If you were around at all in the past year, you’d know that Drake has been everywhere. From his headline-making feud with Kendrick Lamar, to his 2025 album Some Sexy Songs 4 U (yes, that’s really the title), to rumours of yet another album — The Toronto rapper has been keeping busy. And now, he’s starring in an upcoming documentary celebrating what launched his career: Degrassi: Whatever It Takes (2025).
If you didn’t know, Drake played Jimmy Brooks, a basketball star whose life changed after a school shooting, leaving him wheelchair bound. He was on Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001 to 2008.
The Degrassi franchise itself is legendary. Spanning five separate TV series from 1979 to 2017, it’s Canada’s longest-running drama series. And while Drake is definitely the most famous alumni, he’s not the only one. Stars like Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Shenae Grimes (90210), and Stephen James (If Beale Street Could Talk) all got their breaks from the show too.
In the trailer for the upcoming documentary, Drake recalls the moment he was cast on the show: “I didn’t have a great time in high school, I just didn’t really fit in…And then one day, my mom called me and told me: ‘You got the role.’ And I just grabbed my bag and left. And man, what a wild journey that started.”
The documentary also highlights other beloved cast members like Jake Epstein, Amanda Stepto, Miriam McDonald, and Dayo Ade, who shared their experiences — “All that stuff that happened on the show was stuff that was happening to us in real life,” Ade recounted.
And of course, we can’t forget how Degrassi was never afraid of controversy. The series famously tackled everything from teen pregnancy to student-teacher relationships. Funnily enough, they mention this in the trailer: “Have we always got it right? Probably not. Have we told our stories with the best of intentions? Yes we have.”
Naturally, the premiere is happening where else but the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)! Directed by Lisa Rideout, Degrassi: Whatever It Takes will debut on September 13th.
The internet had a lot to say after the trailer dropped. Degrassi fans are a passionate bunch, and people are buzzing with excitement:
So now we want to hear from you. Are you hyped to see Drake revisit his Degrassi days? Will you be seeing it at TIFF, or watching it when it hits streaming? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
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