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'Ginny & Georgia' star Sara Waisglass on Season 4 fan theories, being a 'Canadian girlie' and navigating fame
Yahoo Canada Eh Listers: Sara Waisglass (Richard Bernardin)
One of the most beloved and exciting new TV releases in recent years was Ginny & Georgia on Netflix, and with that came international love for the fantastic and electric Canadian star Sara Waisglass, who plays Maxine "Max" Baker on the show. She started acting at an early age, with roles on shows like the Family Channel series Overruled!, and both Degrassi: The Next Generation and Degrassi: Next Class. But Waisglass continues to grow as an artist into adulthood — including her own screenwriting — making her one of Canada's most impressive stars.
The Toronto-based talent had an interesting start to her acting career as a child. The first step was when her mom, a producer, needed a young girl for a Dove campaign, and Waisglass fit the role. But her desire to have a career in film and TV came much later, even taking a break at a young age to ensure it's really what she wanted to do.
"I feel like the reason my parents kind of put me into it was because they knew that I was kind of a ham, and I really liked making people laugh, and I really liked entertaining, but there was no way for me to know what it actually entailed," Waisglass told Yahoo Canada. "The fact that it is a job. And even as a six-year-old, you're working eight-hour days, and it's a lot for a little kid."
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"So I actually ended up quitting acting when I was around 10, and I went back to it when I was 14, and that was nice, because then my parents didn't feel guilty anymore, because they were like, 'It was her decision. She wanted to go back.' And then I got Degrassi and that's when I kind of started to see that it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life, which is amazing, because I feel like my career was chosen before I even knew what I wanted. And I feel very lucky for that, especially when high school rolled around and people were confused about their futures."
Waisglass went to an arts high school, where she was in a film program. She was curious about what happens behind the camera and in Grade 11 she starting writing, which eventually led to her studying screenwriting in university.
"It gave me a control that I don't think you have when you're acting, just because you're kind of ... up to someone else's disposal," she said. "Whereas when you're writing your own stuff, you get full control, and you can really make anything happen."
Waisglass also stressed that she loved being able to stay in Toronto and study screenwriting, knowing that she wasn't ready to leave home yet. But she has definitely felt the pressure to move to the U.S. to succeed in her career.
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"Pretty much one of the main conversations that used to happen at Degrassi was, when are you moving to [Los Angeles]? And that conversation terrified me, because I knew in my bones I was not ready to move," she said. "I knew I didn't want to move, and I knew I probably wouldn't ever want to move."
"I'm not the biggest L.A. fan, ... it's just not really my vibe, although I will say the last two times I went, I was like, 'Oh, I get it. I get why people come here.' But it really still is just not very me. I'm a Canadian girlie through and through. I always felt the pressure, but I never put too much weight on it, because I knew the way that the world was moving, I felt like I could do my work from anywhere, especially now. I mean, after COVID, there's no in-room auditions anymore. It really is all on self-tape, so you can kind of do it from anywhere."
Yahoo Canada's Eh Listers is an interview series with women and non-binary Canadians in film and television, looking back on their careers with unfiltered stories about their greatest projects.
Overruled! — 2009 to 2011
Going back to the late 2000s and early 2010s, we watched an adorable young Waisglass play Jordy Cooper, sister to Jacob Kraemer's character, in Overruled!
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"They were all so great to me, because I was the little sister, so I didn't have anyone my own age, even the older kids were like in their 20s," Waisglass said. "And I remember we would do our read-throughs, and they would always be like, 'OK whoever reads the best at the table gets this chocolate.' Which obviously they didn't do for the 20-year-olds, they did it for me, which was always the sweetest thing ever."
"And I love them. I'm still in contact with Jacob, who played my brother, and one of the writers who's helped me with my writing. So it was a great experience, and I couldn't have asked for a better real first project to be a part of, because they were amazing to me."
Degrassi: The Next Generation & Degrassi: Next Class — 2013 to 2017
Then Waisglass moved on to one of the most notable and identifying Canadian franchises, starring in Degrassi: The Next Generation and Degrassi: Next Class as Frankie Hollingsworth.
Unlike several projects younger actors star in, the world of Degrassi is centred around its young ensemble, with much of the cast around the same age, which Waisglass says made a huge impact on young performers.
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"I think that made the biggest difference, to be honest, because ... I feel like I was forced to grow up a little early, just because I was with adults 24/7 when most of my friends were just going on field trips and going to class. Whereas I was really just involved with adults and taking their direction, and working with them day to day," she said.
"So when I was on Degrassi, that made the world of a difference, because it was the first time that I had met people who had the same experience as me. ... There definitely were some Degrassi kids who had been doing it since they were six, and so it was kind of the first time I got to speak to anyone who had the experience that I'd had, which means a lot, and makes a really big difference. And it kind of all felt worth it in that moment, because I was like, I found my people, which was really special."
One element that's a particularly unique stamp of Degrassi storytelling is tackling quite serious topics through its characters, from pregnancy to racism to mental health, and much more.
"My initial thought was, it's fun, because what a great way to test your skills and what a great way to push yourself. But it also felt very heavy and it felt like a big responsibility," Waisglass said. "And a lot of the actors on Degrassi, when I was there, they took it very seriously."
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"One actress in particular, I remember, she was very inspiring to me, because she really took the time to isolate herself, do her work, put herself in that headspace and get some amazing work done, which made me see like, oh this isn't game time anymore. This is some serious work. ... I just felt constantly inspired by these people who were able to channel some dark stuff at the ripe age of 15."
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 09: (L-R) Actors Richard Walters, Amanda Arcuri, Ana Golja, Sara Waisglass, Spencer Macpherson and Ricardo Hoyos of Degrassi: The Next Generation attend the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards at Westin Harbour Castle Hotel on March 9, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic)
With any actors who work professionally at a young age, there's always that question of how they'll sustain and evolve in their career. In the history of Degrassi casts some, like Waisglass, have continued to have successful careers into adulthood, while others haven't stayed in the industry. Waisglass' departure from Degrassi was a difficult transition, especially because her fate was up in their air as there were doubts about the franchise's future.
"That was hard. Never even getting a call being like, hey I don't think the show's coming back. I think we all just got an email being like, your contract's done, which is not a very fun way to end a four-year journey," she said. "Degrassi happened at the same four years that my high school experience happened, ... and so after that, after we wrapped the last season of Degrassi, I went into university, which was its own beast."
We all just got an email being like, your contract's done, which is not a very fun way to end a four-year journey.
"And it was good, because I had something. I feel like if I had just gone into nothingness, into the abyss, and been hoping that Degrassi would come back, it would do a lot of harm to my mental health. So I was really, really grateful that I had something else to focus on. But that was a really harsh end, and then it kind of like threw me into the future. I feel like, you feel you're very important when you're on a show like that. ... It was my first experience being recognized for a show. It gave me a little following. It gave me so much. And then to go from feeling important to feeling like you're back at square one, was very hard. And so the next few years were just spent taking whatever parts you were given, and not really feeling like you had the capacity to say no to certain jobs, and it just felt a little more scarce when four years had been so comfortable. So that was a little hard. ... But I was very, very lucky to have school, and I don't regret going to school for a second."
Cascade — 2023
Shifting gears, compared to much of her work, Waisglass starred in the thriller film Cascade, a project she credits for allowing her to "grow." Waisglass added that Cascade helped her push past her fear that she couldn't play a character that was different than her Ginny & Georgia character Max.
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"I've always played wacky, and I've always played silly and funny," she said. "Still to this day, I feel like I was the wrong choice for Cascade, and I still don't know why they went with me, but it felt like a huge challenge."
"Also, at that point in my life, I was toying around with the idea of moving out and kind of spreading my wings that way, and Cascade gave me the opportunity to live away from home for four or five weeks, and be the lead in something. That was the first time that I was the lead in anything. So that felt like it came at the right time. ... It gave me some of my very best friends. And I love when people bring it up, because it just brings back that summer and all the memories I made, and that ultimately gave me the confidence to eventually move out. So I feel like I owe a lot of my growing to that movie."
Suze — 2023
One of the most underrated movies in recent years is the dramedy Suze, with Waisglass playing the daughter of Michaela Watkins' character. They're a comedy duo we'd love to see more of together.
"Michaela Watkins is an absolute star. I followed her career for a while, before I booked that role, even to the point where when I was 13 I was impersonating some of her skits from [Saturday Night Live]," Waisglass said. "So getting to do Suze with her was magic. ... She was an absolute powerhouse. ... If I can be half the performer she is, I will die a happy woman."
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"She's really big on improv, which scares me. So that was cool. And I had to push myself to keep up with her, which is amazing. And just watching her interact with people and watching her choices, I just was constantly fascinated. ... I think that movie did not get the love it deserves. I hope that it's a sleeper [hit], and I hope that people find it and it becomes a cult classic, because I really do love the story, and I think the cast was outstanding. ... Also a completely different character, and something I had never done before, and my mom always told me I couldn't play mean, so I got to try to play mean, which was very fun."
Ginny & Georgia — 2021 to 2025
But among all of the accomplishments in Waisglass' career, Ginny & Georgia is special. The Netflix hit is an international success, and has accumulated loyal fans who are incredibly invested in the show's story and characters.
"Sometimes it hits me and I'm just like, this was just a job, and now this worldwide phenomenon, and so many people know it, and I can't go anywhere without being stopped or someone saying that they love the show and it's meant so much to them, which is very meaningful," she said. "It's incredible, especially because ... the show premiered in 2021, so we had already been in COVID for a year, and the way that it took off was so immediate, it almost was frightening."
"It really has been the most incredible experience and couldn't have been with a better group of people. I really, really love our cast, every single one of them. And I've always worried, being part of a series, that ... you watch shows and you watch them deteriorate, ... but I really do feel like our cast and our crew constantly were bringing it for every season. ... I think that's what our audience really connects to, and it's everyone's passion, and playing their roles and knowing their roles so well, and I think that's why so many people connect to it."
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Ginny & Georgia also really allows its characters to grow and evolve throughout the seasons. For Waisglass' character Max, that means this teen, who we initially met as quite a popular girl at school, is now isolated as her friends and brother Marcus (Felix Mallard) have started pulling away.
"I think Max has always been someone who thrives in groups and she feeds off of the energy of the people around her, and I think she's always been confident for that reason. ... And now she is entirely alone, not only with her friends, but her best friend, Marcus, is at odds with her," she said.
"And so I do worry about her. ... I don't have any scripts, this is just from me and what I know about my girl Max, I feel like she is going to turn inwards and be like, what did I do wrong? And why am I not enough? And she already does have those thoughts. Why do I love people more than they love me? What's wrong with me? Why am I always the problem? And so I worry for her in that context."
But with the Ginny & Georgia fandom, some fans have presented some pretty extreme theories for what will happen to Max in the upcoming Season 4.
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"My algorithm on TikTok, so many edits come up, and I read the comments. ... And so many people are like, 'Max is probably going to kill herself.' And I'm like, don't put that energy out there, please!" Waisglass stressed. "I hope to God that doesn't get to [creator] Sarah Lampert's phone, because I really hope that doesn't happen!"
"I love my girl Max. I think she can heal. I believe in her. She's growing so much. I think it'll be a very interesting arc for her, whatever happens next."
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: Sara Waisglass attends NETFLIX TUDUM 2025: THE LIVE EVENT at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo byfor Netflix)
In terms of fans being vocal about their thoughts on the show, there's been quite a significant evolution in the audience response to Max, seemingly becoming more positive as the show has gone on. But Waisglass highlighted that being on Degrassi gave her the "foundation" necessary to deal with a wide range of comments, and some particularly nasty responses.
"Degrassi people spoke about my character all the time, and a lot of people called me annoying, and a lot of people made fun of me a lot," she shared. "There were some great people who were very complimentary, but you never remember those. You only remember the people who called you an idiot, which is unfortunate."
"So I feel like that kind of gave me a good foundation to be like, it doesn't really affect me, because it really doesn't. And people will even direct message me and tell me how much they hate me, which is such an interesting thing for people to do, because it's like, why are you taking energy out of your day to make me feel bad? That sucks. And also, it doesn't make me feel bad. I'm just like, that's weird. I don't know why someone would do that, and I would not want to be that person's friend."
How to Lose a Popularity Contest — 2026
Looking ahead to next year, Waisglass recently filmed the Tubi movie How to Lose a Popularity Contest, starring alongside Chase Hudson (also known as Huddy), Lillian Doucet-Roche, Graham Verchere, Ecstasia Sanders and Kyra Leroux, set to be in released in 2026.
Waisglass plays 'Ellie,' described as an "organized perfectionist," but an unpopular high schooler, anxiously waiting to start her future at a prestigious college where no one will call her "Max," the nickname she received from Nate (Hudson) years ago. It's a high school rom-com where the "underachiever and a type-A overachiever" team up to win student body president, maybe getting closer than expected.
"It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I'm not even joking about that. I would say my top three projects for sure have been Ginny & Georgia, Cascade and now How to Lose a Popularity Contest," Waisglass said. "They told me I had the role five days before we started filming, so I had zero time to even breathe, and I was terrified. ... It shot in Vancouver. I didn't know anyone in Vancouver, except for my best friend, who happened to be in Toronto for the whole month, which is so annoying. But it was the most extraordinary experience of my life, I had so much fun."
"The whole crew was fantastic. The cast was extraordinary. ... Our director, [Stephen S. Campanelli], he would leave the camera running at the end of scenes and just let us do whatever we wanted. And so we were having so much fun just doing improv and just playing around, and really stretching ourselves. It was life changing, it was so fun, I've never laughed harder, and I've made such good friendships now."
That friendship spilled outside of filming the movie, with the cast all going to a recent concert Hudson had in Seattle together.
But Waisglass was also excited to work with director Stephen S. Campanelli, particularly given his experience working on projects like Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
"People would come up to me and be like, ... he's Clint Eastwood's number one camera operator," she recalled. "This man is so humble, ... all the crew [would come out] to be like, you know how lucky you are to be directed by this man?"
As Waisglass has developed in her career, one thing she's be able to navigate is how to have a voice on set.
"I know that every person on a set has their job and does it well, and so you never want to infringe on that, but I also can recognize that as an actor, I should have a voice, and I should have a say in my character, and I shouldn't just be a puppet," she said.
"So especially with this to be film I was very concerned that my character was not going to be likeable enough for people to want to be on the journey with her. And so I was very honest with Steve, and was like, here are my concerns. There are just certain lines that I think are too aggressive or too harsh, and I don't think people will root for her. ... He was super receptive to that. And I think it's all about how you go about these things. ... It just comes down to respect and relating to each other on a level of, this is a story that we all want to tell together, and we want to do it right. .. I think my voice has definitely gotten stronger, but not in a way that's overbearing. I think I just care about my characters a lot, and I want to do whatever I can to make them come across on screen in a way that resonates with people."
