- Melissa DiMarco
-
Melissa DiMarco 
Born 
Toronto, Ontario, CanadaAlma mater York University Occupation Actress, Television Host, Producer, Documentary Filmmaker Years active 1995 – present Melissa DiMarco is an actress, producer, and television personality. She is currently the star, creator, and a writer on Out There with Melissa DiMarco (2004 - present), an award-winning[1] television comedy which airs on Citytv's national network, OMNI.1, and in syndication on OUTtv.[2] One of DiMarco's best-known acting parts was her starring role on 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).
Her current show Out There 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.[3] 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.[4]
Her film credits include leading 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.[5]
DiMarco’s TV credits include a starring role on 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.[6]
She also directed, produced, and wrote Dreamseeker: Nia Vardalos, an award-winning documentary on the rise of Nia Vardalos[7] 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.[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]
Contents
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes 1995 The Hardy Boys Reporter Episode: "Love Birds" Side Effects Belinda Episode: "On the QT"
Episode: "Time Enough to Say Good-Bye"1996 Due South Stella Episode: "Starman" Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Jennie Episode: "Shaolin Shot" 1997 Riverdale Irene TV series While My Pretty One Sleeps Heidi TV movies The Absolute Truth Nurse Time to Say Goodbye? Courthouse Reporter Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Katie Sheffield Episode: "The Damned" 1999 Relic Hunter Kate Yawley Episode: "Diamond in the Rough" 2000 No Alibi Stella The Thin Blue Lie Sandra Durano TV movie 2001 Relic Hunter Maxine Schneider Episode: "Out of the Past" Blue Murder Selena del Rio Episode: "Partners" The Associates Cameron Episode: "E Pluribus Unum" Leap Years Rosaline Episode 1.9 2002 Marker Dianna Death to Smoochy Tara Duct Tape Forever Deputy Dawn Adventure Inc. Elizabeth Dillon Episode: "Message from the Deep" Degrassi: The Next Generation Principal Daphne Hatzilakos 2002 - 2010 (91 episodes) 2003 Wild Card Spa Manager Episode: "Sand Trap" 2004 Hustle Carol Rose TV movie Life After Angeline 2005 Bailey's Billion$ Tessa (voice) Kojak Nancy Pastori Episode: "Hitman"
Episode: "Kind of Blue"2008 Degrassi Spring Break Movie Principal Daphne Hatzilakos TV movie 2010 The Rest of My Life: Degrassi Takes Manhattan Principal Daphne Hatzilakos TV movie 2013 The Goree Girls Erica Gilligan Pre Production Television producer
- 2004: Dreamseeker: Nia Vardalos (documentary)[11]
Further reading
- "Melissa DiMarco: A woman for all seasons". Top Choice Magazine. Spring 2011. p. 40.
- Bawden, Jim (27 February 2001). "This blonde bombshell is no bimbo; Tight tops and leather pants all part of the act for Melissa DiMarco". Toronto Star. p. F5.
- Douglas, Ellen (November - December 2004). "Melissa DiMarco". Toronto Waterfront. pp. 20–21.
- Hooper, Barrett (12 April 2002). "They're stuck on her: Up-and-coming Canadian actress Melissa DiMarco adds a little sex appeal to the duct-tape universe". National Post. p. M2., regarding her movie appearance in Duct Tape Forever
- Skinner, Justin (March 24, 2011). "A-list celebs join in spoof". City Centre Mirror. p. 3.
References
- ^ "About the Show". http://www.outtherewithmelissa.com/aboutShow.php. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
- ^ "TV Listings". http://www.outtherewithmelissa.com/tvlistings.php. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- ^ "Ibid". http://www.outtherewithmelissa.com/aboutShow.php.
- ^ "About the Show". http://www.outtherewithmelissa.com/aboutShow.php.
- ^ "IMDb entry". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0227191. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
- ^ "Ibid". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0227191.
- ^ "Dreamseeker: Nia Vardalos". http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/tv/signatureseries/press/dreamseeker.shtml. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
- ^ "Ibid". http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/tv/signatureseries/press/dreamseeker.shtml.
- ^ http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=2702
- ^ "About Melissa". http://www.outtherewithmelissa.com/aboutMelissa.php. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
- ^ "Dreamseeker: Nia Vardalos". http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/tv/signatureseries/press/dreamseeker.shtml.
External links
- Official Website for her show Out There with Melissa DiMarco
- Melissa DiMarco at the Internet Movie Database
- TV.com: Degrassi: The Next Generation
- "Melissa DiMarco" by Ellen Douglas, Toronto Waterfront (November - December 2004)
- "A-list celebrities help comedian spoof herself" by Justin Skinner, InsideToronto.com (March 27, 2011)
Categories:- Actors from Ontario
- Canadian film actors
- Canadian soap opera actors
- Canadian television actors
- Canadian television personalities
- Living people
- People from Toronto
- York University alumni
- Canadian infotainers
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