I just have a question about Luke & Munro's interview.. When you said "as the endgames for their characters". Where you reffering too Adam's death or are they both starting a new journey without there significant others. To me it sounded like Eclare & Drianca are going to broken up when Class starts up in 13B?. I know Eli & Bee are going off to college when Degrassi starts up.. Just to let you Im not a fan of Eclare (sorry) but I do love Drianca.
I was referring to how they would write their characters’ final scenes, if they had the choice to do so. Note: this interview took place before the season began, so I had no idea that Adam’s death would take place.
Full Interview: First and Last with Munro Chambers & Luke Bilyk
When curtains close on the first leg of Degrassi's 13th season (TONIGHT, 9pm, TeenNick), it will shut the door on its rockiest start in history with the harrowing death of Adam Torres. In the real world, it's the last time Munro Chambers and Luke Bilyk have been shellshocked by the dramatic halls of the fabled Canadian high school, but it's far from the first. Here, an in-depth convo with the two men voted most likely to get naked on-screen about first and last times as well as the endgames for their characters (and since you asked, the weirdness of taking it all off)Â Â Interview by Terron R. Moore
First time you realized you wanted to be an actor.
MUNRO CHAMBERS: I was six years old, and I first realized I wanted to do characters, and that sort of spawned into being an actor. I remember I jumped into my dad's car and told him, "I want to be a Bugs Bunny when I'm older. I want to be a cartoon." And he told me I could neverbe Bugs Bunny, because he's not real. And I cried for like, three days straight. But when I was eight, I did an AlphaBits commercial and I became a cartoon. And I told Dad, "Hey. I'm a cartoon. You're a liar!"
LUKE BILYK: When I was four years old, I used to change my outfits every seven minutes and go into the corner and talk to myself for three hours straight. I would have my little guns, and I'd be like, "I'm gonna go get that guy. I'm gonna shoot him."
MUNRO: They thought you were schizophrenic!
LUKE: I was four years old! I'm sure they were like, "this guy's got problems!"
The last good purchase you made.
LUKE: I bought a car about a week ago. Ford Escape. It's my first car that I bought for myself.
MUNRO: I bought… a really good shirt…
LUKE: Yeeeahhhh, boyeeeee! (Laughs)
MUNRO: Well I usually just wear black v-necks and black jeans, and I guess that's just my style! But for the premiere in Toronto, I was like, "I gotta wear something that's not black."
LUKE: So you bought a grey shirt.
MUNRO: I bought this bluish-grey button-up! And I don't have that kind of shirt!
LUKE: So now you do!
MUNRO: Now I have variations in my wardrobe!
It's a real fashion arsenal.
MUNRO: Of two things.
First scene you did on Degrassi that you were really proud of.
MUNRO: First one for me would be in Season 10, when we realize that Eli was a hoarder. I worked with someone who was a hoarder, and we bounced ideas off each other and talked about it a lot. He was on set watching when we shot, and he came up to me and said very sincerely and emotionally, "Man, you nailed it. You hit what I felt." And that's exactly what I want to do. Doing disorders, if I can get that reaction out of somebody, and do it authentically where they can feel it, I've done my job.
LUKE: I think one of the most intense things I did first was the shrooms. Honestly, that was pretty intense. They put me in contacts to fully dilate my pupils, so I really could not see a thing. It was like acting with your eyes closed. You're really losing a whole sense. But it turned out alright, I think.
Last really good album you heard.
LUKE: J. Cole, Born Sinner.
MUNRO: I was just gonna say that!
LUKE: You know what I love about him? He's not so mainstream that he's in every magazine, he's kind of underground, and he makes people who still love music. A lot of the rappers nowadays are all about money.
MUNRO: The fame and success that he's gotten hasn't affected his music. He evolves, and he allows his lyrics to grow with him.
The last time you were really nervous.
LUKE: This isn't for a specifically good reason, but when Detroit and Chicago were playing in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs! I'm sitting there with my buddy and it's the third overtime and I'm just like, "Please, just don't let Detroit lose!" They ended up losing anyway, which sucked.
MUNRO: I can't think of a time where I was nervous. I'm nervous all the time! When we went to the Emmys last year, because we were nominated, I got jitters right before they announced the winner, but then you just let it out. But I think the last time I was really nervous was also hockey.
LUKE: We're not Canadian…
The first time you watched Degrassi.
MUNRO: Honestly? The first time I watched Degrassi was when I booked the role. I had always known what it was, I had just never watched it. So I watched from Season 7—later on I would backtrack—and I was like… "it's good!" I had to get the feel for the show, and I liked it. Plus, I had known Charlotte Arnold in high school, so knowing I was coming on to act with her was pretty cool.
The last great piece of live advice you were given.
MUNRO: With our industry, and with life in general, things can get to your head. And my dad always says to just enjoy the ride. If you're not having fun in the moment, then what's the point?
LUKE: My dad always says to not let money become what it's all about. If you find you have a craft and a passion for this industry, don't let the money and fame get to your head. It does destroy tons of people. Not to say that we're super famous, but you can automatically become an arrogant and cocky person—
MUNRO: Oh! My mom told me yesterday, she says, "Munro: mo' money, mo' problems." I'll remember that for the rest of my life. I'll remember that for the rest of my life. Never been said before. It was so original. Came from the heart, y'know?
LUKE: I wonder where she got that from!
I wonder where she found rap music.
MUNRO: I don't know, but she's an O.G. It happened. And don’t steal it.
First time you got shirtless/naked on-camera on Degrassi.
MUNRO: The shower scene wasn't the first time I got naked [on Degrassi]. I don't think. No, it could have been… Was it the first time? I thought there was a scene with Clare in season 11… alright, it was the first time.
LUKE: I've taken my shirt off so many times on that show.
MUNRO: It was fun, because playing MDMA, there's no care in the world. You don't care! So I got the water on me—and I wasn't fully naked, they had me wearing little briefs—but it was fun. It was good! There's a room full of ladies, and it's like, "Hi. I'm here. And I'm topless."
LUKE: They had taped me to a dang flagpole! I was a cage-fighter for a season, and that was fun. I definitely liked that. The only thing was that I take my shirt off—I'd been working out a little bit, I feel good—and the guy opposite me takes his shirt off, and I'm like… "You are jacked, bro. I'm gonna put my shirt back on now!" (Laughs) But the first time was in Season 10. I got taped to a flagpole in my underwear, and it was blazing hot that day! I'm in, like, 35 rolls of saran wrap stuck to the pole, and one of the prop ladies comes up and she's like, "Luke, if you're feeling faintish, just let me know." And in my head, I'm invincible, but I kid you not, I almost passed out.
MUNRO: I mean, where were you gonna go?
LUKE: They had to cut me out during a take, I was gonna throw up. I was up there for about 45 minutes. But I lost five pounds! (Laughs) It's the best dietary plan! Wrap yourself to a pole!
Does the desire from your female fans to see you in various states of dress weird you out at all?
MUNRO: … Yeah, it's weird. (Laughs) I mean, I don't know!
LUKE: Is it weird for us to want the opposite?
MUNRO: No, I guess not.
LUKE: It's human desire. Whoa, I'm gettin' super deep. (Deepens voice) It's human desire!
First time your character made a decision you didn't agree with as a person.
LUKE: Well, most of the things my character makes I don't agree with as a person!
MUNRO: Yup!
LUKE: Probably doing mushrooms before the basketball game. But the first time… (thinks to self) never mind. I agreed with that one. Not gonna tell you what it was, though!
MUNRO: Eli and the whole thing with Fitz, not knowing how to let it go. He was the reason it got that far, with the whole knife situation and stuff.
The last scene you would write for your characters.
LUKE: Driving the bus into the steps of Degrassi. (Laughs) No, I'm kidding! I think now, my character's taken a whole different path. At one point I didn't even know if he was gonna make it through high school. But he's really straightened up. I could see him going into politics!
MUNRO: It's kind of generic, but only because I know what the fans would like. They've been through so much that I would like to see Clare and Eli just make it through. Get married, have kids. They've been through so many ups and downs and if they don't, then that's what it goes. But I'd like for them to work. They've worked so hard to be together.
That's a tough one. She got PLL before I got Suits, and I think even though I had gone through a lot to find my confidence, [watching] her going through the process of getting that show and seeing how mature she was and how hard she worked to make that happen for herself [helped me]. She did it with such style and grace and really jumped in headfirst. Witnessing her do all that was really the inspiration for me to step up and take everything more seriously. And not long after that, Suits happened.
Patrick J. Adams on Troian Bellisario. I profiled him for Elle.com. You should read more.
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