Melissa DiMarco

Last updated
Melissa DiMarco
Melissa DiMarco at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.jpg
Born
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater York University
Occupation(s)Actress, Television Host, Producer, Writer, Documentary Film Maker
Years active1995 present
Website http://www.outtherewithmelissa.com

Melissa DiMarco is a Canadian actress, producer, and television personality. She has made acting appearances in feature films and television. She is best known for her role as Daphne Hatzilakos in the teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2002-2010) and as the host and showrunner of her own syndicated television program Out There with Melissa DiMarco .

Contents

Career

On television, one of DiMarco's best-known acting parts was in the teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation as Daphne Hatzilakos, teacher and later Principal of Degrassi Community School. She played Hatzilakos for eight seasons (2002 - 2010). DiMarco's TV credits include the CBC soap opera Riverdale and guest-starring spots on series such as Due South , Blue Murder , The Hardy Boys , Psi Factor , Kung Fu: The Legend Continues , Relic Hunter , and Kojak . [1]

Her film credits include roles in Peter Bogdanovich's Hustle: The Pete Rose Story , Duct Tape Forever (the film adaptation of The Red Green Show ), The Rest of My Life: Degrassi Takes Manhattan , and Degrassi Spring Break Movie. She also appeared in Danny DeVito's dark comedy, Death to Smoochy . [2]

She also directed, produced, and wrote Dreamseeker: Nia Vardalos, an award-winning documentary on the rise of Nia Vardalos [3] of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame and was the host and producer of Nite Life, an entertainment show that focused on celebrity interviews and the nightclub, bar, and concert scene, which aired on OMNI. [4]

Since 2004, DiMarco has hosted the Out There with Melissa DiMarco television comedy which airs on Citytv's national network and The Biography Channel. [5] Excerpts from DiMarco's celebrity interviews also air on OUTtv. [6] The show mixes celebrity interviews with scripted comedy that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the life of an entertainment journalist (played by DiMarco). Among the celebrities she has interviewed on the show are Pierce Brosnan, George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Colin Farrell, Salma Hayek, Queen Latifah, Ludacris, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt, and Gene Simmons. [7] Updates and excerpts from these interviews are syndicated internationally. Out There has been recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Creative Excellence at the 39th U.S. International Film and Video Festival. [8]

DiMarco is a Dean's Honour Roll graduate of the Fine Arts Program at York University [9] and is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists, the Academy of Canadian Cinema, and WIFT-T (Women in Film & Television Toronto). [10]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995The Hardy BoysReporterEpisode: "Love Birds"
Side EffectsBelindaEpisode: "On the QT"
Episode: "Time Enough to Say Good-Bye"
1996 Due South StellaEpisode: "Starman"
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues JennieEpisode: "Shaolin Shot"
1997 Riverdale IreneTV series
While My Pretty One SleepsHeidiTV movies
The Absolute TruthNurse
Time to Say Goodbye? Courthouse Reporter
Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Katie SheffieldEpisode: "The Damned"
1999 Relic Hunter Kate YawleyEpisode: "Diamond in the Rough"
2000No AlibiStella
The Thin Blue Lie Sandra DuranoTV movie
2001 Relic Hunter Maxine SchneiderEpisode: "Out of the Past"
Blue Murder Selena del RioEpisode: "Partners"
The Associates CameronEpisode: "E Pluribus Unum"
Leap Years RosalineEpisode 1.9
2002 Degrassi: The Next Generation Principal Daphne Hatzilakos2002 - 2010 (91 episodes)
MarkerDianna
Death to Smoochy Tara
Duct Tape Forever Deputy Dawn
Adventure Inc. Elizabeth DillonEpisode: "Message from the Deep"
2003 Wild Card Spa ManagerEpisode: "Sand Trap"
2004 Out There with Melissa DiMarco Actor / Host / Interviewer2004–Present (144 episodes)
Hustle Carol RoseTV movie
Life AfterAngeline
2005 Bailey's Billion$ Tessa (voice)
Kojak Nancy PastoriEpisode: "Hitman"
Episode: "Kind of Blue"
2008 Degrassi Spring Break Movie Principal Daphne HatzilakosTV movie
2010 The Rest of My Life: Degrassi Takes Manhattan Principal Daphne HatzilakosTV movie
2013 The Goree Girls Erica GilliganPre Production

Television Producer

Further reading

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References