Billy Parrott (Shane) Interview by Natalie Earl

NE: Shane became developmentally disabled after taking acid and jumping of the bridge. You played the part very convincingly, with meticulous details such as speech stuttering and involuntary twitching. How did you prepare for the role?

BP: I watched a tape at the Degrassi Offices, I think Linda Schuyler ordered it. The tape showed people who were affected due to head injuries to the brain. I studied the way they talked and moved and tried to emulate that for Shane.

NE: How did you feel about transforming from one of the "cool" guys to a special education student?

BP: I respect the fact that Shane had brain damage. It proved that we were all human and have the potential to get hurt at any time. It proved that you should appreciate what you have and live life to the fullest. My only regret is that Shane was phased out of Degrassi High. I missed being on the show, but I was able to take my positive experiences from Degrassi and apply them to other aspects of my life.

NE: Compare Billy Parrot against Shane. What are the differences and similarities?

BP: Shane was restricted by his family environment. His dad was a minister so he expects Shane to live up to strict rules and high expectations. Shane was frustrated but he could not rebel in obvious ways, such as dying his hair. Instead he changed his attitude, he did things to deliberately tick off his parents: taking drugs, hanging around Luke, and sleeping with Spike. Shane choose Spike because she was the most rebellious girl at Degrassi, being with her made him feel powerful.

BP: Whereas I did not need to be rebellious because I was allowed creativity and freedom. My mom was a single parent and I was an only child, so naturally I received a lot of attention and support. But she was not restrictive. The only similarity between Shane and Billy is that we both like soccor and hockey.

NE: Did people expect Billy Parrott and Shane McKay to be interchangable?

BP: There is always blurring between reality and TV. At parties guys and girls would address me as "Shane" instead of Billy. Even after they got to know me they still wanted to believe that I was Shane. Girls would tease me "You’re not going to get me pregnant are you?"

NE: Tell me about your television and film appearances.

BP: My first acting job, at age 11 or 12, was on "Mr. Dress Up" it was like Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. Right before Degrassi I was on "Vid Kids" a kid hosted music video show that featured song and dance routines. It was the Canadian equivalent to "Kids Incorporated". I made the show because of my dance training. At the Degrassi audition workshops Pat Mastroianni (Joey) and I were both competing of the part of Joey Jeremiah. The producers felt that Pat had the "sneakier" look so they invented the part of Shane for me.

BP: After Degrassi, I was on five Showtime movies including "The Wall" and two episodes of "Due South" where I played a soldier and a mountie. I have performed in twenty-one commercials for Canada, including Eatons Center, Pepsi, Mr. Big Chocolate Bar, and La Batt Brew Light Beer. I have also taken workshops for voice training. I did behind-the-scenes work for student films at Seneca College and York University. I also worked for the Art Department of "Ready or Not" and as a Grip for "Family Passions".

BP: I still go on auditions but my goal is to direct films and develop my own scripts. I co-wrote a screenplay with Scott Carmen, which I recently tried to pitch in Los Angeles. I have gained some financing but we are still seeking investors and continuing to present our idea to film companies. While in Los Angeles, I spent time with Stacie Mistysyn (Caitlin). Stacie was born in Los Angeles, her parents met in college possibly USC or UCLA. Then they moved to Canada when she was age 1. Now she has moved back to Los Angeles to pursing her acting career.

NE: Tell me about your education.

BP: I completed my honors thesis for Psychology and Mass Communications at York University. I studied Radio and Television Broadcasting at Seneca College. My second year of college I went backpacking through Europe.

NE: Now that you have worked on union shows (ACTRA) what is the main difference between them and Degrassi (a non-union show)?

BP: Money is a big difference between union and non-union shows. On Degrassi the actors were bought out so we do not receive royalties for the reruns on Showcase. Plus were not paid for rehearsals, wardrobe, or overtime. But overall we were paid well. I would have done Degrassi for free, just on the fact that Degrassi was fun and being on TV is cool. It was a great job, better than baby-sitting.

NE: I am getting mixed opinions on whether Neve Campbell was a legitimate PWT extra or if she just hung around the set.

BP: Her brother Christian Campbell (Todd) was in the repertory but I doubt that Neve was official extra. She was friends with a lot of the cast members but she was also busy with her own acting and modeling career, such as "Catwalk".

BP: Neve, Christian, and Stefan Brogren (Snake) are in a movie together called "Hairshirt". It will be featured at the Toronto Film Festival. The story is about Canadian actors who try to find work in Los Angeles. It is loosely based on the experiences of Dean Parris, a fellow Degrassi actor.

NE: I have always dreamed of having a Degrassi Panthers T-shirt, a Quest for the Best Cardigan, and a Degrassi High varsity jacket. Are there any surplus wardrobe floating around?

BP: My mom keeps my Degrassi Panthers T-shirt. At the end of each season PWT would give us commemorative tokens such as Degrassi Junior High watches and silk embroidered Degrassi jackets. Regarding surviving Degrassi memorabilia, I doubt the actors will give them up due to sentimental value.

NE: If you could write a fictional episode of Degrassi what would you want to happen for Shane?

BP: Shane fully recovers from the brain injuries so he completes Degrassi High as a normal student. He had a serious relationship with Spike but Emma was never born and they never had sex. Shane eventually gets over Spike and a new girl flies in from an unknown city. She is this cute, sexy new girl and it ignites a romance for Shane. Then the whole series becomes like Dawson’s Creek.

NE: What was the difference between Degrassi and your real high school?

BP: I attended Earl Haige School for the Performing Arts (also known as the Clod Watson School for the Arts). I was a dance major in Grades 5 to 11. All the students were performers so nobody made a big deal about Degrassi. Everyone had their own projects to worry about. Stefan Brogren (Snake), Andy Chambers (Luke), Niki Kemeny (Voula), and Xemena Bensusan (Annie) attended Earl Haige. The main difference between Earl Haige and Degrassi is that Degrassi was work, you always had to be alert but school was more kick back.

NE: Did you like Amanda Stepto (Spike) or any of the other girls in real life?

BP: It’s fun to imagine an incestuous Degrassi pool, but I was not interested in any of the girls. There might have been casual flirting among the other actors but nothing serious ever came out of it. It’s hard to picture them romantically when you work long hours together and have developed a brother-sister type relationship.

BP: The main actors on the show were my friends in real life: Pat (Joey), Siluck (Yick), Stefan (Snake), Neil (Wheels), Rebecca (Kathleen), Sara (Melanie), and Stacie (Caitlin). We used to hang out at Pat’s house, his mom would cook for us and we’d play Monopoly and stay up until 3 a.m. Once we went to Niagara Falls and sang Beastie Boys songs in the car. We’d have parties on Friday nights, with Degrassi actors plus friends from our regular high schools. We got so comfortable with each other that it became natural to hang out in real life. Typically during the summer television cast members go their separate ways, but we were young and had too much fun together.