Deanna Casaluce – South Of Nowhere

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

A.  I am working on my philosophy paper, that’s the only project I’m working on right now. 

Q.  What can viewers expect to see with your character this season?

A.  You can expect to see a lot of my character, especially towards the end of the season.  There will be some surprises, as there always are.  There is a big change in Alex this year, that’s all I can giveaway.  You’ll just have to watch the show and see! 

Q.  Will there be any changes for the show itself?

A.  I don’t think fans have to worry about “Degrassi” taking off and being a completely different show.  Which, I think a lot of people have been worried about after seeing the season six opening credits.  Some people didn’t like them so much since they felt it was like “Degrassi” sort of glammed up or something along those lines.  I don’t think they have to worry about that, the show is still very real.  Talking about real issues is still very much the heart of the show and the goal of the show.

Q.  How do you think the writers and producers keep the show fresh and new after six seasons?

A.  I think it’s very easy to keep a show like “Degrassi” fresh, new and exciting after six seasons.  The show is about high school life and there are some issues in high school that are always there.  Boy meets girl, boy meets boy or girl meets girl – the romantic relationships that happen.  There are always new issues to tackle, there are always new problems.  There are always new drugs, there is always something else to sort of go there with.

Q.  What is it about the role of Alex that continues to challenge you?

A.  You know for most actors, especially television actors, the role doesn’t really challenge you after so many years.  It sort of plateaus and you are just this one character who might be faced with different conflicts.  But, you are still playing the same character.  The thing about Alex though, she’s still a fairly new character, and she’s changing.  Her character is really growing and changing and that is what makes Alex so fun to play.  She’s constantly learning, growing and maturing into a woman.  She does another year at “Degrassi, you see what she can do and the mystery is whether she accomplishes doing this or not. 

Q.  Do you have a really memorable moment from your time filming the show?

A.  I have so many of them!  We had a lot of fun, Lauren, Andrea and I, with the one scene with the whip cream fight.  It was really, really fun to just film that.  We had fun through the whole episode just cracking up.  That was a lot of fun, that’s one of the many memories.  That scene went on quite a while when we were filming it.

Q.  The show deals with some serious issues.  Do you feel that it stays true to these issues and people who do go through them?

A.  I think it’s so, so true to the issue.  When covering an issue like anorexia they research and research that issue until they find the truth behind it.  They want to make the show as realistic as possible for when kids watch it.  They can relate to it or change things, they have a good knowledge about these issues.  I think they do an amazing job.

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

A.  Just hanging out with my boyfriend, hanging out with my friends and hanging out with family.  Not only am I doing the show, I’m in a university so I am trying to balance the two.  When I’m not doing the show I’m writing an essay or reading essays.  I am really, really busy.

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

A.  I would say thank you for having so much faith in Alex.  A lot of people immediately warmed up to this new character on the show that came out of nowhere. That really means a lot to me because it can be tough sometimes for some actors to come in and play a new character on a series that’s been on for three years.  People already are more favorable to other characters that have been there for a while.  Alex came on as a new character and I felt people liked her immediately and that’s so great.  Thank you very much for that!