NEED TO KNOW
- Miriam McDonald is among the decades of Degrassi alumni featured in the new documentary Degrassi: Whatever It Takes
- McDonald gets candid about having an eating disorder and also losing her sister to one
- The documentary premieres Sept. 8 at the Toronto International Film Festival and screens through Sept. 14
Miriam McDonald is sharing how one Degrassi: The Next Generation storyline hit closer to home than many of the others.
McDonald, who played Emma Nelson from 2001 to 2010, is one of several cast members from the beloved Canadian teen series who appear in Degrassi: Whatever It Takes, the first definitive documentary about the franchise, which ran from 1979 to 2017. It will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival through Sept. 14.
The actress, 38, says that, like much of the cast, she was surprised by how big the show became in its early seasons. Live appearances and other opportunities to meet fans allowed them to understand what it meant beyond fame and recognition.
“It was very exciting — to see, firsthand, the impact that this show was having was phenomenal. But, I mean, if I’m being honest, it made me feel very nervous and self-conscious,” she admits.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
McDonald candidly reveals in the documentary that she was living with an eating disorder “in the beginning seasons of the show.”
“At the time, I think about the media and the tabloids with Paris Hiltons of the world, Mary Kate Olsen. I’m not going to say they glamorized it, but it kind of seemed like it came with the territory of being in the public eye, in a way,” she explains.
“I never vocalized what I was going through, but people had their suspicions. It was really difficult, but I had something in me that was able to conquer it.”
The documentary shows an emotional clip of McDonald revealing that her sister, Esther, died from an eating disorder that she battled for 15 years. Esther died in November 2013 at age 28.
“My sister could not conquer it. I kept my family life very protected and to this day, my sister’s not here to speak for herself. I don’t feel like it’s my place to speak for her experience,” she says.
Noting that Emma had a storyline in 2006 where she had an eating disorder and later recovered, she continues, “I just know that those episodes were so hard for me.”
“To this day,” she adds, “Emma’s eating disorder episodes continue to be the ones that the fans reach out to me most about. I’m happy to share about it because I know there are so many people that are dealing with it and don’t realize how bad it can get and don’t realize how good it can get if you can just conquer it.”
Set to make its world premiere Sept. 13 at the Toronto International Film Festival, the feature dives into the raw, real and sometimes complicated history of Degrassi, which has spanned more than 40 years on television. Its title comes from Degrassi’s iconic theme song, “Whatever It Takes,” which became a rallying cry for the series’ message of resilience and authenticity.
From its beginnings in the 1980s with The Kids of Degrassi Street through spinoffs like Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High, Degrassi: The Next Generation and Degrassi: Next Class, the series pushed boundaries with storylines about sex, drugs, mental health, bullying and school shootings. Often praised — and at times criticized — for tackling subjects that other shows avoided, Degrassi stood out for casting teens who looked and felt real, turning growing up into must-see TV for audiences around the world.
Across its multiple iterations, Degrassi launched the careers of countless young actors. Many gave intimate new interviews for the documentary, including Aubrey “Drake” Graham (Jimmy), Shenae Grimes-Beech (Darcy), Jake Epstein (Craig), Shane Kippel (Spinner), Jordan Todosey (Adam), Melinda Shankar (Alli), Stefan Brogren (Snake), Amanda Stepto (Spike), Dayo Ade (BLT), Stacie Mistysyn (Caitlin) and more.
Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler and executive producer Stephen Stohn are also featured.
Produced by WildBrain and Peacock Alley Entertainment, Degrassi: Whatever It Takes is premiering Sept. 8 and screening through Sept. 14 as part of TIFF’s 50th edition.
Read the full article here
