Daniel Clark – Degrassi

Q.  What are some of the recent projects that you’ve been working on?

A.  I just finished a movie, I was actually filming “Degrassi” and this film at the same time, it’s called Left For Dead.  I did that and I also did “ER” and I’ve been doing “Degrassi.”  Other than that, I’ve been going to class and auditioning. 

Q.  You left “Degrassi” for a little while and then came back. What made you want to return?

A.  The writers.  What’s great about them, they always made things very challenging.  Whenever you’re an actor you always want to do roles that are gonna challenge you or you know are just going to turn out incredible.   You want to do something that is exciting and that’s really all they’ve been handing me; exciting roles.

Q.  With the season premiere coming up, what changes can viewers expect to see this season?

A.  Well, as I stated before, there is never a dull moment with “Degrassi.”  The writers have done a phenomenal job, not just with my character, but everyone that’s going to be involved in the season.  All of the scripts that I’ve read so far I have really, really liked.  I can say that, I don’t know, there are some things you don’t see coming and others you do.  They don’t just throw things out there to get a shock factor or wow factor from the audience.  They throw things out there that people can relate to.  It’s controversial but not at the sacrifice of morals; which is really very important.  That’s more of what you’re going to see in season six. 

Q.  How about specifically for your character?

A.  There is a clear indication of where Sean’s going in the first two episodes of the show.  I can say that nobody gets away with anything that they do that is bad.  So, obviously this is something that he’s going to have to deal with.  This is something you’re going to be seeing him deal with throughout the season.  There are other things that come up, some things that he doesn’t really know about.  I can’t give away too much but it’s exciting.

Q.  What do you think it is about the show that continues to draw viewers in?

A.  I think it’s a unique show because, again, it’s controversial without sacrificing morals.  It’s something that has never been done before.  It’s not just people who are young that are watching the show.  The show has viewers anywhere from twelve, thirteen to all the way up to people in their twenties and thirties.  It’s an incredibly well written show, it’s very entertaining.  It’s something that everybody is watching, again, it’s something that has never been done before.  That’s why it’s been tremendously successful in the United States.  You’ve had other shows like “90210” and other dramas, but they haven’t really touched on issues and things that people are really talking about in this day and age. 

Q.  What is it about the role of Sean that really challenges you?

A.  Some things that I have had to deal with on the show, I haven’t had to deal with in real life.  That’s always a challenge, if you’ve never done something before it takes research and it takes time to think about what that particular person would be going through.  Or, what that character would be thinking at that moment.  The biggest challenge is making what it is on film real.   You have to make it believable, it isn’t just crying or trying to be sad.  You really have to be believable so the audience can really feel it.  That’s the difference between acting and actually being there.  That’s what I try to strive for.  It’s more than just words, you can have dialogue and deliver, but there has to be something behind that the audience can see. Otherwise the audience will be disconnected from the story. 

Q.  “Degrassi” deals with a lot of serious issues.  Do you think the show handles these issues in a way that is true to them and people who go through them?

A.  Absolutely, there is just so much!  If you’ve seen any of the previous seasons, the things that the character Ellie goes through or Marco goes through, with his boyfriend  Dylan.  The things Jimmy had to go through with him now being handicapped, there is a whole bunch of stuff. Sean’s character, Miriam – the Emma character, and also Manny, it deals with absolutely everything.  That’s one of the benefits that you get from having an ensemble cast.  Or, a cast that has more then three or four people, everyone gets to relate to somebody.  There are more characters, that’s really all it is, characters. 

Q.  How do you feel about being a role model to viewers?

A.  It feels fine, I mean I have younger brothers.  I say being the role model thing or the older brother is something I’ve done before when it comes to being a role model for people.  When it comes to viewers of the show, it’s really the same thing.  That’s the separation between the actor and the character that I play.  People are using Sean as a role model, he’s a pretty moral guy, but again; he’s not me.  That’s a character, that’s not Daniel Clark. 

Q.  What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

A.  I like to read, I like to travel.  I like to work on cars, I like to paintball, I like to snowboard in the winter time.  In the summer time I like to swim and party with my friends.  I love to camp!

Q.  Do you have a latest obsession?  Are you into any particular book, sport, music group or activity?

A.  I’ve been extremely obsessed recently with paintball.  But, that was something I was obsessed with about five or six years ago and I just started to get back into it now.  I’ve become a nerd again, I don’t really care, I like it. 

Q.  What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A.  I would like to thank them for their support and I really hope that they enjoy the work that the series puts on.  Please keep supporting The N and “Degrassi.”