By Lizzie

This eight-month Degrassi drought has been painful. While Season Seven has been rolling for a couple of months stateside, Canadian fans have been cursing Dancing With The Stars for monopolizing the airwaves. I’ve resorted to playing I spy with my little eye Snake at a bar with his friends in lieu of my weekly Degrassi fix: “Sorry to interrupt your gathering boys, but will Sean and Emma stay together?”

Luckily, we’ll be put out of our misery next week when CTV airs Season Seven’s premiere. She Does the City readers are doubly lucky because Shenae Grimes, who plays sexy Christian fundamentalist (no, that’s not an oxymoron) Darcy Edwards, agreed to give us a sneak peek into this season and to dish on what life is like as a Torontonian teen celeb.

Don’t be deceived by the bubble gum pink sweatshirt and lacy cami combo that Shenae is wearing in this picture – that’s more Darcy’s style than hers. Shenae falls more into the androgynous-chic artsy girl side of the high school style spectrum than the Christian cheerleader extreme.

When I met her at her neighbourhood hangout – the Forest Hill Starbucks – I loved her Sienna Miller-like outfit: fingerless gloves, a sweater from Kensington Market’s Asian street wear store C-Pub, thick-rimmed glasses and jeans that she was allowed to take from the Degrassi wardrobe because they only cost $24 from Stitches (I appreciate a girl who recognizes a sweet deal!) Topping it off, was a hat that could have come straight out of Joey Jeremiah’s closet. Shenae laughed when I suggested that she was channeling the Degrassi icon’s spirit: “My close friend Sarah Barrable-Tishauer [who plays Liberty] always teases me about that when I wear it out.”

But, alas, Joey is not the inspiration. Shenae was never into the old Degrassi. Prior to joining the cast, she’d mostly just seen episodes in her health classes (does that make you feel old?). The Next Generation was a different story. She was a huge fan, so when she made her debut in Season Four she was super nervous: “I had nightmares about calling the actors by their characters’ names.”

Funny how you get over such nerves when your first scene requires that you wash a bunch of cars in a bikini. What an icebreaker! I wondered about what Shenae’s parents felt about her character’s fondness for stripping down. She claims they’re happy for her since Degrassi is one of the only Canadian television shows that features challenging roles for teenagers. Nevertheless, her dad keeps his eyes closed during makeout scenes and isn’t ready to watch the episode that earned Shenae a Gemini for Best Performance in a Children’s Television Show, because it finds her character posing for Maxim Magazine style pictures. Understandable.

At least Shenae’s sensitive dad can rest assured that, unlike many actresses of her generation, she doesn’t seem the type to generate tabloid fodder. Though she’s only eighteen she’s amazingly driven, confident, articulate and grounded. In her down time she drums, shops with friends including Sarah Barrable-Tishauer and Lauren Collins from the show, and cruises about in friends’ cars blasting cheesy music. I like that. Reminds me of myself circa the year 2001.

The only thing remotely scandalous that we discussed was her brief cameo on Fucked Up’s celebrity laden Christmas punk record, David Christmas. How on earth did she become involved? A mutual friend called her up on the phone and asked her to say “Merry fucking whatever,” over the line for his friends’ record and she did. She had no idea who the band was or that they were actually fairly popular till her publicist asked her about why she was being touted as featured on their record. Oops. Did she get in trouble? Nah, the publicist and her just laughed it off.

Since Shenae’s underage, she doesn’t enjoy much Toronto nightlife and unfortunately missed out on the clubs while filming her upcoming flick Picture This in Montreal because of the thirteen hour days. Perhaps one of our readers can lend her their ID and she can party with us? (My idea, not hers). It would be a nice gesture because she thrives on glamour and wishes there was more of a celebrity scene in Toronto. She likes any excuse to dress up, and cites Flare’s gala at the ROM as her favourite event in the city because everyone puts an effort into what they’re wearing.

So will we be losing this Canadian sweetheart to the glitz of America? Likely.

She does have definite visions of trying to break into Hollywood and already has a rep in L.A.. If it weren’t for the writers’ strike, she’d be down there for the pilot season now. Instead, she’s finishing up some high school credits with a private teacher – data management and grade twelve functions. After that, she’ll be prepping for the SAT’s with the hopes of applying to liberal arts programs at universities close to New York. Why an American school? She feels like they put less of an emphasis on partying (methinks she should double check that) and don’t make you focus on a specific major like Canadian schools. She’s a Renaissance woman who’d like to try all sorts of subjects and careers: maybe write poetry, drum in a band or run a vintage clothing store.

So enjoy Shenae’s work while she’s here. The scoop is that Darcy will be a more prominent Degrassi character this season, with her “world shattering, rollercoaster” storyline being the main thread throughout the season. Ooh, I can’t wait!!! And Shenae claims they will be covering more intense issues than ever. How can it be? Aside from bestiality, transexuality and heroin I can’t think of any issues left. Will Darcy find herself attracted to the next-door-neighbour’s German Shepard? Will she decide to become a man? WWJD in her situation? Watch the premiere to find out: January 14th, 7:30pm, CTV.