Source: Smithy TV / YouTube
Show: 5 Questions with Jeremy
Guest: Paula Brancati
Date: January 17, 2013
Best known for her roles as Jane Vaughn on Degrassi: The Next Generation and Jenny Zalen on Being Erica, actress Paula Brancati sat down with Jeremy LaLonde for a candid conversation about the chaos of indie filmmaking, her studious high school years, and the specific sandwich named after her on the Degrassi set.
Here are the highlights from her turn in the hot seat.
The “Guerrilla” Filming of Moon Point
Brancati spoke passionately about her experience filming the indie movie Moon Point (2011), directed by Sean Cisterna. Shot in just 14 non-consecutive days, she described the production as a road trip in itself.
“We didn’t see the locations before we got there… we slept in the cabin that we shot the party scene in, and there was no heat,” Brancati recalled. Despite the lack of resources compared to her major TV gigs, she loved the unknowns of the process. “We were chopping firewood… it really bonded us very quickly.”
The “PB” Sandwich
In a moment of levity regarding on-set catering, Brancati revealed that she had a specific menu item named after her at the Degrassi craft services table.
“It’s called The PB,” she laughed. “You can order a grilled cheese with green olives on rye bread.” While she admits some cast members found the combination “weird,” it remains her ultimate comfort food.
Playing High on Being Erica
When asked about the worst or least helpful direction she’s received, Brancati shared a story from the final season of Being Erica, during an episode where her character had to be high on marijuana.
Having never been high herself, she struggled to find the right performance. “He told me, ‘You’re seeming a little high energy… you just seem more drunk,’” she said. Eventually, she asked the director to banter with her in the tone he wanted, which she mirrored to complete the scene.
The 5 Questions
- Longest Road Trip: The production of Moon Point, traveling to Orillia and Casino Rama.
- Guilty Pleasures: Milk chocolate fondue, massages, and watching The Bachelor.
- Connecting with Characters: Brancati uses music to get into character. For emotionally heavy Degrassi storylines, she created playlists and researched memory suppression.
- Knowing You Got the Shot: She quoted co-star Michael Riley’s advice—do all the preparation at home, but once you’re on set, let it go and trust the work.
The Finale
The interview wrapped with the show’s traditional arm-wrestling match. Despite insisting she “needed her full body” to compete, Brancati was quickly defeated by the host.