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鈥�eClare鈥� or 鈥淐ake鈥�?

Did you know that your enjoyment of the new season of DEGRASSI may in fact boil down to your taste in desserts? You did if you鈥檙e a fan of Canada鈥檚 most popular export, which thanks to last night鈥檚 introduction of Jake Martin (Justin Kelly), finally got their first taste of 鈥淐ake鈥� (That鈥檚 Clare and Jake for those of you who don鈥檛 know their tumblr from their !) So just how does actor Justin Kelly feel about playing the new guy in Clare鈥檚 life, also konwn as the young man who may-or-may-not have set with declarations of [pastry] war following a simple kiss during last night鈥檚 episode? We recently had the opportunity to catch up with the affable actor to find out just that. See for yourself after the jump.

What鈥檚 it like being the new guy on the set of such an established show like DEGRASSI?
Justin Kelly: There was definitely a level of intimidation getting into it. But I鈥檝e auditioned for a couple of characters prior to 鈥淛ake,鈥� so I knew what the general process was like going into the room and reading for the Producers. Plus, my buddy and my best friend Munro [Chambers[ has been on the show since season 10 so that actually took a lot of the stress out of everything in terms of meeting the cast and being a part of the project.

Somewhat ironic that your best friend off-screen may turn out to be your worst enemy on!

Yeah鈥� we start off a little on edge with each other because I see him [Eli] as the ex-boyfriend to my . Any guy who has that towards someone else, it鈥檚 not necessarily a positive thing. There鈥檚 a whole that goes down during the [Redacted to avoid Spoilers!] and what Eli tries to do to break up Jake and Clare, he doesn鈥檛 like. It鈥檚 kind of the first time that he really gets into the drama of the series, before he was just kind of laid back about it all.

What brings Jake to Degrassi?
As far as I know, he had a past with Clare, they were childhood acquaintances, he threw dead frogs at her! He moves up North with his father, they end up relocating back to the city and his father starts to build a with Clare鈥檚 mother who was recently divorced and at the same time Jake and Clare build their own relationship.

Is there any uncomfortableness about exploring a relationship for Jake and Clare while there parents do the exact same thing?
We definitely have a secret to hide from our parents. It comes to a point where at school we can be free, together and everybody knows, it鈥檚 fine it鈥檚 great. But as soon as we walk into the Edwards household it suddenly becomes where I can鈥檛 put my arm around her without worrying if Ms. Edwards is going to come downstairs, or what鈥檚 going to happen if my father Glen notices because we obviously still want them to be happy so we have to decided what鈥檚 best for everyone.

Are you at all nervous about how the fandom will react to your character coming in between 鈥渆Clare鈥� and what do you think of 鈥淐ake?鈥�
I it. I think it鈥檚 great. Especially with the whole dynamic with 鈥渆Clare,鈥� I think the battle of the desserts is really something. I think that 鈥渆Clare,鈥� Eli and Clare together have built such an iconic TV relationship over the last season and to step into that, to be that other guy that breaks up 鈥渆Clare,鈥� I don鈥檛 believe that 鈥渆Clare鈥� fans are going to like them [Jake and Clare] off the top if they鈥檙e keen on Eli. But at the same time Jake and Clare start to build their own bond throughout the season and we really see a change from where they meet back in the third episode to where they are now.

Will Jake have any storylines with characters aside from Clare?
It鈥檚 mostly Clare, but there is interaction with Eli through Clare being a mutual friend between us, we start to build our own weird relationship. And the stuff we鈥檙e shooting now, Jake starts to become buddies with Drew. I had a couple scenes with Luke [Drew] recently where we were shooting, it takes place in a [Redacted to avoid Spoilers!], so Drew and Jake become buddies over that time and I think that鈥檚 kind of in the works.

And finally, having for this interview, we have to ask about your apparent musical talent. Seeing as though Degrassi students have had quite a history of forming bands, should fans expect to see your guitar skills on display this season?
Not that I know of. It鈥檚 more of a hobby. I鈥檓 totally content with not having to showcase my music. I love playing but they鈥檙e two separate art forms for me.

You can catch new episodes of DEGRASSI Monday thru Thursday at 9PM on TeenNick (MuchMusic in Canada) or catch up on past episodes for free at

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