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Hello Global Grind! It’s @theCharlotteXO

I can definitely understand why people love Degrassi. It’s a pretty addictive show.

I was on a show called Naturally Sadie before this for a couple of years. So when that ended I didn’t really know what I was going to do acting wise, or if I was going to keep auditioning or what. I got Degrassi almost immediately after I wrapped that show and I’ve been doing it for four years now, so Degrassi really has become my home and my family.

When I started out on Degrassi, it was my chance to play something different than the character I had been playing, which was someone completely mean and terrible – Ha ha – in her own way, plus I’d been a fan of the show, so that was fun immediately.

I got to join a show that not only has a great cult following but is also loved in Canada and around the world. Kids love to watch it, as did I. It has changed my life by opening up doors for me. I get to do a lot of traveling with the show, and not just to New York, where I am right now. The number of ways it’s made my life better, I cant even begin to describe. It’s fantastic.

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When I first started the show, I thought it would take a lot out of me as an actress to play Holly J. Sinclaire, because she’s such a mean character. I actually started out auditioning for Anya, as well. They asked me who I would prefer to play if I got the part, and I wanted to play someone completely different from who I am in real life. That’s how I began to play the part of Holly J.

The cast has become like a family. Overall, it’s just a great environment. We spend long hours on the set and it’s summer time so everyone’s in great spirits and everyone’s around the same age. There’s even a room that we all hang out in called the Sunshine Lounge. We have all become very supportive of each other and there is a lot of trust when we are filming with each other.

We all respect and really learn from each other. Even some of the newer cast mates have been working their whole lives, too so as different people enter the scene, the dynamic can change and we can all pick up stuff from each other. I used to love watching Paula Brancati, who played Jane, on set because she’s such a pro and she’s different from her character, as well.

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I try and learn a lot from all of the different actors. I think we all have different celebrities that we look to for inspiration in the industry – not only actors, but also directors. Personally, I also have other interests. I’m in school and contemplating like what I want to do. I draw inspiration from people in the news world and the writing world and different actors and actresses. I really respect Emma Watson who can step by and try everything. I also like Ewan McGregor.