Cassie Steele

Cassandra Rae Steele (born December 2, 1989[1]) is a Canadian actress and singer known for portraying Manny Santos on Degrassi: The Next Generation and Abby Vargas on The L.A. Complex. In 2014, she played Sarah in the MTV horror television movie The Dorm. She also voices Tammy Gueterman and Tricia Lange in Adult Swim's Rick and Morty.

Cassie Steele
Born
Cassandra Rae Steele

(1989-12-02) December 2, 1989 (age 34)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active2001–present
Spouse
(m. 2018)
Children1
Musical career
Genres
LabelsINgrooves
Websitecassiesteele.com

Early life

Steele is of British descent on her father's side[citation needed] and Filipina descent on her mother's side.[2] She began crafting her own songs to go with her poetry when she was in the first grade, she then began taking singing lessons. She attended London School of Dance in Scarborough, Ontario, and trained in ballet and jazz dance. She was also a gymnast for an unspecified amount of time.

Career

2001–2010: Degrassi: The Next Generation and early work

In 2001, Steele first appeared in a Fib Finder commercial alongside Cristine Rotenberg.[3] She later, that year, appeared on an episode of Relic Hunter as the ten-year-old version of Sydney Fox.

Since she was eleven years old, Steele appeared as a regular cast member on Degrassi: The Next Generation playing the character of Manny Santos. She played the role for nine years, before exiting the show in 2010. She has also appeared in three Degrassi TV films: Degrassi Spring Break Movie, Degrassi Goes Hollywood and Degrassi Takes Manhattan.[4]

During the filming of Degrassi, Steele also starred in the Disney film Full Court Miracle as well as the MTV movie Super Sweet 16: The Movie and My Babysitter's a Vampire and had recurring roles in The Best Years and Instant Star.[5]

Steele has also embarked on a music career. Her debut album, How Much for Happy, was released in 2005, followed by two Canadian tours. Steele's follow-up album, Destructo Doll, was released on July 21, 2009. She appeared on Channel One News to promote the album for the music segment.

2011–present: The L.A. Complex and other projects

In 2011, Steele was cast as Abby Vargas in the series The L.A. Complex, which premiered on CTV and Much Music on January 10, 2012, and aired regularly on Much Music. On the same day as the premiere, the series was officially picked up by The CW to begin airing in the United States in the spring. It was renewed for a second season, which aired simultaneously on both Much Music and The CW that summer.[6] The L.A. Complex was officially cancelled on December 20, 2012.

On April 17, 2012, Steele released the extended-play "Shifty" to iTunes. On April 1, 2014, her single "Mad" was released to iTunes. The official lyric video premiered on her VEVO page one day prior.

Since 2014, she has had recurring role on the adult animated series Rick and Morty as Tammy Guetermann and Tricia Lange.[7][8] She starred as Valerie Vont in the Lifetime film Sorority Surrogate with fellow Degrassi star Daniel Kelly, which was released on March 22, 2014.[9] She would appear as Sarah in the film The Dorm later that year.

On August 12, 2014, Steele released the album "Patterns" to iTunes. The official video for "Games" was released the same year on September 1, and it premiered on her VEVO page. Steele released the single "Power" shortly afterwards. It was released to iTunes on October 21, 2014.

In 2018, she appeared in Drake's I'm Upset music video, which takes place during a Degrassi reunion.[10]

Steele started the band "psychocandy" with Glint member Jase Blankfort in August 2019. Their single "Hunger" is available to stream on SoundCloud. On January 1, 2020, the band posted a photo on a new account on Instagram with the caption "2020."

In 2019, it was reported that Steele would voice the titular character in the Disney film Raya and the Last Dragon. On August 27, 2020, however, Steele was replaced by Kelly Marie Tran.[11]

In 2022, Steele released a sustainable thong line in collaboration with designer Rachael Finley. The clothing line was inspired by Steele's infamous outfit in Degrassi, where Manny arrives to school wearing a visible thong.[12][13]

Personal life

Steele married American actor Trent Garrett in 2018.[14] In December 2020, Garrett filed for divorce from Steele.[15]

Steele's first child, a boy, was born in November 2023.[16] with her boyfriend Favi Martinez.[17] They reside in Colorado.[18]

Her sister is actress Alex Steele, who also starred on Degrassi: The Next Generation as Angela Jeremiah and Tori Santamaria.[19]

Discography

Albums

Album Information
How Much for Happy
  • Released: March 15, 2005 (CAN)
    April 26, 2005 (US)
  • Label: Bullseye Canada, Rob'N'Steal Productions
  • Canadian sales: 25,000
  • Canadian Certification: Gold
  • Official Singles:
    • 2005: "Bluebird"
    • 2005: "Famous"
Destructo Doll
  • Released: July 21, 2009
  • Label: Independent, Rob'N'Steal Productions
  • Canadian sales: 25,000
  • Canadian Certification: Gold
  • Official Singles
    • 2009: "Mr. Colson"
    • 2009: "Go Dark"

EPs

Album Information
Shifty
  • Released: April 17, 2012[20]
  • Label: Independent
Patterns
  • Released: August 12, 2014[21]
  • Label: Independent

Other songs

  • "Things That God Cannot Explain" (2005)
  • "Pavement" (2008) (featured on Songs from Instant Star 4)
  • "Crash My Party" (2009) (featured on Degrassi Goes Hollywood: Music from the Original Movie)
  • "Life Is a Show" (2009) (featured on Degrassi Goes Hollywood: Music from the Original Movie)
  • "One Saturday Night Away" (2009) (featured on Degrassi Goes Hollywood: Music from the Original Movie; with the cast of Degrassi Goes Hollywood)
  • "Something Sexy" (2010) (single release)
  • "I Trust You" (2010) (featured on Degrassi Takes Manhattan: The Heat Is On (Music from the Original Movie); with fictional band The Studs)
  • "Grain" (2010) (single release)
  • "Mad" (2014) (single release)
  • "Power" (2014) (single release)

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001Relic HunterSydney Fox - Age 10Episode: "Sydney at Ten"
2001–2010Degrassi: The Next GenerationManny SantosMain role (season 1–9); 128 episodes
2004DocHeidi EuchiEpisode: "No Pain, No Gain"
2007The Best YearsLucy Ramirez-MontoyaRecurring role; 3 episodes
'Da Kink in My HairGirlEpisode: "Fass & Facety"
2008Instant StarBluRecurring role; 5 episodes
2012The L.A. ComplexAbby VargasLead role
2014–presentRick and MortyTammy Gueterman, Tricia LangeRecurring role; 16 episodes

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Full-Court MiracleJulieTelevision movie
2007Super Sweet 16: The MovieSophieTelevision movie
2008Degrassi Spring Break MovieManny SantosTelevision movie
2009Degrassi Goes HollywoodTelevision movie
2010Degrassi Takes ManhattanManny SantosTelevision movie
My Babysitter's a VampireRochelleTelevision movie
2014Sorority SurrogateValerie VontTelevision movie
The DormSarahTelevision movie
2015Shark IslandAmber SteeleTelevision movie; also known as "Zombie Shark"
2016Twist of FateKellyTelevision movie
2017Mississippi River SharksTaraTelevision movie
2019Paint it RedLana
2021Eternal Nightmare MachineTammy Gueterman, Tricia LangeVoice; Short film
TBAQuiet in My TownSallyIn post-production

Music videos

YearTitleArtist
2018I'm UpsetDrake

Audio roles

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016AccountingSkeleton Girl / Second Little Public Defender
2017Accounting+Skeltal Girl / Ging
2019Trover Saves the UniverseUpgrade Tina / Soap Opera Woman / Answering Machine Girlfriend
2022High on LifeAdditional voices

Audio dramas

YearTitleRoleNotes
2019Rose DriveRayneEpisode: "The Children of the Harvest"

References