Jake Goldsbie

Before breaking out in the dramatic series "Degrassi: The Next Generation," Jake Goldsbie appeared in a number of television series and films. One of his earliest roles was in the 1998 movie "Jacob Two Meets the Hooded Fang," based on Mordecai Richler's whimsical novel about a young boy who finds himself sentenced to a faraway prison full of monsters; he played the supporting character Oscar. More small screen parts followed, including the much-suffering computer geek Toby Isaacs in "Degrassi: The Next Generation," which he co-starred on beginning in 2001. Not only did the character allow the show's writers to explore the perspective of someone nerdy, but since Toby was Jewish--at one point it is mentioned that his grandparents were killed by the Nazis--they could also deal with subject matter such as the Holocaust. In keeping with the program's attempts at social relevancy, his journey through high school is beset with bullies and other problems. Around this time, Goldsbie played a minor role in the 2001 television film "Prince Charming," a comical take on the classic fairy tale about a prince who, thanks to a curse, is transformed into a frog.