Interview by Marlow Stern
Juvenile Star
"When I was about 10, my dad would go play a gig at a club and bring me up onstage with him and sing 'Ride Sally Ride' as part of his act in Toronto."
Presidential Fan
"Bill Clinton's people called and asked me to perform for his fundraiser. They said it had to be a clean performance ... One of my favorite pictures I have in my house is of me and Bill, and I'm wearing a zebra Supreme jacket and he's wearing a suit."
A-List Pals
"[One day] I got an email from Jonah Hill that was like 'egg whites, 9 a.m. ...' I never responded to it, but yeah, he must have emailed me his diet plan."
Objects of His Affection
"I've always loved Kat Dennings. And Sofia Vergara of Modern Family. She's perfect for me. She has a boyfriend, though."
First Gig
"We basically came to work one day on [the teen soap] Degrassi and were all kind of fired. They needed younger kids."
Musical Turn
"I feel like so many actors don't get the chance to work. They spend so much time studying their craft and training. I realized music was something I could take into my own hands."
White House Welcome
"I ran into somebody who works for Obama, and she's like, 'I'm so sorry we haven't called you, but we can't have Canadian citizens perform or be part of U.S. politics,' and I was like, 'I'm a dual citizen!'?"
Famous Ex
"As a young guy out of Toronto, the first person I met was Rihanna. It was mind-blowing. I couldn't even believe she'd want to talk to me. I read some interview where they painted me as so sad and heartbroken, but we're cool."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
