Q&A: Miriam McDonald Graduates From Degrassi: TNG, Literally
Source: AOL
Posted: 10/05/08 2:45PM
Filed Under: Television
By CHRIS JANCELEWICZ
Miriam McDonald is the face of Degrassi: The Next Generation. She started acting on the show when she was barely a teenager - taking on the heavy role of Spike's daughter, Emma - and she acted as a bridge between the original Degrassi and its new iteration. Now it seems as if it's time to pass the torch again, and as McDonald's character heads off to college, we may have to start prepping to say goodbye to one of Degrassi's most noted alumni. We chatted with McDonald, who's now residing in Los Angeles.
So are you shooting down in Los Angeles? Why the move?
Well, my manager and my agent are down here, so I figured it was time to make the move. There are so many more opportunities, more auditions, and so many more people to meet down here. Obviously, in L.A. the entertainment industry is tops. This is the place to be, and now that I'm 21 and completely independent, it was time to make the move.
You're 21? Somehow you seemed older to me.
A lot of people tell me that. [laughs]
More maturity, I guess?
Yeah, I don't know. I've had a lot of responsibility for a long time, so I guess you kind of grow up fast when that happens.
You're kind of the figurehead for 'Degrassi: TNG'. Emma has been the central character for some time. What's it like playing such an important part of a legacy?
Well, I look at the show as an ensemble. That's what the show's about, this collection of characters. It was really exciting to get the part of Emma, because she was part of the Degrassi history. It was really interesting to look back and see her progression. It gave me a lot of clues into her personality type - what her mother was like, what her father was like - and the type of life she must have had. How often do you get such a breakdown for a character? Most actors have to create from nothing, but I had all these pointers as to how I would want to play Emma. I feel really fortunate to be part of such a successful show.
Think back to when you were first cast as Emma. What did that feel like at the time?
Degrassi was my first real professional acting job. It was the most exciting thing of my life. At that point I knew that everything was going to change. I was going to leave my hometown, leave my friends, and start doing something I'd always dreamed of doing. It was absolutely thrilling for me.
How old were you when you were cast?
I was 13. It was at the end of eighth grade. I remember because I missed my Grade 8 graduation, and I couldn't tell any of my friends why. We weren't allowed to say we were officially cast yet. I was the mysterious disappearing girl!
Do you have any favourite episodes that you've done? I know it's a tough question, since you've done some 120-odd episodes.
Oh my God…that's so tough. I guess I'll answer that in terms of what was the most fun for me. I think I'd have to say it was one of the Kevin Smith-directed episodes - the A-story was about Paige and Alex, and the B-story was about Emma and Peter. That one was just a lot of fun, and you get to go to a premiere and that sort of thing. We got to dress up and do something a little different.
That was in season 5?
Yes...I think so. Wait. Are we in season 8 right now?
I think you are.
That's craziness. It doesn't seem like it was three years ago, but I guess it was.
I'm more blown away by the fact that you were 13 when you started. And now you're 21.
Seriously, I don't think about it that way until someone points it out to me. I actually grew up on television. That's pretty insane. I was this skinny little girl who had no clue about anything when I started on that show. Now I'm grown up.
You're 21, you can drink down there.
I'm 21, and I can do anything! I've got my car; I could drive to Mexico if I wanted to.
Now your character is in college, are you approaching your portrayal of Emma any differently?
Yeah, definitely. Before I always had to make sure I didn't play her too old, since I'm actually two years older than Emma. Like I said, everybody says I'm mature for my age, and I know Emma is also supposed to be put-together most of the time, mature, stuff like that. But now that she's in college, I feel the freedom to let her grow up a little bit more, which is really nice for me, just to be able to take some more risk and liberties. In a way it kind of feels like a new show, with all these new characters and new set and everything - at least as far as the university storyline goes.
I just watched the two-part season premiere. You weren't really in it that much, so I'm wondering, are you going to be phased out as the season progresses, and as you get older?
They haven't told us in so many words, but Degrassi has always been a show that revolves around high school. It's sort of nice that they're showing where the characters are going, which is what they did last year with Adamo's and Lauren's characters. But Degrassi is a high school show, and I think that's always going to be the focal point.
So will the viewer see a lot of you this season, or will there be only a little bit of focus?
There's going to be a balance, as there has been in previous seasons, but of course, the high school life will be the main focus of the season.
Emma's been through more than any other character, arguably. What was the hardest episode for you to film? Was it the van one [where Emma becomes promiscuous and engages in sex acts in a van]? The shooting one [where a fellow student is shot]? There's so many things that poor Emma's gone through…
I know. That's hard. The van episode was definitely one of the hardest for me to film, because it totally took me out of my comfort zone. As a girl in high school, it was tough to be on TV talking about these things that people don't want to be talking about. When I was younger, and a lot of my peers were younger, it was harder for them to differentiate between myself and my character. The day after that aired, I was nervous walking through the corridors, knowing those kids had just watched what had happened. You have to keep a level head and say 'This is my job and it's not me. It's my character.'
OK, I've got a weird question for you. I hear your nickname is Billy. How did that come to be?
My nickname has been Billy since I was about 5 years old. I don't remember how it happened exactly, but my sister gave it to me. We were just joking around about something and then it kind of stuck. At home with my family, they never call me Miriam, unless they're screaming at me. I'm always Billy, and there's not really a good explanation for it. [laughs]
Catch Miriam in the eighth season of Degrassi: The Next Generation, premiering on October 5th at 7:30 pm ET on CTV.
More 'Degrassi' Interviews:
100 %
0 %
