Amanda Stepto
Amanda Felicitas Stepto (born 31 July 1970) is a Canadian former actress who is best known for her role as Christine "Spike" Nelson in the Degrassi television franchise. With no previous acting experience, Stepto rose to prominence playing the character in the critically and commercially successful CBC series Degrassi Junior High (1987–89) and its follow-up Degrassi High (1989–91).
Amanda Stepto | |
|---|---|
Stepto promoting Degrassi Junior High in the United Kingdom in 1988 | |
| Born | Amanda Felicitas Stepto July 31, 1970 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Education | Etobicoke School of the Arts |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, DJ |
| Years active | 1986–2010 |
| Known for | Playing Christine "Spike" Nelson in the Degrassi franchise |
| Television | Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High, Degrassi: The Next Generation |
Spike's controversial teenage pregnancy storyline, as well as her spiked hairstyle, gave Stepto significant media attention in Canada. Degrassi Junior High was largely truncated and later dropped by the BBC in large part due to episodes about Spike's pregnancy. As part of the Playing With Time Repertory Company, Stepto was made a Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF Ontario. In the early 1990s, Stepto was a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood and was sponsored by the organization for a controversial 1993 tour of Albertan high schools.
Having left acting in the 1990s due to typecasting and loss of interest, Stepto returned to reprise the role of Spike as an adult in the first seven seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–08). Degrassi remains her only major acting role, and as of 2018, she no longer acts. She was praised for her performance and was nominated for a Young Artist Award (as part of an ensemble) and a Gemini Award.