Key Takeaways

• Drake looks back on his early acting career and the role that helped launch his public persona.
• The documentary reunites cast members and shares behind-the-scenes stories from the “Degrassi” set.
• The rapper previously raised concerns about how his character’s disability storyline affected his image.

Drake is reflecting on the “wild journey” that launched his career, revisiting his breakout role as Jimmy Brooks in the new documentary, Degrassi: Whatever It Takes.

In the trailer released Wednesday (Aug. 27), Drake — born Aubrey Graham — looks back on his high school years alongside several of his former castmates from the groundbreaking Canadian teen drama.

“I didn’t have a great time in high school — I just didn’t really fit in,” Drake says at the start of the trailer. “And then, one day, my mom called me and told me, ‘You got the role.’ And I just grabbed my bag and left. What a wild journey that started.”

In one moment from the trailer, a clip shows Drake kissing co-star Lauren Collins, who played Paige Michalchuk, prompting him to realize it was actually one of his first kisses.

“She had to be one of my first kisses for sure,” Drake said. “Damn, I never thought about it like that.”

Stefan Brogren, Shenae Grimes-Beech, Jake Epstein, Shane Kippel, and Miriam McDonald are among Drake’s former castmates who also share stories from their time on the series, which tackled real-life issues such as racism, teen pregnancy, addiction, and eating disorders.

“Degrassi changed the landscape of television with real, unvarnished storytelling and did it unapologetically from a teenage perspective,” director Lisa Rideout said in a statement. “I was inspired by how fearless the series was in tackling issues that others wouldn’t touch. This documentary celebrates the iconic Canadian franchise while revealing the impact it had on the people who made it and the audiences who loved it.”

Drake struggled with how his character’s wheelchair storyline affected his image

Drake played Jimmy Brooks for six seasons on Degrassi: The Next Generation — from 2001 to 2008 — portraying the school’s star basketball player whose life changes after he’s paralyzed in a school shooting.

The turning point came in Season 4 — a storyline that led to tension behind the scenes. As REVOLT previously reported, former “Degrassi” writer James Hurst said Drake threatened to quit and pursue legal action over the decision to put his character in a wheelchair.

“There was a letter from a law firm in Toronto, and it was from Aubrey,” Hurst recalled. “It was an odd letter that said, ‘Aubrey Graham will not return to ‘Degrassi’ Season 6 as Jimmy Brooks unless his injury is healed, and he’s out of the wheelchair.’ I said, ‘Get him down here.’ He came in and was like, ‘What letter? I don’t know about that.’ And I said, ‘All right, I understand. But how do you feel about the wheelchair?’”

“He’s like, ‘All my friends in the rap game say I’m soft because I’m in a wheelchair.’ And I said, ‘Well, tell your friends in the rap game that you got shot. How much harder can you get? You got shot, and you’re in a wheelchair.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, yeah.’”

Hurst ultimately convinced Drake to continue playing the role by emphasizing the importance of representing kids who are disabled and use wheelchairs — a group that rarely saw themselves reflected on television.

As Degrassi: Whatever It Takes prepares to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 13, Drake’s reflections offer a rare look at the early struggles and milestones that shaped his rise. The documentary highlights not just a beloved series but the real stories behind its lasting impact.