IN BRIEF: Director Kevin Smith to appear on Degrassi; Canadian playwright nominated for U.K. crime-writing award; more
Last Updated Tue, 19 Oct 2004 13:54:42 EDT
TORONTO – Clerks director Kevin Smith to appear on new Degrassi

U.S. filmmaker Kevin Smith, best known for his “Jersey Trilogy” of Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy, will appear on teen TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation, broadcaster CTV announced Tuesday.

Smith, whose films also include Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Dogma and Jersey Girl, will appear in the season’s final three episodes, which will air in early 2005.

In a November 1996 article for Details magazine, Smith detailed how he became a fan: watching episodes of Degrassi Junior High during an early job at a convenience store. He eventually named a character in Clerks “Caitlin,” after a leading Degrassi character, and included references to the series in that and other films.

He recently praised the new Degrassi’s storylines which have included a 14-year-old’s decision to have an abortion with no regrets and a recent school-shooting episode in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“When I heard some of the storylines they’re doing, my head exploded,” he told the magazine. “I’m known for frank subject matter and I wouldn’t touch that stuff.”

Written by CBC News Online staff