For someone in the profession of assuming other identities, actor Adamo Ruggiero's career so far seems to nicely mirror his own personal philosophies.
He's currently hosting YTV's kids talent show The Next Star, which will select six contestants to participate in a summer boot camp for young singers. Even those who don't make the cut get constructive advice from the judges – with no Simon Cowell-esque barbs for these under-15s.
Ruggiero relishes the opportunity to share his experiences as a child star with the hopeful contestants, softening the blow to those who aren't selected with his winning charm as well as his own tales of rejection. "I related to the kids, because when I was small I didn't know where to start or what to do. It was a huge trial and error process," he said during a recent interview with TV, eh? on Blogtalkradio. "We're trying to give the kids a head start."
His first major acting role, playing Marco on Degrassi: The Next Generation, launched Ruggiero's own star. However, he points out the difference between the stardom faced by the actors from, say, Beverly Hills, 90210 – which is what he grew up watching, not the previous incarnations of Degrassi – and the more tempered stardom he and his castmates experience, particularly in Canada.
"Instead of doing the covers of big magazines, we're speaking to kids directly about stuff that actually matters," he said, alluding to the educational mandate of the show.
His time on Degrassi has allowed him to represent the "coming-out process as a young person in this new millennium" in a fictional storyline that has similarities to Ruggiero's real-life story. "Marco has been so defining in my life," said the actor who came out publicly earlier this year, becoming an advocate for related issues he believes in.
"This has been such a big gay year for me," he laughed. "It's something I've been wanting to do in my heart for so long."
He appeared on the cover of fab magazine, went to the GLAAD awards in March, and supports The Trevor Project, a crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. "This is my purpose, the reason I wanted to open up," said the 22-year-old, who is juggling that advocacy with part-time university studies, season eight of Degrassi, and hosting duties on The Next Star.
"I was annoyed at everyone so petrified about the future and ignoring the present," he revealed about the decision to come out and fears about how it might affect his career. "I thought, right now I have this voice, and that might not be there in 5 years or 10 years."
"All the people I thought wouldn't be able to adapt or understand suddenly turned around and taught me something: that there's people willing to learn if there's people willing to teach. I've been blessed to have people be so supportive."
Article comments
1 - Jordan Richardson
Really cool! I'm addicted to Degrassi.