Entertainment

Here's What Spinner From 'Degrassi' Is Doing Now — Besides Reuniting With Drake In A Music Video

by Nathan Diller

Spinner and Jimmy are together again. On Wednesday night, Drake reunited the cast of Degrassi: The Next Generation in his new video for "I'm Upset," and if you've ever found yourself wondering, "where is Spinner from Degrassi now?" Well, Drake has your answer.

Actor Shane Kippel makes a slick appearance in Drake's new video, which doubles as a mini Degrassi reunion. He and Drake played best friends Gavin "Spinner" Mason and Jimmy Brooks on the teen drama, respectively. In the video, Kippel is the first Degrassi alum to join in Drake's fun, showing up to shop for suits with his old friend and make a well-dressed entrance at Degrassi's high school reunion.

On Wednesday night, Kippel posted a screencap of the "I'm Upset" video on Instagram, along with a touching note, expressing his excitement about the video and his gratitude to Drake for bringing the cast back together. "When I got the call that @champagnepapi had this idea for his next video, the feeling was hard to describe," Kippel wrote. "When it became real and I further found out that it was a complete @degrassi cast reunion, it suddenly became very clear that this would be a weekend for the history books."

Kippel continued, "To be a part of something of this magnitude with my childhood on screen best friend Aubrey Graham turned rap superstar and business mogul Drake was something truly special, and then to do it with ALL of my old cast members back at on our old sets really put the experience over the edge." Kippel and Drake have known each other for years, ever since they both joined the show in 2001, back when Drake went by the name Aubrey Graham.

Kippel later wrote that as exciting as the on-screen homecoming might be for fans of the show, it was equally thrilling for the cast. He wrote,

"To bring this whole thing full circle back to where it all began for all of us made it an on screen reunion for the fans but also a real one for all of us involved. All of the energy, laughter and fun captured in the video was as naturally occurring and genuine as can be."

The show's viewers echoed that sentiment, and took to social media to express their delight at seeing the on-screen pals back in the halls of Degrassi Community School.

@thataintchianti tweeted, "DRAKE HAD SHANE KIPPEL IN HIS VIDEO?????? OMGGGG MY JIMMY AND SPINNER HEART CANT TAKE THIS," and @xoxoCorinne said, "i'm not gonna lie, when i saw spinner ad jimmy reunite because of drake degressi video, i got highkey emosh".

@homegirlmags wrote, "DRAKE REUNITED JIMMY AND SPINNER MY DEGRASSI HEART IS AWAKE AND ALIVE HI HELLO," and @aprilll_grace also said, "This new drake video is everything!! Never thought I’d see jimmy and spinner reunited like this," along with a crying emoji.

Drake has kept plenty busy with his music career since leaving Degrassi in 2009. Meanwhile Kippel, who left the show in 2010, has continued to act in various guest roles in films and TV shows. More recently, however, Kippel has also turned much of his attention to music, and currently plays drums as one half of rock duo, Dear Love. However, he did reprise his role as Spinner in a 2014 episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation and in two episodes of Degrassi: Next Class in 2016.

The "I'm Upset" video is also not the first time the actors have reunited IRL since leaving Degrassi. Kippel posted a photo of the duo hanging out in Toronto on Instagram back in 2013. "Reunited at last. Good seeing you brother!" he wrote in the caption.

Despite their mini-reunions, Drake's new video marks the first time everybody's been back to walk the halls of the Degrassi Community School together, and seeing Spinner and Jimmy side by side once more is sure to make you seriously nostalgic.