The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival is just around the corner, and one of the projects that will make millennials feel super nostalgic is a documentary on the Canadian teen drama series Degrassi, starring Toronto-based rapper (and former Degrassi: The Next Generation star) Drake, aka Aubrey Graham.
Degrassi: Whatever It Takes is directed by Lisa Rideout and explores the legacy of the cult-classic show and its cultural impact on viewers. Everyone from superfans to stars, including Drake, will delve into the history of the series, which helped launch Drake’s career before he became one of the world’s biggest rappers.
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The Hotline Bling singer appeared in 145 episodes of Degrassi: TNG from 2001 to 2009, playing Jimmy Brooks, a basketball player whose life changed after he was paralyzed in a school shooting. ‘Brooks’ became one of the show’s most memorable characters, but apparently Drake initially struggled with the arc.
In a 2021 interview with the AV Club, writer James Hurst recalled that Drake worried about how using a wheelchair on-screen might affect his budding rap career. According to Hurst, there was even a letter from a law firm suggesting that Drake, who would have been in his late teens at that time, would not return unless the character’s injury was healed.
“…He’s like, “All my friends in the rap game say I’m soft because I’m in a wheelchair.” And I said, “Well, tell your friends in the rap game that you got shot. How much harder can you get? You got shot, and you’re in a wheelchair.” He was like, “Yeah, yeah.” He was so nice and apologetic about everything. He instantly backed down. I was very passionate about it, and I said, “Aubrey, there’s some kid somewhere in a wheelchair, who’s completely ignored, who’s never on television, never gets represented.” I need you to represent this person. You’re the coolest kid on the show, and you can say there’s nothing wrong with being in a wheelchair…” (you can read the full interview here).
Degrassi: Whatever It Takes promises to revisit these behind-the-scenes moments! Showtimes for the documentary at TIFF should be announced by Aug 12.
