We Know We Can Make It Through Because Degrassi Is Coming Back
as fan-favorite Marco Del Rossi in 2002 after initially auditioning for Craig , becoming the show's first gay character and taking part in one of the first LGBTQ+ kisses on Canadian television two years later.
After graduating from Degrassi, Ruggiero remained on the show for one season when they tried to follow some of the characters to college, and he returned in later seasons as a teacher. Full circle. In 2008, Ruggiero came out, explaining Marco's struggles to come to terms with his sexuality on the show often mirrored his own in real-life, with some of Marco's scenes taken from his real conversations with family members. "Maybe it's life imitating art, or maybe that's what 'Degrassi' intended to do. I feel like I'm living proof of what the show wanted to accomplish," Ruggiero, who is an LGBTQ+ activist, told eTalk Canada at the time.
Kippel starred as Spinner in over 180 episodes of the show, surviving a fallout with his entire group of pals after he inadvertently caused Jimmy to get shot, along with a cancer battle, ending his run on the show married to Emma and managing The Dot. He was one of the few original cast members to appear in Netflix'sFollowing his run on the show, Kippel remained close with many of his former co-stars, including Drake, and is still acting while working as a musician and producer.