Shenae
Grimes
Stars in the New "90210"
by Lynn Barker
 Pretty,
reddish-brown-haired Shenae Grimes Is an 18-year-old Canadian actress
from Toronto whom you might have seen in the role of Darcy Edwards on
the popular "Degrassi: The Next Generation" or as one of Ashley
Tisdale's BFFs in the Disney Channel film "Picture This". Now
Shenae will star in the CW's update of the popular series "Beverly
Hills 90210" as Annie Wilson who moves to Beverly Hills from Kansas.
Talk about transplant shock!
We were able
to chat briefly with the young actress at a Beverly Hills hotel earlier
in the summer about her new role, her knowledge of the original TV series
and, hey, what do gals from Kansas wear when they hit Beverly Hills anyway?
AGW: How did
you come to the show? Did they see you on 'Degrassi' and ask to see you,
or did you just audition for it?
Shenae: I
auditioned. I sent in a tape, just like everybody else. My producers were
familiar with 'Degrassi'. They did a lot of shows up in Canada, like 'Freaks
and Geeks', 'Life As We Know It' and 'Undeclared', so they were familiar
with the show. And, it does take a similar tone, so maybe that’s
why there were interested in me, but I had to audition, just like the
rest of the thousands of girls in L.A.
AGW: Tell
us about your character on "90210".
Shenae: I’m
playing Annie Wilson. I’m the daughter of the family of Midwesterners
who come over to Hollywood. If you were looking at the old series, it
would technically be the Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) type, but it’s
a completely different character.
AGW: Did you
watch the original series?
Shenae: Oh,
yes, I did. I was raised on the original show.
AGW: Who was
your favorite character from the original series?
Shenae: Dylan
McKay [played by Luke Perry]. I think every lady out there would agree
with me. Hands down, Dylan McKay.
AGW: What
did you think when the original series shifted from every day high school/young
adult stories to mob hit subplots and mafia stories?
Shenae: You
love it! You love growing up with the characters. It was the same kind
of thing with 'Saved by the Bell', when they started growing up. You love
peering into their lives and being able to see more than just school life
because there is so much more that goes on. It got a little dramatic,
but it was bringing stuff to television that nobody had ever seen before,
so you’ve got to appreciate that.
AGW: But,
the new series is going back to the original tone with high school stories
and teens, right?
Shenae: Oh,
absolutely! The teen stories that are around nowadays are so much more
updated and so much more relevant to the times than they used to be. Kids
were very sheltered 10 or 15 years ago, in comparison to where they are
now, with the Internet and all of the media and everything.
AGW: Yeah.
It's a new world all right. Can teens identify with Annie or can you?
 Shenae:
She's the good girl from the Midwest who comes to Hollywood. It’s
just a shell-shock experience, and going on the journey with her, through
the transition from these good Midwestern values into the craziness that
is Hollywood, we all know what that’s like. She’s the new
kid in school, and there are peer pressures, so it shows how she juggles
it and tries to fit in.
AGW: Will
the stories be more true to real life or "glammed up"?
Shenae: It’s
very true to life. That’s what we want to do with this show. There
are a lot of shows on television right now that glamorize the high school
years. Let’s be real, they’re not very glamorous. There’s
a lot of trials and tribulations. We’re not going to wrap it up
in a pretty package, at the end of the day, or give you a moral of the
story, like the old show did. It will have more subtle lessons.
AGW: That’s
what "Degrassi" did too, right?
Shenae: Yes,
it did! Hopefully, I can carry some of that. My character on Degrassi
certainly went through some rough times, to say the least, and those things
happen. We want to show the true consequences and the effects that that
has on your life. You don’t just get [attacked], and then it’s
done in a day, you get over it, you tell your girlfriend and that's it
for you. There are effects that stay with you, sometimes your entire life.
You’ll see these layers of these characters peeled away, over time.
AGW: Do you
think the popularity of "Degrassi" has helped prepare you for
the attention that you’ll be getting for this show?
Shenae: No,
not at all. In Canada, we have no celebrity system, so I have no idea
what I’m walking into right now. [Laughs] I’m just taking
it all in stride. But, as far as the message that a show like "Degrassi"
sends to kids and audiences, I certainly think it prepared me, like a
boot camp, for where I am today.
AGW: Let's
talk fashion! What will the teens on the show be wearing?
Shenae: Oh,
my God! I’m a fashion lover! I actually interned at a fashion network
before I got this job, so I am certainly soaking in all of the brands
and learning the West Coast style. For my character, Annie is coming from
Kansas, so she’s a jeans and t-shirts kind of gal. But, I’m
excited for the transition. Her peers are certainly going to influence
her style, as time goes on. Naomi Clark (AnnaLynne McCord) is decked out
in D&G and Balenciaga, and all the rest. Deb McGuire is the costume
designer. She’s quite the legend in her game, so we’re very,
very fortunate to have her on board with wardrobe.
AGW: Will
there be a long transition before Annie takes up the West Coast style?
Shenae: I
just don’t know! I’m very curious to find out myself. Hopefully,
sooner rather than later because the clothes are very fun to play with,
but it will be a very natural thing. The whole show is very much about
reality and what the world is.
AGW: Will
music play a big part on the show?
Shenae: The
music is definitely going to be one of the most fun aspects of the series
for everybody. We’re bringing out all these underground, cool bands
and showcasing them. Music is going to be a huge part of the show.
AGW: The
original "90210" was such a big hit with young people so people
are expecting a lot from this new one. Are you considering that as you
make the show?
Shenae: We
are but we’re trying to just put that in the back of our heads because
it is a completely new show and we’re doing something completely
different with it. We are bringing things to the table that people don’t
necessarily see on network television, which is exactly what the old '90210'
did. It’s just an updated version. So, the pressure is definitely
there. I was a fan, so I’m expecting a lot out of it too. But, I’m
very confident with the show that we’re putting together.
Pictures courtesy
of the CW Network
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