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Drake has become known to many as the global music star who churns out hit records as often as he breathes. However, before he began collecting Grammys, he starred in the teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001 to 2009.
Drake Recalls Crying After Learning Degrassi Character’s Fate
Drizzy’s character “Jimmy Brooks” was one of the more beloved characters on the show. So the episode “Time Stands Still” was an emotional moment for fans of the show. Because Drake’s character was shot by the character “Rick,” a boy who was often bullied.
In a new documentary for the show called Degrassi: Whatever It Takes, Drake recalls the moment when he found out that his character would be shot. Noting that he was not made aware of the shooting until the read-through of the script. He was just told to “prepare mentally.”
“I didn’t know about the end of ‘Time Stands Still’ until I was in the read-through,” Drake explained. “Somebody told me to prepare for today’s script mentally, but they didn’t tell me there was going to be a shooting at the school and that it was me.”
The episode was not only groundbreaking. It was relatable. At a time when school shootings were on the rise. So, Jimmy being shot was not just emotional for the fans. It was emotional for the Degrassi cast members as well. As Drake describes the read-through as “dark” and “intense.”
“There was shock and sadness,” Drake added. “We were holding hands and crying in the read-through. It was dark. It was intense,” he said.
After being shot, Drake’s character survives. But he was paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. This made him concerned about his future on the show.
“My question was ‘What now? I don’t want to spend the rest of my years in a wheelchair. I want to be with everyone else, what do you mean?’ Unfortunately, that’s not how life goes,” Drake added.
Check out the trailer below:
