Stacie Mistysyn

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Stacie Mo'ana Mistysyn
Born (1971-07-23) July 23, 1971 (age 52)
Los Angeles, California, USA
Years active1982-present
TelevisionDegrassi
SpouseJames Gallanders (since 2009)
AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role

Stacie Moana Mistysyn[1] (born July 23, 1971) is an American and Canadian actress who is best known for her role as Caitlin Ryan throughout multiple incarnations of the Degrassi teen drama franchise, from Degrassi Junior High through Degrassi: The Next Generation. She previously played Lisa Canard in The Kids of Degrassi Street from 1982 to 1986.

She won a Gemini Award for Degrassi Junior High in 1989 and was nominated in 1987 and 1990. She was also named in a Young Artist Award for Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast nomination in 1990.

Biography[edit]

Mistysyn was born in Los Angeles to American parents, and was raised in Toronto.[2] As of 2005, she had dual American and Canadian citizenship, but considered herself Canadian.[3] She auditioned for The Kids of Degrassi Street at the age of 10 after coming across an audition flyer at her school. She played the role of Lisa Canard from 1982 to 1986, when development began on Degrassi Junior High, where she opted to play a new character instead of reprising her previous role.[4] Initially auditioning for a "rebellious, punky" character named Annie, she was instead given her own character, Caitlin Ryan, named after a relative of the show's publicist.[4]

According to the Toronto Star, Caitlin was "arguably its most popular character, whose storylines included her questioning her sexuality, an epilepsy diagnosis and the trauma after an ex committed suicide".[5] In 1992, Mistysyn appeared as Caitlin in Degrassi High's television movie finale, School's Out!, where she uttered the quote "You were fucking Tessa Campanelli?", the second time "fuck" was said on Canadian television after co-star Stefan Brogren moments earlier in the film.[6] She appeared in the acclaimed 1990 Canadian film Princes in Exile.[7]

After Degrassi, Mistysyn was accepted into Ryerson University, but chose to continue acting instead. In 1994, she starred in the television movie X-Rated, produced by the creators of Degrassi.[8][9] American filmmaker Kevin Smith, a fan of the Degrassi series and of Mistysyn, wanted her to appear in 1995's Mallrats, but Universal Pictures insisted he use a better-known actress; the role Smith wanted for Mistysyn was instead given to Shannen Doherty,[10] who is seen wearing a Degrassi jacket in the film.[11]

In 1996, Mistysyn moved to Los Angeles to avoid typecasting.[12][4] She commuted to Toronto and back for Degrassi: The Next Generation before permanently returning in 2006.[12] Mistysyn is close friends with Degrassi co-star Amanda Stepto, and in the late 2000s the two had plans to develop their own comedy series, OverXposed, which did not come to fruition.[13] Mistysyn and Stepto performed as DJs in Toronto in the late 2000s and early 2010s.[14][15]

Mistysyn is a certified fitness coach.[5][16]

Awards and nominations[edit]

In 1989, Mistysyn won a Gemini Award for Best Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role for Degrassi Junior High. She was previously nominated for the award in 1987[17] and again in 1990,[18] in addition to being nominated as part of an ensemble for a Young Artist Award that year.[19]

Personal life[edit]

Mistysyn attended Malvern Collegiate Institute while starring on Degrassi Junior High.[12] She married actor James Gallanders in 2009 and has two children.[12] In an online article for Medium, she revealed that she struggled with an eating disorder and anxiety near the end of Degrassi's run.[20] In 1991, it was reported that Mistysyn was rehearsing as the singer of a local Toronto band previously called Dream Design.[21]

Mistysyn had a brother, Cory,[7] who died in 2010.[22] Her sister Kim appeared in an episode of Degrassi Talks, discussing her sexuality.[7]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Series Role Notes Ref
1990 Princes in Exile Holly [23]
1991 The Prom Rebecca [24]
1992 School's Out! Caitlin Ryan TV movie [25]
1994 X-Rated River Owen TV movie [26]
1999 The Wrong Girl Missy TV movie
Picture of Priority K.C. High
2003 Jersey Guy Susan
2020 Narbo's Guide to Being a Broomhead Self
2024 Charlie Tango Kim [27]

Television[edit]

Year Series Role Notes Ref
1982-1986 The Kids of Degrassi Street Lisa Canard 17 episodes
1987-1989 Degrassi Junior High Caitlin Ryan
1989-1991 Degrassi High
1991 C.B.C's Magic Hour Rebecca Episode: "The Prom"
1992 Degrassi Talks Self 6 episodes
1993 Under the Umbrella Tree Megan Episode: "Love" [28]
Class of '96 Waitress Episode: "Look Homeward Angela"
1996 Weird Science Jenny Dressen Episode: "Family Affair"
1998 Seven Days Lita Episode: "The Gettysburg Virus"
2001-2008 Degrassi: The Next Generation Caitlin Ryan Main character; 69 episodes
2003 Wild Card Ginger Episode: "Backstabbed"

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Home". staciemistysyn.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Nicholls, Stephen (January 5, 1990). "Stacie remembers her TV debut". The Leader-Post. p. 59. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  3. ^ Sunshine, Fannie (September 9, 2005). "Degrassi girl back home for play". The East York Mirror. ProQuest 362190446.
  4. ^ a b c "An Interview With Stacie Mistysyn By: Einat Razin". Staciemistysyn.net. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Grignon, Denis (August 26, 2023). "I was in my 20s when 'Degrassi Junior High' debuted. It was my must-see TV". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023.
  6. ^ "8 Of The Most Iconically Awkward Degrassi Moments Of All Time". Junkee. June 23, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Degrassi Talks: Sexuality". Degrassi Online. December 6, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  8. ^ Atherton, Tony (February 26, 1994). "Degrassi grows up". The Ottawa Citizen. p. 47. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  9. ^ McCann, Wendy (February 26, 1994). "Grown up Degrassi Kids disturbing reflection of life". Star-Phoenix. p. 28. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Slotek, Jim (March 15, 2017). "Pat Mastroianni on the 'Degrassi' reunion, working with Drake and dropping the F-bomb". Toronto Sun.
  11. ^ Gill, Alexandra (February 3, 2005). "'You really like it here?'". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d Murdoch, Lorie (November 21, 2013). "From Degrassi to L.A. and back". Beach Metro Community News.
  13. ^ Cullman, Roger (February 6, 2008). "In the DJ Booth With the Degrassi Girls". BlogTO. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  14. ^ "Amanda Stepto". De Grassi Tour. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ^ Ongsansoy, Hans (June 20, 2009). "Spike - from 'Degrassi' to DJ booth". Nanaimo Daily News. p. 24. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  16. ^ "Stacie Mistysyn gives fellow 'Degrassi' star an 'epic' birthday gift: 'So clever'". ca.style.yahoo.com. December 22, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  17. ^ Anderson, Bill (October 24, 1987). "Seeing Things gets 11 Gemini Awards nominations". The Sun Times. p. 24. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  18. ^ Atherton, Tony (December 3, 1990). "Atherton's picks for the 1990 Geminis". The Ottawa Citizen. p. 40. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  19. ^ "11th Annual Awards". April 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  20. ^ Mistysyn, Stacie Moana (August 30, 2022). "When the World Tried To Make Me Fat". Better Humans. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  21. ^ "Life after Degrassi High". The Ottawa Citizen. July 3, 1991. p. 18. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  22. ^ "Cory Mistysyn Obituary (2010) - Toronto Star". Legacy.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  23. ^ "A subtle story of child heroes". The Sun Times. November 9, 1990. p. 50. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  24. ^ Blakey, Bob (December 24, 1990). "CFCN show aims to round up a cowboy song". Calgary Herald. p. 66. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  25. ^ Anderson, Bill (January 3, 1992). "Rudolph's gone; cops, serial killers back on TV". Star-Phoenix. Canadian Press. p. 37. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  26. ^ "Eccentrics thrive in CBC's 'X-Rated'". Nanaimo Daily News. February 25, 1994. p. 28. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  27. ^ Gratton, Marie-Eve (March 8, 2023). "Le film « CHARLIE TANGO » en tournage avec David La Haye et Stacie Mistysyn". CTVM.info (in French). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  28. ^ "Life after Degrassi High". The Ottawa Citizen. July 3, 1991. p. 18. Retrieved September 17, 2023.

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