#DegrassiReunion: Two Alums Redo Classic ‘Degrassi’ Scene For ‘Degrassi: Next Class’


As a way to celebrate the 500th episode of the Degrassi franchise, two former co-stars from The Next Generation increment decided to revisit the show’s old tagline and “go there.” Again.

More than 13 years after they originally filmed “Pride,” the monumental DTNG episode in which Marco Del Rossi, played by the openly gay Adamo Ruggiero, comes out of the closet to his befuddled friend Spinner Mason, portrayed by Shane Kippel, both actors hilariously recreated the iconic scene to partially promote their and other alums appearances on this season of Degrassi: Next Class.

The editors even go as far as to end the moment just as it did back then, with a pained Marco looking away from the screen as the show’s credits begin to crawl.

The clip, as dramatic as it plays both then and now, eventually leads to a set of bloopers that wonderfully displays the camaraderie and friendship that Ruggiero and Kippel, now 30, still share between them. It is a connection that has boded well for both actors, but none more so then when it allowed them to revisit the roles of the former schoolmates for the Degrassi: Next Class episode, “#ThrowBackThursday,” which is currently available on Netflix.

Ruggiero recently sat down with Entertainment Weekly to share just what brings Marco, Spinner and the rest of the gang back to their old stomping grounds. Well, most of the gang, anyway.

“It’s the 35th anniversary of the school, so we all get together to celebrate,” he explained. “Sadly, the wheelchair ramp was out of service, [though].”

For those who don’t understand the significance of such a mention, one of the series’ most notable cast mates, rapper Drake; who went by his birth name, Aubrey Graham, on Degrassi: The Next Generation, does not make an appearance in the episode (he did reunite with some of his co-stars, including Ruggiero, in 2015, however, as noted by Vulture). Other major omissions include actress Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries) and Shanae Grimes (90210), who played cheerleader-turned-model Mia Jones and conservative rape survivor Darcy Edwards, respectively.

Truthfully, with all of the people who do turn up again, old-school Degrassi fans will find it hard to be disappointed over the absences. Along with Ruggiero and Kippel, other past students, including Liberty Van Zandt (Sarah Barrable-Tishauer), Craig Manning (Jake Epstein), Emma Nelson (Miriam McDonald), and the original “Queen Bee” of Degrassi Community School, Paige Michalchuk (Lauren Collins), also make memorable appearances.

“I got to see Paige again,” Adamo mentioned to EW, “[and] I missed her so much. Weird, since Lauren and I are BFFs in real life. I hope I see her again soon. Paige, not Lauren,” he clarified.

Beginning with Ida Makes A Movie, a short film that paved the way for the creation of the Degrassi franchise, the drama series has been part of television history for more than three decades. In June 2015, it was announced that after 14 seasons on the air, Degrassi: The Next Generation — then shortened to just Degrassi — would be meeting on both TeenNick (formerly The N) and MTV Canada (where the show moved following its dismissal from MuchMusic in 2010). However, less than a week after that announcement, it was revealed that the series would be revived on both Netflix and Canada’s Family Channel as Degrassi: Next Class in 2016.

“We were cancelled by our American broadcaster without much more explanation than, ‘we think Degrassi has run its course,'” says Stefan Brogren, one of the players who has been connected to the series since 1987’s Degrassi Junior High as Archie “Snake” Simpson and now directs Next Class. “It was over. Truth is, we’ve always had a problem fitting in. We’re not a sitcom, and most of our subject matter deals with the most God-awful aspects of growing up. Still, I was dumbfounded. Why give up a series that’s the teen equivalent to the Star Trek franchise? It could go on forever!”

It’s a hope that shared by quite a few students from Degrassi’s hallowed halls, including Lauren Collins, who joked that she would love to reform Paige Michalchuk and The Sex Kittens (or PMS), the girl band her character once headed, on a future episode.

“If we make it to 1,000 episodes,” she stated, “I will pitch a geriatric battle of the bands [episode to the producers].”

Seasons 1 and 2 of Degrassi: Next Class are now streaming, in full, on Netflix.

[Photo from Degrassi/Facebook]

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