When Jake Epstein and the rest of the cast first started filming "Degrassi," he said there was no way they could predict how popular it would get. But, the Canadian show became a huge hit both in its home country and the U.S. Through the experience, Epstein watched the fan base grow and saw their reactions in his own high school. He said he was one of the few cast members going to "normal high school," and it gave him a unique perspective while the show was airing.

"I was surrounded by the fan base of the show. So I was really aware like when people liked an episode, or if my character did something that people didn't agree with, people would tell me," Epstein said. "So I was very aware when the things started to become popular just because it was all around me."

But, even being surrounded by fans at home, Epstein was still surprised by how popular the show became. He and the rest of the cast were always shocked by how many fans came to their events. "And not only would people show up, but it would be like this packed event," Epstein said. "So the whole experience was super surprising and fun because there were so many of us that were all kind of experiencing it together at the same time."