Season 12 of DEGRASSI has just come to a close and, dare we say, it was the most dramatic season yet! We got the chance to talk about the show with Luke Bilyk, who plays Drew Torres. Here’s what he had to say about being part of the DEGRASSI cast and working as an actor.
How did you first become interested in acting?
It was something that I started doing from a really young age. My mom was doing it with my sisters a lot so it was just something that I got into. Then I found that I really loved it, so I just continued doing it.
What was your favourite episode to film in season 12?
Probably the prom stuff or the election stuff that we just did. It was a lot of fun!
Your character has been through a lot but is there anything you’d like to see him experience that he hasn’t yet?
You know, somebody asked me this question probably three or four months ago and I said that it would be funny to see Drew run for president because I think that was probably the only thing he had never done. Look where he is now! He’s the president and I guess we’ll have to see how it goes from there.
DEGRASSI has been around for 34 years. Why do you think it’s lasted as long as it has?
Well, I think it’s because of the content… DEGRASSI brings up real issues that real teenagers go through every single day. Besides that, it’s because of the people playing the characters. I’m 18 playing an 18-year-old. The fans, even when they meet us, can relate to us on that personal level.
If you could play any other character in the show, who would it be?
This is the question I get asked every once in a while and you really have to stop and think about it. I’d probably pick Eli. He’s a really cool character and Munro’s really built him up. We’re really good friends and he’s done an amazing job with that character.
Can you give any hints about what’s happening in the next season of DEGRASSI?
We’ve got some new characters on the show. The bond between the new and the old characters is really going to surprise everyone! I think a lot of the fans are really going to enjoy the way season 13 is coming together. We’ve only had one read-through with four episodes but there’s a lot of good stuff coming your way!
Thanks, Luke!
Be sure to catch Luke on DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION (Season 11 and 12 are now available on iTunes!)