Miriam McDonald

Miriam McDonald
Born	Miriam Katherine McDonald (1987-07-26) July 26, 1987 (age 38) Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1998–present

Miriam Katherine McDonald (born July 26, 1987 ^[1] ) is a Canadian actress best known for playing the lead role Emma Nelson on the Canadian television series Degrassi: The Next Generation . ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Early life

McDonald was born in Oakville, Ontario to Silvia (née Pauksens), who is of Latvian descent and John McDonald. ^[5] She had an older sister Esther, who died from an eating disorder in 2013. ^[6]

Career

McDonald focused on acting, playing a role in the series, System Crash , in 1999. McDonald found a job as a voiceover actress, after she was cast in 2001 in John Kricfalusi's series The Ripping Friends . ^[7] She has done a total of 39 characters.

In 2001, she was cast as Emma Nelson, daughter of Christine 'Spike' Nelson, in the CTV / The N drama Degrassi: The Next Generation , a spin-off of the successful Degrassi series. ^[8] She starred in the first nine series and three Degrassi television films. In 2016, she reprised the role for an episode in Degrassi: Next Class . She was also cast as Emma Jackson in the successful CTV show, Agent Wars, alongside Christopher .J. Alexander, Who played the main character, Christian. ^[9]

In 2004, she played Dawn Gensler in the Lifetime made-for-television movie She's Too Young . ^[10] She also had a guest role on the Family Channel show Naturally, Sadie as Heidi.

In 2008, she played Danielle "Daisy" Brooks in the made-for-TV erotic-thriller movie, Poison Ivy: The Secret Society . ^[11]

In 2013, she played two roles in Lost Girl and also made an appearance in Orphan Black . ^[2]

In 2018, McDonald appeared in Drake's music video for "I'm Upset", which took place during a Degrassi reunion. ^[12]

Personal life

McDonald is also a dancer and yoga instructor, and has worked as a real estate agent. ^[13]

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1999	System Crash		TV series
2001–2002	Pecola	Chewy	Main voice role; English version
2001–2015	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Emma Nelson	Main role (seasons 1–9), 138 episodes
2001-2015	Agent Wars	Emma Jackson (Appeared from season 2 to season 10)
Blue Murder	Lucy Wentworth	Episode: "Boarders"
2007	Naturally, Sadie	Heidi	Episode: "As Bad as It Gets"
	Devil's Diary	Heather	Television film
2008	Sea Beast	Carly McKenna	Television film
	Poison Ivy: The Secret Society	Danielle "Daisy" Brooks	Television film
	Degrassi Spring Break Movie	Emma Nelson	Television film
2009	Degrassi Goes Hollywood		Television film
2010	Degrassi Takes Manhattan		Television film
2012	XIII: The Series	Sasha	Episode: "Gauntlet"
2013	Lost Girl	Hot Fae / Anita	Episodes: "Faes Wide Shut", "Adventures in Fae-bysitting"
	Orphan Black	Madison	Episode: "Conditions of Existence"
2016	Degrassi: Next Class	Emma Nelson	Episode: "#ThrowBackThursday"
2018	A Veteran's Christmas	Marnie Radcliffe	Television film
2020	Letters to Satan Claus	Mayor Danica Bells	Television film

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2002	Agent Wars: The Movie	Emma Jackson	Theatrical film
2004	Agent Wars 2: Agents Unite	Emma Jackson (Reprised role)	Theatrical film
2007	The Poet	Willa	AKA Hearts of War
2014	Wolves	Haley
2021	The Love Prank	Sabrina	Short film

Music videos

Year	Title	Artist	Notes
2018	I'm Upset	Drake

Web series

Year	Title	Artist	Notes
2005–2008	Degrassi: Minis	Emma Nelson	17 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Notes	Ref.
2002	Young Artist Awards	Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama)	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Won		[14]
2003				Nominated		[15]
2005		Outstanding Young Performers in a TV Series		Nominated		[16]
		Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, or Special – Supporting Young Actress	She's Too Young	Nominated		[16]
2006		Best Young Ensemble Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama)	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Nominated		[17]

References

1. McDonald, Miriam (May 30, 2005). "Miriam McDonald Exclusive Interview". Archived from the original on January 6, 2011. Now the whole Degrassi empire if I can call it that, has been around for 25 years, but because I was born in '87, I missed a lot of those years
2. Reilly, Kaitlin (June 19, 2015). "Where Is Emma From 'Degrassi' Today? Miriam McDonald Is Not A Rapper". Bustle. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
3. "Degrassi: Where Are They Now?". E!. Archived from the original on January 21, 2014. Nelson was the reboot's female lead as she was the child of the original series' fan favorite, Spike
4. "Celebrities: Miriam McDonald". TV Guide.
5. "Valerija Pauksens Obituary". Canadian Cremation Services. Canadian Cremation Services. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
6. "Esther McDonald Obituary". Legacy.com . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
7. Miriam McDonald at www.behindthevoiceactors.com
8. Bricker, Tierney (June 15, 2018). "Could Drake's Video Reunion Lead to an Actual Degrassi Revival?". E! Online. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
9. Fuentes, Tamara (June 15, 2018). "This Is What the "Degrassi: The Next Generation" Cast Looks Like Now". Seventeen. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
10. Zupkus, Lauren (March 21, 2019). "Lifetime's She's Too Young Was a Sex Ed Cult Classic That Deserves More Respect". TVGuide.com. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
11. "Blu-ray Review: The POISON IVY Collection – Tainted Love Indeed" by Michele "Izzy" Galgana at screenanarchy.com
12. "Drake reunites with 'Degrassi' cast in 'I'm Upset' music video" by Star staff at www.thestar.com
13. Waters, Laura (March 31, 2022). "Where The Cast of Degrassi: The Next Generation Is Now". www.suggest.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
14. "Young Artist Awards (2002)". IMDb. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
15. "Young Artist Awards (2003)". IMDb. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
16. "Young Artist Awards (2005)". IMDb. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
17. "Young Artist Awards (2006)". IMDb. Retrieved March 31, 2024.

External links

• Miriam McDonald at IMDb