For over four decades, Degrassi has brought the raw, unfiltered realities of teen life to the screen. From its scrappy beginnings in the 1980s to becoming a global phenomenon, the franchise remained fearless in its storytelling tackling issues like sex, drugs, and mental health through the eyes of real-looking teens.

Degrassi: Whatever It Takes dives beneath the surface of Degrassi’s success to reveal the more complicated truth. Through archival footage and intimate interviews with cast, crew and fans, the series explores both the empowering impact the show had on its audience and the personal struggles faced by its young stars. Honest, emotional, and eye-opening, this documentary examines what it really took to build Canada’s most iconic teen franchise.

World Premiere coming September 13, 2025 at the Toronto International Film Festival


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Class is back in session! We sat down with Amanda Stepto, Stacie Mistysyn, Melinda Shankar and Miriam McDonald to celebrate their Toronto International Film Festival documentary 'Degrassi: Whatever It Takes'.

Lauren Collins Explains Why She's Not in Degrassi: Whatever It Takes Documentary
by Glenn Garner
September 19, 2025


Although Degrassi: Whatever It Takes is the class reunion that many fans have been waiting for, don’t expect Paige Michalchuk to make an appearance.

Lauren Collins, who played the mean girl with a heart of gold on "Degrassi: The Next Generation", recently explained why she didn’t participate in the documentary, which recently had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.



“It just didn’t feel like the right move for me at the time,” Collins told E! News. “I’m so proud of my time on the show. I feel so grateful for it. I’ve been talking about it for 25 years and I’m happy to do it on my own terms.”

“I’ve heard it’s great and I’m excited to see it.”

https://deadline.com/2025/09/degrassis-lauren-collins-not-in-whatever-it-takes-doc-1236549927/