Melissa DiMarco
Born
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma materYork University
Occupation(s)Actress, Television Host, Producer, Writer, Documentary Film Maker
Years active1995 – present
Websitehttp://www.outtherewithmelissa.com

Melissa DiMarco is a Canadian actress, producer, and television personality. She has made acting appearances in feature films and television. She is best known for her role as Daphne Hatzilakos in the teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2002-2010) and as the host and showrunner of her own syndicated television program Out There with Melissa DiMarco.

Career

On television, one of DiMarco's best-known acting parts was in 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). DiMarco's TV credits include 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.[1]

Her film credits include 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.[2]

She also directed, produced, and wrote Dreamseeker: Nia Vardalos, an award-winning documentary on the rise of Nia Vardalos[3] 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.[4]

Since 2004, DiMarco has hosted the Out There with Melissa DiMarco television comedy which airs on Citytv's national network and The Biography Channel.[5] Excerpts from DiMarco's celebrity interviews also air on OUTtv.[6] The show 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.[7] 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.[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]

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 Degrassi: The Next Generation Principal Daphne Hatzilakos 2002 - 2010 (91 episodes)
Marker Dianna
Death to Smoochy Tara
Duct Tape Forever Deputy Dawn
Adventure Inc. Elizabeth Dillon Episode: "Message from the Deep"
2003 Wild Card Spa Manager Episode: "Sand Trap"
2004 Out There with Melissa DiMarco Actor / Host / Interviewer 2004–Present (144 episodes)
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.
  • "Out There, Right Here with Melissa DiMarco". Beaches Life. December 2012 – January 2013. pp. 5–6.
  • 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.
  • Di Mauro, Diana (August–September 2012). "Melissa DiMarco: In entertainment, nothing is off limits". Panoram Italia Toronto. p. 45.
  • Douglas, Ellen (November–December 2004). "Melissa DiMarco". Toronto Waterfront Magazine. 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

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