Who knew high school would be so dramatic? Teen dramas are one of television’s most recognizable staples. No matter the era, the setting, or the school itself, these shows share a universal appeal rooted in the pains of growing up — caught somewhere between homework and puberty. While the ’90s had Dawson‘s Creek to thank for laying the foundation of the teen drama boom, up north in Canada there was a series that was just as kitschy as it was poignant. For one Hollywood star, whose acting career began in early childhood on this very show, that experience would ultimately be the reason he initially wanted to quit acting.
Back in the ’90s, Ryan Reynolds Starred as Billy Simpson in ‘Fifteen’
From 1991 to 1993, Canada aired the TV series Hillside, better known as Fifteen in the United States. Think of it as a more PG precursor to Degrassi: The Next Generation, with both shows tackling hard-hitting school issues, unresolved crushes, and complicated family life. In Fifteen, the energetic student body of the fictional Hillside School faces its own growing pains. There’s honor roll student Ashley Frasier (Laura Harris), the goodie-two-shoes of Hillside, quietly crumbling under intense academic pressure. Her equally flawless boyfriend, Matt Walker (Todd Talbot), is Hillside’s quintessential jock, yet he struggles with substance abuse as a way to fit in with his macho social circle.
In true tropes, every high school story has its mean girls. The self-centered Brooke Morgan (Robyn Ross) is perpetually irritated by Ashley, whom she believes is not the right match for Matt. Alongside her friend and loyal sidekick, Kelly (Enuka Okuma), the two girls scheme in more than one way to split up the golden couple. Luckily, Ashley and Matt’s best friend, Jake Desodade (Ken Angel), often acts as the voice of reason whenever Ashley and Matt get into fights. Among these characters appears a familiar face viewers may recognize: a young, shiny-toothed Ryan Reynolds, playing Billy Simpson.
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The musical Christmas comedy also stars Will Ferrell.
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It’s hard to imagine Reynolds as a beady-eyed kid who wouldn’t even say the word “damn.” After all, the actor had his breakthrough playing a foul-mouthed, cancer-stricken antihero who once nearly strangled Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) with a car seatbelt. Bill is the younger brother of Courtney Simpson (Sarah Douglas), Ashley’s more naïve and reserved best friend, who is essentially the female counterpart to Jake. Much of Billy’s storyline revolves around his and Courtney’s parents’ separation. Although both siblings are shaken by the news, Courtney continues to receive support from Matt, Ashley, and Jake. Billy, however, barely has a friend group to lean on. With his older sister constantly occupied with her own circle, he bottles up his emotions — especially after Courtney goes to live with their mother, while Billy stays with their father.
Fortunately, Billy manages to make friends during this difficult period. The school’s leather jacket-wearing rebel, Dylan Blackwell (Chris William Martin), befriends Billy and takes him under his wing, often spending afternoons jamming in Dylan’s garage. Dylan becomes Billy’s closest confidant, to the point that Billy unconsciously idolizes the older teen and even starts dressing like him in black T-shirts and jeans. Despite having a rebellious streak, Dylan doesn’t ostracize Billy as some random, lonely kid. Billy also befriends Olaf (Aubrey Nealon), a Finnish transfer student who has been ostracized by the popular crowd because of his geekiness and love of chess — an interest Billy comes to share. Just like any freshman in high school, Billy is simply learning how to figure himself out with the people he surrounds himself with.
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Although Reynolds’ performance as Billy may feel cheesy by today’s standards, it remains genuinely endearing to watch the character mature as the series progresses. Divorce is difficult enough for adults, let alone for pubescent teens. Billy’s admiration for Dylan stems from his need for someone to look up to. Being a child of divorce often comes with a lack of parental guidance, and that sense of isolation deepens when you no longer live under the same roof as your sibling. Billy represents teens who are encountering these harsh reality checks for the first time. When that loneliness is not properly addressed, it can manifest in unhealthy coping mechanisms. In Billy’s case, he ends up bullying others as a way to let out his pent-up anger and sadness, a behavior that Dylan is quick to call out.
Unfortunately, Reynolds himself didn’t particularly enjoy the experience. He took the role mainly to get out of the house and earn $150 per episode. After Fifteen, he stepped away from acting to work in a warehouse and help open a restaurant for two years — a decision he has said he’s glad he made, as he didn’t want to end up like many child actors who struggle with substance abuse. That hiatus wouldn’t last long. After dropping out of college and moving to Los Angeles at 19, Reynolds would eventually land one supporting role after another, growing up in real life from an actor who didn’t really like the job into a Hollywood star who fully embraced it.
- Release Date
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1991 – 1993-00-00
- Network
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YTV, Nickelodeon
Cast
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Pepper Binkley
Pepper O’Brien
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Chris William Martin
Dylan Blackwell
