Jake Epstein
Birth : 1987-01-16, Toronto, Canada
History
Jake Epstein is a Canadian actor, singer and writer. He is best known for playing Craig in 'Degrassi: The Next Generation' (Gemini Award), Chuck in 'Designated Survivor' and Brian in 'Suits,' along with many other leading roles. On stage, he appeared on Broadway as Peter Parker in 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,' Gerry Goffin in 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' (original Broadway cast), and starred in the US National Tours of Green Day's American Idiot and Spring Awakening. Was guitarist and lead singer in a band called Mind the Gap which he started with four of his best friends. They did a couple of gigs around Toronto.
Has one older sister, Gabi Epstein.
Some of his favorite bands are: Pink Floyd, System of a Down, The Beatles, Radiohead, and the Headstones (lead singer, Hugh Dillon, played his father on Degrassi).
Used to be a brown belt in karate.
He directed his first play in 2003 called "The Dead and the Rooster".
His favorite acting career was playing in the "Oliver" play at the Royal Alex Theatre as the "Artful Dodger". His acting career shot off after that.
He plays drums for a band called Funkasaurus Rex.
Attended Earl Haig Secondary School, the same high school as his Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001) co-star Stefan Brogren.
Appeared with the actor that plays Jimmy's Dad (Conrad Coates) in two different series, first in the "Zack Files" (2000) and in "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (2001).
Parents are Ian Epstein and Kathy Kacer.
Auditioned for a role on Glee (2009).
Plays with his competitive soccer team; the North York Cosmos [March 2003]
Appearing as Melchior in the US Tour of Spring Awakening. [July 2009]
Appearing on Girls vs. Boys Hawaii [August 2004]
Filming season 5 of Degrassi. [May 2005]
He is from an Ashkenazi Jewish family (from Russia, Slovakia, and Panevezys in Lithuania).
He went to Claude Watson School for the Arts with his future Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001) co-star Stacey Farber from Grades Four to Eight.
He worked with Robert Clark in The Zack Files (2000) and his elder brother Daniel Clark in Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001).
His favourite film is Forrest Gump (1994).
He was born only one day after his The Zack Files (2000) and Degrassi Goes Hollywood (2009) co-star Michael Seater.
He played Craig Manning in Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001) and was born only two days before the premiere of the original series Degrassi High (1987).
His favourite television series are Family Guy (1999) and Breaking Bad (2008).
As a child, he was a fan of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992) and Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994).
He was the only one of the three main stars of The Zack Files (2000), the other two being Michael Seater and Robert Clark, who did not subsequently star in Strange Days at Blake Holsey High (2002).
Family (2)
Spouse Vanessa Smythe (7 July 2018 - present)
Robert Riley
When a magical Christmas wish goes wrong and inadvertently gives Christina the ability to hear what gifts everyone wants for the holidays, she quickly learns that convincing reclusive one-hit wonder, Dan Copren, to step back into the limelight could make a lot of people happy. But to get to Dan, Christina must first link up with her handsome realtor, Robert, and help him figure out his son Oliver’s ever-changing Christmas wish list.
Aubri Callahan is an aspiring comedian and ghost writer for Bella Delmonico, acclaimed stand up comic and owner of the Vista Theater. Performing at the Vista is a key step on the way to stardom and despite her natural talent, Aubri patiently waits for her time to shine, writing jokes for Bella in the shadows of the comedic giants that came before her. When The Vista Theater Variety Show lands in Aubri’s lap she must plan the whole event and find a headliner all before Christmas eve, just three weeks away.
Adam
Rebecca, a teacher, and Adam, an ad executive are excited to plan their Jewish wedding, but their wedding and future are put into jeopardy when Adam lands a new ad campaign, and their mothers meet for the first time.
Jason
Type A personality, Sophie outgrows her job at a small mediation company, and secures a job at the famous Lower Manhattan mediation and wellness firm, Floating Lotus. Always up for a challenge, Sophie dives headfirst into her role as Associate Mediator. She finds herself at loggerheads with the companies chief Life Coach and lothario, Jason Sharpe who is the son of the firm’s President. Jason’s a loveable rouge, who charms his way into people’s hearts. The two are forced to work together.
Parker
Natural-born leader, Julia, returns to her hometown of North Falls for Christmas to drown her sorrows in eggnog, cookies, and Yuletide after her recent political campaign for city council ended in a landslide loss. It's the perfect place for Julia's holiday escape — until she realizes coming home means running into her old high school rival, Parker, the arrogant know-it-all who beat her in a race for senior class president.
Daniel
An anonymous suitor sends optometrist Sara a gift for each night of Hanukkah. On her journey to find her secret admirer, she learns her one true love might be someone she never expected.
Ben
After a violent mugging, soon-to-be parents Robin and Ben flee the city for the idyllic countryside, a perfect place to raise their child. Unfortunately their disturbingly attentive neighbors have their own agenda for Robin and her family.
Carter
Sparks fly between a romance novelist and a blacksmith as they try to save a charming village during the holidays.
Jonathan Silver
When a determined toy company executive, Christy, must learn about Hanukkah in a hurry in order to land a big account, she enlists the help of her co-worker's friend Jonathan, who happens to also be in desperate need of turning his bachelor pad into a Christmas Wonderland to impress his girlfriend's father.
Taylor
If event planner Celeste Everett is going to save her business and give her niece a happy Christmas season, she is going to need help. When the nanny she hires turns out to be a man, Celeste surprisingly realizes she may have also found Christmas love for herself.
Danny
Based on a stage play of the same name by Amy Nostbakken and Norah Sadava, the story follows Cassandra, who is portrayed by the two women, expressing the opposing voices that exist inside the modern woman's head, during a 48-hour period as she tries to organize the affairs for her mother's funeral.
James Douglas
Tess is the female lead in a very successful Sci-Fi series. She longs to escape from the sexist and stereotypical role that has given her fame but no one around her can believe she would leave a starring role. When a photo leaks that suggests her leading man and real-life husband is cheating on her, Tess turns to her trusted assistant for support. Unfortunately, that may not have been the wisest choice.
Woody
Meredith Rossman has made Rossman's Department store her entire life, not leaving any time for Christmas or romance. But when she is roped into donning the store's antique Mrs. Claus outfit to play Mrs. Claus at Rossman's famous Santaville, her life takes some unexpected turns. Through the help of the suit and the charming store Santa, Nick, Meredith rekindles her love of Christmas, the store, their employees and possibly even begins a new love with Nick.
Pierce
Based on the true life story of California gymnast Ariana Berlin. As she zoned in on her Olympic goals, 14 year old Ariana Berlin's life took a sharp turn when she was involved in a debilitating car accident. Gaining her confidence and movement back through learning hip hop dance, she unexpectedly found herself called back to the gymnastics world thanks to world renowned UCLA Coach Valorie Kondos Field. With Val's help, Ariana was eventually able to secure a spot on the UCLA gymnastics team and win an NCAA championship, a lifelong goal that she had always dreamed of. This is a wonderfully inspiring story of persistence, confidence, and the heart and courage to make a somewhat impossible comeback in life.
Fergus
Jonah, an unemployed gambler, takes his estranged pot-smoking teen-aged daughter Aurora on a dangerous road trip to Churchill, Manitoba to show her the magnificent Northern Lights - before her vision disorder renders her completely blind.
Himself
The cast and crew talk about their most favourite character moments and the storylines that caused the most reactions.
Marc Peters
After a night of drinking, Adam Hutcherson stumbles out of the closet to his three straight buddies. A disruption to their dynamic which they now must try and overcome through alcohol, Tinder dates and forgiveness.
Jesse Turner
After her parents are killed in a car accident, twenty-two year old Kelly Turner finds herself in the overwhelming position of being the sole caregiver for her older brother Jesse who has autism.
Josh Trestman
A middle-aged woman follows letters from an unseen admirer into potential danger.
Craig Manning
The gang travels to Los Angeles, California as they attempt to live out their dreams.
Craig Manning
Teen Drama....
Dustin Lauderbach
Awkward teenager Charlie Bartlett has trouble fitting in at a new high school. Charlie needs some friends fast, and decides that the best way to find them is to appoint himself the resident psychiatrist. He becomes one of the most popular guys in school by doling out advice and, occasionally, medication, to the student body.
Craig Manning
Snoogans! What are Jay and Silent Bob doing in Canada? Rewind….what are they doing at DEGRASSI! One major perk to being a director is that you can live out your fantasies. Kevin Smith's fantasy? To be featured in a three episode arc of Degrassi: The Next Generation! Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes head north to film their next movie in which their alter egos are forced to go back to high school, called "Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh?" And what better high school to shoot at that Degrassi Community School? But drama ensues even before the cameras begin to roll!
Duffy
The Hansen kids are in a jam. Adam and his best friend Duffy have gotten their hands on some tickets for the Headless Horseman concert, and his sister Chelsea has a date with her dreamy boyfriend Peter. The only problem is they're both grounded. Chelsea and Adam will do whatever it takes to get their mom Lynette out of the house, even if it includes a chance meeting with a very mysterious man. Everything seems to go according to plan until their little brother Taylor realizes that this stranger might be a vampire.
Brad
A teenager goes to desperate lengths to get attention when her mother gives birth to quints.
