Cassie Steele

Biography

Cassandra Rae Steele (born December 2, 1989) 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.

Early life

Steele was born Cassandra Rae Steele on December 2, 1989 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is of English descent on her father's side and Filipina descent on her mother's side. She has a younger sister, Alex Steele who acted alongside her in Degrassi: The Next Generation. 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.

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

In 2001, Steele first appeared in a Fib Finder commercial alongside Cristine Rotenberg. 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.
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.
Steele has also embarked on a music career. Her debut album, How Much for Happy×How Much For Happy15 March 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Not Yours Truly2Famous3Fantasy4Bluebird5Jaded6Rock Your Bones7Drink Me Dry8Crimson Tears9Broken (How Much for Happy)10Empty Eyes11A Sinner's Prayer12Love Cost13Hey Joe, was released in 2005, followed by two Canadian tours. Steele's follow-up album, Destructo Doll×Destructo Doll21 September 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Groupie2:582Mr. Colson3:573Monster3:074You and I3:255Hollywood5:056Check It3:187Summer Nights3:368Rock Star Beau3:019Cliche2:4110Go Dark5:06, 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. 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. She starred as Valerie Vont in the Lifetime film Sorority Surrogate with fellow Degrassi star Daniel Kelly, which was released on March 22, 2014. 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.
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.
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.

Personal life

Steele married American actor Trent Garrett in 2018. In December 2020, Garrett filed for divorce from Steele.
Steele's first child, a son, was born in November 2023 with boyfriend Favi Martinez. They reside in Colorado.
Her sister is actress Alex Steele, who also starred on Degrassi: The Next Generation as Angela Jeremiah and Tori Santamaria.

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)