Stefan Brogren

Stefan Brogren
Brogren in November 2010
Born	(1972-04-21) 21 April 1972 (age 52) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)	Actor, director, producer
Years active	1987-present
Spouse	Michelle Shaughnessy ​ ​ (m. 2019)​

Stefan Brogren (born 21 April 1972) is a Canadian actor, director, and producer who is best known for his mainstay role as Archie "Snake" Simpson in the Degrassi television franchise. First appearing as a student in the second series Degrassi Junior High (1987-89) and continuing into Degrassi High (1989-91), Brogren played the role of Snake throughout every subsequent entry in the franchise, reprising his role in the revival Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001-15) as a teacher and later principal, and again in Degrassi: Next Class (2016-17).

He was later a producer of The Next Generation and Next Class and directed numerous episodes of both series, winning a Gemini Award for his directorial work in 2010.

Early life

Stefan Brogren was born on 21 April 1972, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Brogren's father is of Swedish descent. ^[1]

Career

Brogren has portrayed Archie "Snake" Simpson since his teen years, as a student in Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, and then as a media teacher and principal in Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001-2015). ^[2] With the exception of The Kids of Degrassi Street , Brogren has appeared in every Degrassi series as a regular cast member. Brogren was the first Canadian actor to use the word "fuck" on Canadian primetime television, on the Degrassi High TV movie, School's Out! when he was discussing Joey Jeremiah's sexual escapades with Tessa Campanelli. ^[3]

In 1999, Brogren starred in the music video for "Rock Past It" by pop-metal band Scratching Post.

Brogren made his directing debut with Degrassi of the Dead, a non-canonical horror episode, which aired on Halloween 2007. The 15 minute webisode depicted several Degrassi characters attempting to escape from other characters who had become zombies as a result of eating genetically modified food. The show was followed by a behind-the-scenes/making-of presentation during which he was introduced as the director. He has directed many episodes since, and became a series producer in the eleventh season.

Brogren is one of two directors of The L.A. Complex which, like Degrassi, was produced by Epitome Pictures.

He appeared in Drake's 2018 music video for "I'm Upset," which takes place during a Degrassi reunion. ^[4]

In 2022, he released his suspense thriller film Obsessed to Death. ^[5]

Personal life

He resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is 6 feet 4 inches (6'4") tall, and is married to Canadian comedian and actress Michelle Shaughnessy.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1998	Hairshirt	Timothy "Tim" Wright	Also known as "Too Smooth"
2001	Focus	Bodyguard
	Invitation	Stefan
2002	Drummer Boy	Family Doctor
2003	The Happy Couple	Dwayne's Friend
	Masterpiece Monday	Joe	Short film
2004	Denied	Donald
2005	Pizza Shop		Short film
2006	Succubus	Larry	Short film
2008	Bitten (Vampire Apocalypse)	Bearded Man
2022	Sneakerella	Shoe Executive

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987-1989	Degrassi Junior High	Archibald "Snake" Simpson
1990-1991	Degrassi High	Archibald "Snake" Simpson
1991	C.B.C's Magic Hour	Basketball Teammate	Episode: "The Prom"
1992	School's Out	Archibald "Archie" Simpson	Television movie
1995-1996	Liberty Street	Brandon	3 episodes
1997	La Femme Nikita	Security Guard	1 episode
	Wind at my Back	Bowser	Episode: "Something from Nothing"
1998	Twitch City	Ty;er Fawcett	Episode: "I Slept with my Mother"
1999	I Was a Sixth Grade Alien	Corky	1 episode
2001	Prince Charming	Bob Worthington	Television movie
2001–2015	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Archibald "Archie" Simpson	Main role
2001	The Endless Grind	Howard	Episode: "The Endless Grind of Race"
	Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows	Oscar Camerman	2 episodes
	Witchblade	Leeman Bostwick	Episode: "Convergence"
2002	The Associates	Grady Pascoe / Rudy Pasco	2 episodes
2003	Wild Card	Motel Clerk	Episode: "No Bull"
	Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart		Television movie
2004	Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye	Brian Guthrie	Episode: "Political Agenda"
	Evel Knievel	Bob Tuax	Television movie
2005	Kojak	Terry	Episode: "East Sixties"
	Martha Behind Bars	Federal Agent #1	Television movie
2010	Degrassi Takes Manhattan	Archibald "Archie" Simpson	Television movie
2016–2017	Degrassi: Next Class	Archibald "Archie" Simpson	8 episodes
2018	Very, Very, Valentine	Mr. Carlisle	Television movie
2020	Canada's Drag Race	Himself	1 episode
	Private Eyes	Dean Carl Robinson	Episode: "Tappa Kegga Daily"
	A Christmas Break	Phil Johnson	Television movie
2021	American Gods	High Priest Olaffson	Episode: "Fire and Ice"
2022	Air Crash Investigation	NTSB Investigator Macintosh	Episode: "Turboprop Terror"

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2005-2006	Degrassi: Minis	Archibald "Archie" Simpson	5 episodes

Music videos

Year	Title	Artist
1999	Rock Past It	Scratching Post
2018	I'm Upset	Drake

Filmmaking credits

Year	Title	Director	Producer	Writer	Notes
2006-2007	Instant Star	Yes	No	Yes	2 episodes
2008	Degrassi: Minis	Yes	Yes	Yes	Episode "The Curse of Degrassi"
2009-2015	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Yes	Yes	No	51 episodes
2009	Degrassi Goes Hollywood	Yes	Yes	No	Television movie
2010	Degrassi Takes Manhattan	Yes	Yes	No	Television movie
2012	The L.A. Complex	Yes	Yes	No	7 episodes
2015	Open Heart	Yes	Yes	No	8 episodes
2016-2017	Degrassi: Next Class	Yes	Yes	No	20 episodes
	Raising Expectations	Yes	No	No	2 episodes
2018-2022	Holly Hobbie	Yes	Yes	No	23 episodes
2021	A Mother's Lie	Yes	No	No	Television movie
	A Chance for Christmas	Yes	No	No	Television movie
2022	Obsessed to Death	Yes	No	No
2023	Welcome to Valentine	Yes	No	No	Television movie
	Popularity Papers	Yes	Yes	No	5 episodes
	Twisted Neighbor	Yes	No	No
2024	Billion Dollar Bluff	Yes	No	No

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Series	Result	Ref.
1989	Gemini Award	Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role	Degrassi Junior High	Nominated	[6]
1990	Young Artist Award	Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast	Degrassi High	Nominated	[7]
2002	Gemini Award	Geminis' Hottest Star	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Nominated	[8]
2010	Gemini Award	Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series		Nominated	[9]
		Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series	Degrassi: The Next Generation (Episode "Beat It: Part 2")	Won	[9]
2011	Gemini Award	Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Won	[10]
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Children's Program		Nominated	[11]
2012	Directors Guild of Canada	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Family Series	Degrassi: The Next Generation (episode "Dead and Gone: Part 2")	Nominated	[12]
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Children's Program	Degrassi: The Next Generation	Nominated	[13]
2013	Canadian Screen Awards	Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series		Won	[14]
2014		Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series		Won	[15]
		Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series		Won	[16]
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Children's Program		Nominated	[17]
2015		Outstanding Children's Program		Nominated	[18]
	Canadian Screen Awards	Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series		Nominated	[19]
2016		Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series		Nominated	[20]
	Directors Guild of Canada	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Family Series	Degrassi: Next Class (episode: "#Sorrynotsorry")	Nominated	[21]
		Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Family Series	Degrassi: Next Class (episode: "Bootycall")	Nominated	[21]
2017		Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Family Series	Degrassi: Next Class (episode: "#ImSleep)	Nominated	[22]
	Canadian Screen Awards	Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series	Degrassi: Next Class	Nominated	[23]
2018		Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series		Nominated	[24]
2020		Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series	Holly Hobbie	Nominated	[25]
	Daytime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Program		Nominated	[26]
2021	Canadian Screen Awards	Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series		Nominated	[27]
2023		Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series		Nominated	[28]

References

1. Stefan Brogren's Twitter on Twitter
2. Dickson, Jeremy (17 March 2017). "Snake's path: Actor Stefan Brogren talks Degrassi's evolution" . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
3. Wong, Tony (17 March 2017). "Snake and Degrassi alumni reunite to celebrate 30th anniversary at Toronto ComiCon". Toronto Star. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
4. "Drake 'I'm Upset' video features 'Degrassi' reunion | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
5. "Obsessed to Death Movie (2022) | Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Songs". www.digit.in. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
6. "Canadian Awards Database History Search for "Degrassi"". Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. 2007. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2007.
7. "IMDb: Young Artist Awards: 1990". IMDb. 2007. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2007.
8. "Degrassi: The Next Generation – Awards". Epitome Virtual Reality . CTV. 28 November 2006. Archived from the original on 18 February 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2007.
9. "2010 Gemini Awards Presented in Drama, Children's and Youth, Comedy, and Variety Categories" (PDF). Gemini Awards. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
10. "2011 Gemini Awards Presented in Drama, Children's or Youth, Comedy and Variety Categories" (PDF). Gemini Awards. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
11. "Primetime Emmy Awards (2011)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
12. "Directors Guild of Canada (2012)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
13. "Primetime Emmy Awards (2012)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
14. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2013)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
15. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2014)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
16. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2014)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
17. "Primetime Emmy Awards (2014)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
18. "Primetime Emmy Awards (2015)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
19. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2015)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
20. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2016)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
21. "Directors Guild of Canada (2016)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
22. "Directors Guild of Canada (2017)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
23. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2017)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
24. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2018)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
25. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
26. "Daytime Emmy Awards (2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
27. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2021)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
28. "Canadian Screen Awards, CA (2023)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 April 2024.

External links

• Stefan Brogren at IMDb
• Stefan Brogren on Twitter