" so it sucks
The-Mary: Oy oy oy oy oy oy . i did that once to tokyo, and i'm only like five feet tall and even I couldn't handle it
The-Mary: so what's your favorite place on earth?
-Sarah-: my favourite place on earth......hmmmm....
-Sarah-: it's so hard because I'm LOVING hong kong but the elegance of venice and paris and the siestas in barcelona are close behind!
The-Mary: ooooooh i love all those places. especially venice.
-Sarah-: i've been to venice a few times but the best was when it flooded
-Sarah-: it was amazing to feel like you were walking in the canal!
The-Mary: OK so i have to ask degrassi questions or people will kill me
-Sarah-: yes yes....back to serious business lol
The-Mary: and i think the number one question the viewers would want to ask is what it's like to play JT's girlfriend and kiss him and hug him and hold him and be near him.
-Sarah-: wow.....pretty loaded question....lol!
The-Mary: hahah yes, I am so deep.
-Sarah-: Ryan and I have soooo much fun on set together and I think that shows through the TV screen
The-Mary: totally
-Sarah-: no matter what we're doing, we're laughing
-Sarah-: we know each other so well after playing opposite one another for 5 years
The-Mary: can i say how bummed i was that libs never got together with chris sharpe really? because that would have been SUCH a good match
-Sarah-: lol ya........it was a funny matching cuz chris is so ghetto and cool and liberty is.....well....just not!
The-Mary: So without getting too specific: how has it been "going there" with Liberty's new storyline?
-Sarah-: as an actor it is wonderful to be given the opportunity to challenge yourself and go to new places with your character
-Sarah-: I think that the storyline is going to "go there" for sure but it was the right time and it's not out of nowhere
The-Mary: did you have any trouble imagining how liberty would behave and feel in that situation?
-Sarah-: I think it is hard for anyone to really KNOW what it is like to be in a tough situation, but as an actor you just try to live as if you were your character
-Sarah-: when we were filming those episodes I would go to bed at night thinking about what it would be like to be in Liberty's situation
-Sarah-: thinking as if I were her
The-Mary: god, poor liberty! it's such an impossible spot to be in.
-Sarah-: i know.......but we tell it like it is
-Sarah-: the situations are, unfortunately, common and so Degrassi follows that reality
The-Mary: did you do any research hanging out with [TOP SECRET!] and stuff?
-Sarah-: um......sort of
-Sarah-: i tried not to model her emotions off anyone else's though......I had to deal with the situation in a Liberty way
The-Mary: right. that makes sense.
-Sarah-: she's so unique and when I play her I have to make sure I don't mix in how I would act versus how she would
The-Mary: what are the biggest differences between you and liberty?
-Sarah-: She is much more uptight than I am. I live in the moment and embrace change......I think I have a lot more fun than she does
-Sarah-: then again, we are both strong-willed and independent. I see a lot of those qualities in her
The-Mary: Indeed. So... what do you do for fun (besides travel the entire globe ;))? what's a typical night off like?
-Sarah-: SHOPPING for sure!
-Sarah-: I am also really into theatre and dance
-Sarah-: In Toronto, we are lucky to have a lot of amazing theatre and dance companies come from all over the world
-Sarah-: we have a GREAT film festival, documentary festival AND theatre fringe festival which I go to religiously
-Sarah-: other than that, I hang out with my friends, see movies....oh and EAT!
-Sarah-: I LOOOVVEE to cook. and my friends and family love to eat, so it works out well
The-Mary: seriously, between travel and degrassi, i can't believe you ever sleep, never mind cook :)
-Sarah-: lol....it's all about good timetabling and organization. i'm always on the go.......but I thrive on it!
The-Mary: ooh, do you have one of those big planners that's all stuffed to the gills with little pieces of paper?? i love those.
-Sarah-: yup......i have like 30 lists going at once and 300 post-it notes!
The-Mary: awesome. and what kind of music are you into?
-Sarah-: I'm into just about every type of music you could think of
-Sarah-: ....except maybe country or opera
-Sarah-: my favourite alternative bands are Sam Roberts and Coldplay!!!! I went to the Coldplay concert in Montreal.
-Sarah-: me and my friends are hard-core fans. we saved up to take the train and stay in a nice hotel for 3 days
The-Mary: I LOVE SAM ROBERTS!
The-Mary: i love love love him, love that album. don't know why he's not bigger than god right now.
-Sarah-: me too!!!!!! his sound is so unique and awesome!
The-Mary:so was the coldplay show intense? they'd have a great sound to fill a stadium
-Sarah-: OMG.......coldplay was UNBELIEVABLY PHENOMENAL!
-Sarah-: I have never in my life felt so amazing as when I was listening to Chris Martin and the whole stadium sing "Fix You"!!!
-Sarah-: WOW!!!! it was incredible!
The-Mary: buh. i love moments like that.
The-Mary: when you feel "together" with 20,000 people
-Sarah-: exactly!
-Sarah-: my playlists are so diverse.....they go from ACDC to Stevie Wonder to Black Eyed Peas to Sam Roberts to Michael Jackson to the Killers to Lauren Hill
-Sarah-: oh.....my FAVOURITE r & b singer is India.Arie
The-Mary: I've only heard one song of hers, i will have to check her out some more! but so, because i am a little crazy stalker, i am totally curious -- if you're on your own laptop right now, what is your desktop image?
-Sarah-: it is this beautiful picture I took in Scotland
The-Mary: omG! you have such a good life!
-Sarah-: my screensavers are on random with a few of my favourite photographs
-Sarah-: I would love to be a photo journalist so I absolutely LOVE taking photos
-Sarah-: ummm..... i have to go to have a late dinner and sleep now (it's 11 pm)
The-Mary: ok... thanks SO much for taking the time to chat! enjoy your hong kong and your dinner, sleep well, have FUN!
-Sarah-: ciao bella!

 

 

Ryan Cooley (JT Yorke)

The-Mary: Ryan? what's up! (it's mary by the way)
The-Mary: <-- not a stalker
-Ryan-: haha
-Ryan-: ok
-Ryan-: so what's up?
The-Mary: let's see... any big holiday plans coming up?
-Ryan-: well.. no not really. i'm just planning on being with family this year.... pretty much like every year... exchange gifts. i'm actually going on the official gift buying spree after this lol
The-Mary: oh awesome... do you go in with a plan, or just improvise once you get to the shops?
-Ryan-: plan... i'm not a shopper. i don't browse... it's a guy thing i think
The-Mary: So, allright, without further ado: would you have ever guessed that JT would have such an intense storyline? were you hoping for it, or intimidated by it?
-Ryan-: i was completely hoping for it. it gave me a chance to really "flex my acting muscles" ...oh god that's so corny.. i just threw up a bit in my mouth... um lol but yeah, i think it was a nice change for the viewers. they got to see JT in a serious situation. it's not just fart jokes and condoms... (or the lack thereof)
The-Mary: So how did you prepare, for instance, for the sort of finale of that story, with JT crying in the hospital? was that rough?
-Ryan-: yeah it was actually a tough scene. thankfully enough it was the last scene of that particular day, so i had all day to sort of work up to it. but yes it was very intense. and after 10-11 takes form different angles and such it became harder and harder to keep up the performance. overall, with the actual turnout i was.. well, as an actor i'm quite critical of myself so in any case... it could have been better
-Ryan-: but that's just me
The-Mary: so you're really critical of yourself? do you not like to watch yourself on TV?
-Ryan-: no i don't mind that... but as an actor you are always striving to be better... i am proud of my performances. i am definitely proud of those particular episodes
The-Mary: you should be, they were SO amazing. I especially -- it's funny, i wasn't really thinking about it at the time when watching them, but reflecting on them, i realized how unusual it is to get to see the guy's side of a teen pregnancy on TV; that like NEVER happens... were you psyched at the opportunity to tell that story from a new perspective?
-Ryan-: totally. when Linda Schulyer and the writers told me that i was doing those episodes i became very excited. i thought to myself that this was going to be a different year for me, or for my character i should say. i was totally pumped. carrrying one of the major story arcs of a degrassi season is an honour. and yes it was intimidating but i was for it. along with sarah barrable-tishauer... we were ready
The-Mary: totally... and how did you feel about the way JT handled it?
-Ryan-: i thought JT handled it... well, very poorly. i mean, he didn't come out of the situation unscathed. personally, i would have stayed away from the stealing, drugs, etc. but at the same time, the way even that was portrayed was realistic. although they were bad decisions, they had to SEEM realistic, and i think they were. it made for a great story. the writers did a fabulous job
The-Mary: yeah, and at least, on some level, he wasn't totally running away and abandoning liberty, even if he chose a stupid way to "help" right?
-Ryan-: yeah, he was noble in his own way
The-Mary: and how about, in general, having JT go from like, pretending to be gay so liberty wouldn't like him to being in this serious relationship with her... did that evolution feel natural to you guys or was it weird at first?
-Ryan-: well... we've been following this lead up to their relationship for 4 years, so yeah i think it was natural
The-Mary: cool.. she told me you guys are definitely good friends in real life too. do you hang out outside of work and stuff?
-Ryan-: oh yeah...sarah is one of my closest friends. we all hang out form time to time... like all the cast... and there are close friendships
The-Mary: so um... how do you feel about all of the um jokes the writers make about JT's um endowment? i always feel bad for you as an actor whenever that stuff comes up
-Ryan-: ha...yeah that...well... you know that 99% of all good writing comes from personal experience..so
The-Mary: HA
The-Mary: nice one
-Ryan-: meh
-Ryan-: it's all fun and games
The-Mary: so any plans for university?
-Ryan-: yeah, i would like to go to school eventually..i would like to get my Bachelor of Arts in drama/theatre. there are schools in toronto that i'm going to be applying to in a couple of weeks time
The-Mary: oh man, are you nervous?
-Ryan-: yeah...i have to audition and stuff. scary.. people deciding your future.... not so nice
The-Mary: you probably have a significantly better shot than most though, i would guess. but i won't make you say it so you don't jinx yourself. so OK: inside Degrassi dirt: which girl in the cast is the biggest heartbreaker?
-Ryan-: ummm....oh boy..uh i dunno...Ms. Kwan?
The-Mary: haha nice dodge
The-Mary: ok who smells the best?
-Ryan-: jamie johnston [aka Peter Stone]
The-Mary: what does he smell like?
-Ryan-: nice, expensive cologne
-Ryan-: umm i say that because he was showing me this new cologne he got the other day... it was really expensive and had a complicated name
The-Mary: not because you were burying your face in his neck?
-Ryan-: we're close
The-Mary: haha... ok and: your dad's a musician right?
-Ryan-: that's right, he plays the drums
The-Mary: do you guys like the same kinds of music at all?
-Ryan-: haha...no...not really. he loves cuban music and such...percussion drummer stuff...and i'm into Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin
The-Mary: get out! that's awesome
-Ryan-: serious...i am a sinatra nut
-Ryan-: i sing sinatra every day in my car. i have like...6 cds
The-Mary: what's the best way to get into sinatra, for your fans out there who want to follow your every move. like what should they buy first?
-Ryan-: umm...i first had "My Way: The Best Of Frank Sinatra" cd, and i just listened, got hooked and kept on buying more CDs. then i moved into like the Rat Pack...then Dean Martin...just tell the fans to talk to their grandparents...that's basically what i did
The-Mary: heh. which of his is your favorite song to sing along to?
-Ryan-: oh god...i know all the words to all of them...but let me see. i'd have to say "Lady is a Tramp" or "Fly Me to the Moon". Or how about "Come Fly with Me"
-Ryan-: "Moon River" is a good one
-Ryan-: he
-Ryan-: is the best
-Ryan-: no one is better
The-Mary: do you like any recent stuff, or do you stick to the classics?
-Ryan-: this new stuff? psh...it's just sound
The-Mary: heh
The-Mary: ok one more and then i should let you go gift-shopping: any new year's resolutions?
-Ryan-: good question
-Ryan-: umm
-Ryan-: don't procrastinate
-Ryan-: do what i gotta do and do it right
The-Mary: allright, anything else you've been dying to talk about with a stranger for all the world to see?
-Ryan-: just keep watching and look for me in other projects!....(hopefully...)
The-Mary: anything specific in the works?
-Ryan-: trying
The-Mary: ok, we'll cross our fingers for you
-Ryan-: thanks so much
The-Mary: well take care, and good luck finishing up grade 12 and all that, thanks a MILLION for your time
-Ryan-: thanks i'll need all the help i can get...hey no problem..any time..you know where to find me

 

 

Miriam McDonald (Emma Nelson)

( * )Miriam: Mary??
The-Mary: Hi!
The-Mary: oh look at your cute little star, how did you do that?
( * )Miriam: haha ( * )
( * )Miriam: isnt it cute!
The-Mary: oh i see... haha doy. on my software it shows up all yellow and adorable!
The-Mary: hang on, let me grab my questions...
The-Mary: ok, first of all, Seth said to say hi.
The-Mary: Second of all... what's going on right now with Degrassi, shooting?
( * )Miriam: well we just had the season finale (and hundredth episode) here in canada so i saw the cast for a screening, and I've been busy with some fun press stuff and just hanging out with my friends!
( * )Miriam: we start shooting the new season in a month or 2
The-Mary: awesome... and you'll be the seniors now!
The-Mary: does that change the dynamic on set at all?
( * )Miriam: IT will be awesome!!
( * )Miriam: its just like real life, you cant wait until you are on top of the school!
The-Mary: hahaha! Was there a big sad crying day on the last day of shooting last season?
( * )Miriam: a little bit, because no-one knows if the graduates will be back or not :( we all went for a celebration dinner after we wrapped though
( * )Miriam: which was nice
The-Mary: it's like degrassi behind the scenes prom or something :)
The-Mary: i heard daniel was back? what's up with that?
( * )Miriam: LOL
( * )Miriam: Yea!!! i was talking to him online the other day. he is in LA right now but I think he'll being making a return, and maaaayyyybbbbeee some old flames will be re-kindled!
The-Mary: ooooooooh! I was gonna ask... does seeing him feel kinda like seeing an old boyfriend?
( * )Miriam: haha not quite, kind of like a long lost brother... who you just happen to make out with when the cameras are rolling!
The-Mary: oh, totally, i know that feeling so well! lol
( * )Miriam: hahaha
The-Mary: ok. so you are my product fairy godmother... what new product are you addicted to?
The-Mary: lip balms, perfumes...
( * )Miriam: ooooooh natural glow moisturizer, it gives you a really natural looking tan
( * )Miriam: and rosebud salve
The-Mary: oh i love rosebud anything.
( * )Miriam: it is the best lip balm ever!
The-Mary: can you pull off this red lipstick everyone is into right now?
The-Mary: i bet it would look great on you actually, of course
( * )Miriam: I've done it before actually, with really minimal eye make up (so you don't look too drag) and a simple outfit, it can be very chic!
( * )Miriam: i also love coral colours for spring make up
The-Mary: do you ever go full out like crazy eyes?
( * )Miriam: not really!!!! I am all about the whole 'less is more' when it comes to make up, but i did wear these amazing fake eyelashes for halloween! I think i'll need to pull those out more often!!
The-Mary: ha, for real! night time is the right time for fake lashes. so what have you been doing with your friends over your shooting break?
( * )Miriam: going to see lots of live music. that's my new thing, checking out the indie scene in Toronto! it can be hit and miss, but when its 'hit' it is so much fun!
( * )Miriam: and shopping of course!
The-Mary: oh, tell me ALL about it... what bands have you seen lately that you can recommend?
The-Mary: Toronto does have a cool little scene i've heard
( * )Miriam: well there is this band Stars from montreal, that's not so small anymore, but they played a few weeks ago and totally rocked, and broken social scene is pretty cool
( * )Miriam: canadian music week just happened and i saw a bunch of bands that were great but i cant remember many of the names
( * )Miriam: i saw Cassie Steele perform too
The-Mary: !!! how was she?
( * )Miriam: she is such a natural performer, she really knows how to wow her audience! she was great
The-Mary: was it for canadian music week, or just random cassie steele show?
( * )Miriam: yea it was for music week
( * )Miriam: you know what else is a great band- "sweet thing", tyler from instant star plays drums with them, they are sooo good!
The-Mary: oh rad! He's adorable too.
The-Mary: Do you have a bf at this point? last time we talked you were kicking it "i'd rather be single" style which I can DEFINITELY identify with
( * )Miriam: no, i'm single! i was just discussing the whole single life the other day, and i decided that me and my 3 best friends are like the gals from sex and the city! we have each other and guys may come and go, but for now we are the kind of support that we all need
The-Mary: i am so with you on that.
( * )Miriam: plus boy shopping is such a fun hobby, and when you have a bf that is sort of out of the question!
The-Mary: Yeah, exactly!
The-Mary: ok... um, are you addicted to celebrity gossip at all?
( * )Miriam: uhh... YESSS!!!!!
The-Mary: OK. Whose "marriage" is more insane: K-Fed and Britney, or TomKat?
( * )Miriam: ooh lala that's like asking what would you rather: poison ivy or poison oak
The-Mary: hahahahaha
The-Mary: are there any tabloid stars you kind of identify with?
( * )Miriam: hmmm...... not really!
( * )Miriam: if its in a tabloid its pretty hard to relate to considering that its all 50% fake anyways!
The-Mary: no way man! tabloids and pro wrestling = 100% REAL! haha i'm deluded. but ok, you know how it kind of depends which type of publicist you hire whether you try to get (positive, of course) tabloid exposure or not?
The-Mary: do you think you'd want to sort of have your relationships and stuff out there, or not?
( * )Miriam: hmm.... it would probably complicate things a little, but it would also make you feel a bit more dangerous! i like the thrill.....
The-Mary: yeah! plus you can mess with people's heads! people like me! who eat that stuff up!
( * )Miriam: hahahaha exactly!
The-Mary: ok... here's one out of left field that you don't have to answer if you don't want to of course, but... do you believe in god or subscribe to any particular religion?
( * )Miriam: no i don't, the subject interests me because so many people dedicate there lives to religion, but I have never gotten into one particular 'type'
The-Mary: were you raised with any?
( * )Miriam: no, my mom was brought up lutheran and my dad also went to church when he was little, but neither of them thought it was something that they felt my sister and i needed
The-Mary: cool. do you still live with them, or are you out on your own now?
( * )Miriam: i wish i was on my own! there is nothing i want more right now that to have my own place! i think about moving out daily....soooonnnn!!!! ( i hope)
The-Mary: what's holding you back right now?
( * )Miriam: money and time, if i move out now and rent a place, then my money is going bye bye. and if i buy then my money is tied up
The-Mary: i hear you. (I literally just bought a house this morning, i am freaking out over the fact that i now officially can not just go pick up and live in a tent in africa)
( * )Miriam: heeyyy!!! why not do a reality show about living alone and i'll volunteer to do it! (if you guys give my own place!)
( * )Miriam: hahaha
The-Mary: GOOD IDEA!
The-Mary: pitch it, girl!
( * )Miriam: okay, right after i visit the moon
The-Mary: hahaha... what kind of place would you want? super modern, old school, loft, house...?
( * )Miriam: i'd love a loft
( * )Miriam: it wold be soooooooooooooo awesome
The-Mary: seriously.
The-Mary: all that wide open space... and, are you interested in like creating shows on your own some day, or would you rather stay in front of the camera?
( * )Miriam: no, i'm a jack of all trades. hehe that expression is funny! but ideally i'd be kind of like oprah and do it all
The-Mary: yeah, she has her fingers everywhere, it's nuts!
The-Mary: ok, i should let you go, i've kept you long enough
The-Mary: anything else you're dying to say?
( * )Miriam: ummmm......... turquoise is the new black
( * )Miriam: and that's it! great talking to you!
The-Mary: Duly noted! Haha thanks so much Miriam, always so much fun talking to you... take care and have a great rest of your break!
( * )Miriam: bye!
The-Mary: bye bye!