Jake Epstein Looks Back At 20 Years Of Degrassi: The Next Generation | Pop Culture Planet #48

[@MalcolmRandall]

Craig Manning is the best male character Degrassi EVER had!

[@kaymaldo]

10000% agree!

[@kayla7562]

Yup! Craig is what got me into degrassi. 🥰😭💙

[@karlaminguer3481]

I love how Jake always said Craig deseeve better and he dont want to be a bad guy.

[@kaymaldo]

Yeah same!!

[@sensoryoverload6809]

Outside of the abusive Dad, and the bipolar disorder Craig was the most relatable character in the show for me. I was that kid who dreamed about being a rock star and played gigs in high school.

[@NJJohnson279]

This interview was so cool! To see that Jake is doing so good in his career after Degrassi is so awesome, can't wait to see him in the Umbrella Academy!

[@kaymaldo]

Thanks! I’m so happy for him, he’s killing the game!

[@kayla7562]

Okay I cannot believe I just found a NEW interview of Jake Epstein. +You lucky lady, you! 💙

[@maria-joseemartinez]

Loved this interview! Jake seems like such an incredible guy, you're so lucky to interview him. How did you reach out to him?

[@kaymaldo]

Thank you so much! I reached out to his publicists

[@maria-joseemartinez]

@@kaymaldo wish you could have brought up his old stuff like the 2 DCOM movies he was in as well his current stuff like the Lifetime Christmas movies. But overall, great work 👍

[@MiniT327]

Currently rewatching Degrassi: Next Generation due to the reboot announcement and yep my Jake Epstein crush is back in full swing.

[@kaymaldo]

10000%

[@kristaforbes284]

this interview was so interesting. thank you for sharing!!!! 💗

[@kaymaldo]

Glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites too because I love Degrassi so much.

[@tlahuiltzin]

Jake Epstein is so incredible. Thank you for this!

[@kaymaldo]

Agreed! Glad you liked the interview!

[@GigglingHamster]

I was so in love with him growing up 😍🤩🤩

[@kaymaldo]

Sameee

[@sharonyang8822]

lmao love this especially because i paid close attention to craig's storylines since i had a crush on him while watching degrassi HAHAHA. lowkey when jake touches his nose it gives me flashabcks to when craig did that because he was addicted to coke lmao. its cool to see what he liked and what he didnt like for his character and everything. loved this! super stoked for umbrella academy season 3 :D

[@kaymaldo]

glad you enjoyed the interview, he was so awesome!

[@Moon0525_]

I think Linda actually had a good idea of what she was making Craig do, which is why it was so foreign and asshole-y to Jake. Because he *was* being an asshole to women, he *should* play him like an asshole. I think why the storyline doesn't age well is the crush we all have on Craig lends us to excuse it, when it's quite clear from the directors it's being shown as a bad thing and we should side with the girls. It's more of a viewership/director's vision problem, the same fate of many things in Skins. We - the audience - perceive it differently. Which isn't a good or bad thing, it's just the nature of art. Craig being the one to compulsively cheat (particularly in his non-medicated days) makes sense for his bipolarity. It's not redeemable, it is in the minds of young child/teen girls with a crush on a cute guy, but he absolutely was an asshole for that. Rewatching it as an adult I definitely don't think they glossed over how bad his actions were. We're just observing why a boy with mental health issues is attracted to these individuals, and then the many consequences that occur because he pursues them.

[@samirascarlett]

He said black and white a few times, wasn't he there when Maya sang that?

[@SS-vt1hb]

Craig was the best ❤

[@kaymaldo]

Loved him on Degrassi!

[@Honestlylovely]

You a Eboni