"I didn't realize you all needed therapy!" |
Jane Vaughn (born Anastasia Jane Valieri) was a student at Lakehurst Secondary School before transferring to Degrassi Community School during Season 7. Jane was the valedictorian of Degrassi's Class of 2008, and she went on to attend Stanford University. She is the younger sister of Lucas Valieri and the aunt of Isabella Jones, Mia's daughter.
She's a beautiful, tough, proud, fun-loving tomboy, who found being friends with other girls difficult. She was best friends with Darcy Edwards, Danny Van Zandt and Holly J. Sinclair, and good friends with Sav Bhandari, former best friend Mia Jones, Peter Stone, Manny Santos, and Declan Coyne. She had conflicts with Anya MacPherson and Derek Haig. She was portrayed by Paula Brancati.
Character History
Season 7
After Lakehurst burned down, all of its students were forced to enroll in Degrassi. This includes Jane, who becomes friends with Manny Santos and Darcy Edwards during lunch and they go on a skiing trip together. After returning from the trip, Jane finds out that someone was spiking random girls' drinks and raping them at the party that they attended in the ski lodge. She then tells Manny and Darcy what she heard about the rapist, and says that she was glad that it wasn't one of Degrassi's students, not realizing that Darcy was a victim.
In Death or Glory (1), Jane becomes better acquainted with Spinner Mason after she is late for class, and is forced by Ms. Hatzilakos to attend a peace meeting for the unity of Degrassi and Lakehurst with Spinner to avoid detention. The two later go on a date together, but the night is cut short when she playfully nudges him in the groin, which causes Spinner an excessive amount of pain. Spinner leaves the date in a rush, and Jane believes at first that Spinner was simply running out on her.
Later however, Spinner tells her that he was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer. He also admits that he's been fighting various students at school to prove his masculinity. After some tension between the two over Spinner's fighting, the two become an item and stay strong throughout Spinner's operation to remove the cancer.
With chemotherapy making him nauseous, Spinner begins smoking marijuana to ease his discomfort. Spinner also begins spending time with his ex-girlfriend Darcy. Jane disapproves of this, and the two have some issues before they reconcile.
Seeking new interests, Jane joins the Archery Club and is hopeless at it until Darcy shows her a better technique. They begin to bond and become friends, and Jane reveals that Lucas is her brother and that her real name was Anastasia Valieri before she changed it. Darcy helps Jane work out Spinner's guy-isms, but when Darcy confides to Jane about Peter having bad breath, Jane accidentally blurts it out to their entire class. However, they make up.
At graduation, Spinner, ecstatic that his cancer is in remission, is determined to pass exams with Jimmy's help. But, when a great opportunity rises for Spinner's band, a problem comes up: he doesn't know if he should stay in high school with Jane and StĆ¼dz, or study hard with Jimmy and graduate high school, even though he had no real plans.
Against the advice of Jimmy and Jane, Spinner decides to take the opportunity for his band, which ends up being a poor decision. He attempts to take his science exam without studying, but is saved midway through when Jimmy pulls the fire alarm, therefore postponing the exam for another four days. In the season finale, Spinner kept his promise to Jimmy and is able to walk across the stage for his diploma and graduate in the Class of 2007.
Season 8
In Fight the Power, Jane loves football and wants to play, but since there is no girls' team, her only other option is playing with the boys, which isn't easy. As Jane makes the team, the boys on the team make her life hell. When a game starts, she is the best of all the players, but Derek makes the team lose. He blames it on Jane, causing the rest of the team to wonder if Jane can play football. The next day at practice, Jane complains that she had nothing to do with the team losing. After practice, Derek and Bruce jump Jane in the hallway, leaving her injured, and Spinner angry.
In Lost in Love (1), Danny and Jane are seen walking to school. When they enter the foyer, Jane comments about love really being in the air due to all the decorations for the Sweetheart Dance. Danny says it might just be Sav's cologne. Jane asks Sav if he came to decorate the school before their 6:30 AM practice, and Alli reveals it was another unsuccessful attempt to win back Anya. Jane says Spinner has to work so she's going solo at the dance. Alli asks what the point is of having a boyfriend if they can't take you to dances and Jane says he works hard today so they can go to school together next year. Danny asks if Spinner has heard back from police college and she says he will any day now. Danny remarks that it sounds like they have it all figured out. Jane smiles.
Spinner and Jane have plans for next year - she'll start pre-law and he'll attend police college. When he doesn't get in, he can't bear to tell her when she sees a police cap in his hand and thinks he got in after he tells her he closed The Dot for the night so they can go to the dance together. As he is about to correct her and tell her the truth, The Shep interrupts them and tells her she's been chosen for the National Youth Leadership Symposium where she will give a speech about being a girl in football. He reminds her to thank him. Jane has to get to class but she asks Spinner to dinner to celebrate their news. His plans to tell her the truth later come to a halt because she plans a celebration party and invites Jimmy and Trina to dinner and he can't bear to let them down either. Jane catches him in the lie when Holly J. blabs to Jane about Spinner's secret in the middle of dinner that Sav, Peter, and Danny are at along with Jimmy and Trina. She asks if Spinner didn't really get in in front of everyone. He says not immediately and she asks how he could be so stupid. He laughs and says it may be because he is stupid: too stupid for police college and too stupid for her. She says he isn't stupid but lying to her was. She walks out of the dinner angrily. After Spinner and Jay get drunk later that night, he climbs into Jane's bedroom and surprises her. She is still upset about what happened and says he's not the guy she thought he was and says she needs time to think, and after her mom finds Spinner he leaves. Later in the episode, he comes up with a plan to propose to Jane after Jimmy tells him he's proposing to Trina. He enlists Holly J.'s help to get into the symposium.
In Lost in Love (2), Spinner orders flowers for Jane and they are delivered by Anya. Sav comments "at least someone has a sweetheart" when he sees the bouquet of flowers that Spinner got her, but then adds on, "had a sweetheart," when he sees Jane throw the flowers away. Danny sees this and asks if there's a lover's quarrel. She grunts and he says he hopes she's more articulate for the speech. Jane responds that she's been writing all night about being a girl but all she could think about was a guy. Danny says Spinner lied about police college and Jane agrees, adding that he showed up at her house, drunk, and woke up her mom. She says she loves Spinner and trails off. Danny asks if sometimes love just isn't enough. Jane is unsure. The Shep interrupts them and reminds Jane to thank him and leaves. Jane gives him a fake smile and asks Danny what to do. He says Spinner can wait, but her speech can't. They walk off together. Desperate to win Jane back, Spinner sneaks into the Leadership Convention with Holly J. by taking the name tag of a man named Barry Cohen. He sits next to Danny and watches her give her speech. When she is about to thank someone who pushed her to succeed, Danny nudges Spinner. When Jane thanks The Shep, Danny says she must have short term memory. Jane walks to their table after her speech and asks what Spinner is doing there. He says he know he messed up but he learned his lesson. He promises to never lie to her again just as the announcer says that "Barry Cohen" must now make a speech. Spinner improvises pretty well and Danny asks Jane if anyone would've thought Spinner could handle himself in a place like this. Jane shakes her head. Spinner then uses this opportunity to remind Jane she always wanted a plan for the future and proposes to Jane. The announcer starts cheering Jane and Barry. Soon everyone, including Danny, joins in. Jane gets up and leaves. Spinner follows her and Jane asks why he would do that when the day was supposed to be very special for her. Spinner gets upset and says her stupid boyfriend screwed it up again. She clarifies she meant it's important for women to succeed on their own and he sweeps in and says "let's get hitched." She asks if he listened to her speech. He says yes and that she didn't thank him. She asks if she should have thanked him for ruining her big day. Spinner breaks up with her by saying if she needs time to think, she can take all the time she wants because he's done. She says it's probably for the best. The next day, The Shep, Jane, and Danny are walking down the halls of Degrassi in uniform with other players behind them. Shep comments on Jane thanking him in her speech and leaves. Danny says Jane needs her head checked. She says she didn't get hit that hard and Danny asks how she explains the memory loss, alluding to the fact that she forgot to thank Spinner in her speech. Jane says he lied to her and proposed in front of a hundred people. Danny says he gets if she doesn't want to marry him but to "give the dude his due." Jane considers it as Shep tells them to get ready for the dance. She nods at Danny, agreeing with what he said. At the dance, Jane tells Danny she can't find Spinner. Holly J. overhears and says she won't get a chance to hurt him. Jane asks if she knows where he is and she says yes but she has to beg. Jane and Danny look incredulously at her. Holly J. repeats for her to get down on her knees and beg. Jane does it and Holly J. smiles and gets on her phone. Holly J. ends up getting Spinner to the dance with the help of Jay, who tells him Manny is at the dance and he needs to win her back. It's all a ploy so that Jane can make a speech at the dance, apologizing to Spinner and thanking him for being there for her. She says she loves him and doesn't know what she'd do without him. People in the crowd "aww" and Spinner smiles. After he takes her back, Jane says yes to Spinner's proposal, but also states that they must wait until after college. The two get back together.
In Causing a Commotion, Danny, Sav, and Jane are shown sitting next to each other at Shep's principal of the year ceremony. Both are angry when the video plays of The Shep calling Clare a bitch. They along with many other students protest against The Shep being principal. Jane is among the first to stand against him saying, hauntingly, "you know why," indicating that it was because of his "boys will be boys" mantra and constant misogynistic behavior (like tolerating her bullying) that led her to stand against him.
In Jane Says (1), The Shep has returned after his sensitivity training and itās Spirit Week at Degrassi. However, spirits are anything but high at home for Jane, because she struggles to get her dropout brother, Lucas, off the
couch. Despite Janeās efforts, Janeās mom believes Lucas could benefit from some father/son time. However, she doesnāt want her father in her life. Jane's friends and family donāt understand why she hates him. Truthfully, neither does Jane. Jane admits to herself that her issues with her dad go deeper than the divorce when she begins to have repressed memories of her father sexually abusing her. Jane is very confused and feels alone. Lucas gives Jane a hard time for creating tension between their mom and dad. But when Lucas finally sees the truth, they stand up to their father and the whole family goes into counseling.
In Danger Zone, Jane anxiously waits outside while Spinner was in The Dot with Holly J. and the gunman. When Spinner is rushed to the hospital for his gunshot wound, she is by his side. She is the reason Spinner turns down Holly J.'s feelings toward him.
Season 9
In Close to Me, Jane and Declan are put in charge of the new school play. She finds him egotistical, but charming. Jane helps plan Spinner's housewarming party since he is the new owner of Peter's loft. She decides to invite Declan. At the end of the party, Jane and Declan come up with a subject for the school play. Declan offers to walk her home, but she rejects.
After the party, Spinner invites her to move in. She is surprised and leaves without giving him an answer. She decides to talk to Manny, telling her she thinks she is falling for Declan. She feels too comfortable around
Spinner and feels like she is being treated like "just one of the guys." Manny tells her to go for it. Jane goes over to Declan's house to work on the play, but after a talk, they kiss. The next day, she talks to Manny and she decides to break up with Spinner. When she walks into The Dot to break up with him, she chickens out at the last minute and tells him she's not ready to move in, deciding to continue to cheat on Spinner.
In Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Holly J. and Jane pair up for a business project at school. They decide to turn their school project into reality and start their own babysitting business. Jane and Holly J. grow closer as friends, and Holly J. reveals she has a crush on Declan. When Holly J. goes to surprise Jane on the job, she catches Declan and Jane kissing on their client's front porch.
Holly J. confronts Jane the next day, and Jane tells her that Spinner told her that Holly J. had a crush on him. After a talk with Holly J., Jane decides Spinner is the right choice, and she tells Declan that she can't cheat anymore, breaking up with him. She tells Holly J. that she won't tell Spinner, and Holly J. agrees that she'll keep it a secret from him.
In Start Me Up, Jane is seen as the new lead singer of StĆ¼dz. She is suspicious of Victoria's meth issue and hears her snorting it in the bathroom stall. She tells Peter, but he is skeptical. Peter dumps Victoria and apologizes to Jane and Spinner for not believing them. Jane and the StĆ¼dz invite Peter back into the band later on and he accepts. The band's new name is now Janie and the Studs featuring Peter Stone.
In Heart Like Mine (2), Sav reveals that Jane was absent because her great aunt had died that week.
In Keep On Loving You, Jane is nervous about the play being so close. She tries to be there for her best friend, Holly J., when Declan won't tell her he loves her back. The day of the play, Chantay gets sick and Jane has to fill in her spot as the snobby cheerleader in the play. Either way around, Jane does a good job and the play gets a lot of attention.
In Degrassi Takes Manhattan, Jane is ready to graduate, and ready to tell her beau Spinner that she's going to
go to a college in California. Spinner gets mad because he thought the summer would be just them two. Jane, nervous, leaves to go graduate, and is upset when she doesn't see Spin there. When she is giving her graduation speech she is then relieved to see Spinner there, not mad anymore.
The next day, she goes to Declan's Pool Party, not knowing Spinner is going yet. When her and Holly J. go change, they talk about how her having an affair with Declan helped Holly J. become Declan's girlfriend. Spinner overhears this because he is there to surprise Jane, and when she walks out she is ready for a rude awakening. Spinner is on fire and he is mad as mad can be. He breaks up with Jane and punches Declan.
Seeing Jane severely distraught, Holly J. and Declan try to cheer her up. They then invite her to go to Manhattan with them, she says yes.
Jane goes to Manhattan and sightsees and shops with Holly J. and Declan, but then leaves them to have a little romance of their own without her. While walking, Jane runs into a dog and his owner. It turns out the owner of the dog is the owner and guitarist of the
famous New York Indie's Band, Flashin' Midnight. They begin to talk and she learns his name is George. She tells him that she's a good singer, and he tells her that they're looking for a new lead, because his lead is his ex-girlfriend, and they just broke up.
Jane goes to the place where they rehearse and before you know it she's the new lead. Later on, she tells Holly J. and Declan, and Holly J. interviews her on TVM. At Declan's party, Jane and George make out and start a thing. But, the day after Jane is dumped as lead singer is when George gets back together with the old lead. Crushed again, Jane, gets a text saying Spinner and Emma are getting married. She gets Declan and Holly J. to go home with her to stop the wedding.
Holly J. and Declan are against this, so they stall, trying to keep Jane away from the wedding. Jane lies to them when they get gas, that she just wants to listen to music in the car, but then she takes the keys and drives off. She manages to get to the wedding in time to tell Spinner her feelings, but she realizes he's happy. She tells him good luck, and she hugs and kisses him goodbye. Manny walks in to check on Spinner, and starts a catfight with, saying she won't let her ruin Emma's wedding. Spinner breaks them up, and tells Manny the situation. Later on, Jane is ready to leave when Holly J. and Declan finally arrive, but Emma tells them to stay for the party. In the end, they stay and have a good time.
Mentions
Season 10
In Try Honesty (1), when Holly J. was sorting out her belongings, a photo of herself and Jane is briefly seen on her shelf.
In Love Lockdown (1), Declan wins the Grundy Award for the play "Space Awakening" for helping to direct the play the previous year. Before dedicating the whole award to Holly J. in an attempt to win her back from Sav, he mentions that Jane Vaughn should be receiving this award along with them, but she's off to bigger and better things at Stanford.
Appearances
- Standing in the Dark (1)
- Standing in the Dark (2)
- Death or Glory (1)
- Death or Glory (2)
- Pass the Dutchie
- Talking in Your Sleep
- Broken Wings
- Ladies' Night
- Everything She Wants
- If This Is It
- We Built This City
Appearance and Style
When Jane transferred to Degrassi in season 7, she was an edgy tomboy with bright green highlights in her dark dreadlocks, and heavy make-up. Her wardrobe consisted mostly of khaki pants, layered t-shirts in neutral colors such as grey, green, and black, as well as hoodies and sweatshirts. She also had an affinity for camo print. Among her many accessories were numerous rings, studded and spiked cuffs and necklaces, beanies, and her signature nose ring. As she developed a relationship with Spinner and
began making friends at her new school, her look gradually began to soften. Jane would eventually get rid of her dreadlocks, and tone down her extreme make-up.
In season 8, Jane returned to Degrassi for her senior year with a slightly more conventionally feminine look. In contrast to the smokey black eyeshadow she favored the year before, she began gravitating towards lighter shades such as silver. In addition, Jane had lightened her hair. Nonetheless, she retained her overall tomboyish wardrobe.
During the second half of Jane's final year at Degrassi in season 9, she began feeling slightly insecure about the style she had cultivated throughout high school. With her only female friend Darcy long gone from Degrassi, Jane yearned for a new "gal pal," and wanted to be seen as more than "one of the guys." Though black and grey clothing would continue to be her staples, she introduced more colors into her wardrobe such as purple and red. Her newfound friendship with Holly J., her status as frontwoman of Janie and the Studs, as well as her secret affair with womanizer Declan allowed Jane to reveal her sexier, girlier side through her clothes. She incorporated more conventionally feminine pieces such as tunics, fitted shirts, leggings, and high heels into her wardrobe, and would even wear her hair in curls from time to time.
Quotes
- "Jane." (First Line) - Standing in the Dark (1)
- "I can't wait to find out...let's go." (Final Line) - The Rest of My Life (4)
- (To Peter): "Daaaamn! No keeping that jungle breath a secret! Right, Darcy?" - Talking in Your Sleep
- (To Derek): "Look, I caught the ball you missed the block, I would have scored!" - Fight the Power
- Jane: "Why do you think it took him so long to put me to bed?"
Lucas: "He said... you took forever to fall asleep."
Jane: "Did he tell you to keep it a secret too?" - Jane Says (2) - "I remember. I remember when you would put me to bed..." (to her dad) - Jane Says (2)
- "Parentals!" (to her parents while drunk) - Jane Says (1)
- "Can you make me another special driiiink please?" - Jane Says (1)
- "You see what you want to see." (to Declan) - Close to Me
- "Then why aren't we in a library instead of this big, empty house?" - Close to Me
- "No...I'm not drunk!" (whining about being taken home early for being too drunk) - Jane Says (1)
- "That fairytale was never my story..." - The Rest of My Life (4)
- (To Spinner) "I kept asking if I could picture my life with you, and I should've been asking if I can without you."
Spinner: "And?"
Jane: "I couldn't. But, no wedding until after university." - Lost in Love (2) - (To Darcy) "Why do you have to be such a....girl?!" - Talking in Your Sleep
- "Santos, I'm allowed to say hi!" - Close to Me
- "You're the girl who has no female friends now that you hate me." (Jane to Holly J.) - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
- "I know what I saw, Peter!" (Jane to Peter about seeing Victoria doing drugs) - Start Me Up
- "You...you look happy." (Jane to Spinner about getting married to Emma) - The Rest of My Life (4)
- "Why have a hamburger when you can have a giant mushroom instead?" - Holiday Road
- Spinner: "Don't make me laugh, I'm tender!"
Jane: "I always knew you were dude." - Death or Glory (2) - "My real name is actually...Anastasia Valieri..." - Talking in Your Sleep
- "From grad to falling in love with New York...to watching the former love of my life get married...it was wild." - The Rest of My Life (4)
- "Those two fuzzheads won't stop talking about it." - Standing in the Dark (1)
- You were right, Spin. I should have thanked you. I hope it's not too late, because I love you. And I don't know what I'd do without you. - Lost in Love (2)
- "There's a party in the lodge if you're staying til the last bus. Guaranteed rager." - Standing in the Dark (1)
- (To Spinner, after he got shot): "Spinner...SPINNER! Oh my God! Are you okay?!" - Danger Zone
- "You know why." (To Shep) - Causing a Commotion
- (To Spinner) "Derek and some guys jumped me after practice." - Fight the Power
- Jane: "Or you could find your own soccer game. Don't you have any non-Sav interests?"
Anya: "Um, do you mind?" - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Trivia
- Both of Jane's relationships were crushes of Holly J.
- Holly J. revealed that she loved Spinner Mason in Danger Zone
- Holly J. began dating Declan Coyne in Waiting for a Girl Like You.
- Jane was molested by her father when she was a child.
- Jane is the first of two characters to change their name and go by it instead of their original birth name.
- The second is Adam Torres.
- Jane is considered a female lead protagonist of Seasons 8-9.
- In the episode Man With Two Hearts, it is implied that Jane has used a vibrator before.
- Thought not shown until Season 9, Jane is a very skilled vocalist.
- Jane ended her friendship with Mia the moment that she got pregnant, but they later became friends again.
- Jane is the aunt of Isabella Jones.
- Jane was made fun of by Derek Haig, Bruce and Riley when they made shirts that said; "Sorry I dropped the ball. It's my time of the month." However, Derek was the reason Jane dropped the football and lost the game at a football match.
- She was the first (and so far only) girl to be in the Degrassi Football Team.
- Jane never dated anyone her own age onscreen.
- Spinner is 2 years older than her.
- Declan is a year younger than her.
- Jane, Manny, Marco, and Katie all have nose piercings. Jane's, however, is in fact a clip-on, as revealed by Paula Brancati.
- Of the main characters who graduated in Degrassi Takes Manhattan, Jane was the only female.
- Jane shares similarities with Liz O'Rourke and Grace Cardinal.
- Jane is one of six characters to end the opening credits. The other five were Alli, Drew, Clare, Sean and Marco.
- Jane, along with sixteen other characters, was sexually assaulted.
- Jane is the second character to be sexually abused, the first is Liz O'Rourke.
- It was revealed in The Curse of Degrassi that Jane's brother Lucas and her best friend Mia conceived their daughter in Jane's bed.
- She is the fourth of five characters to have an abusive father, the other four being Rick, Liz, Craig, and Miles.
- Jane was a fan of the band "Escape The Fate" revealed by the posters she has displayed in her room.
- Jane was the first character to attend Stanford University after graduation. The second was Katie.
- She has 52 Facebook friends in common with Manny Santos as well as five blocked online stalkers.
- In the 2015 interview Straight Talk with Adamo Ruggiero, Shane Kippel admitted that Spinner's marriage to Emma was unrealistic, and that Spinner and Jane should have ended their tenures on the show, at the very least, with the potential to rekindle their relationship in the future, if not as a married couple.
- She is the only person to have defeated Manny in a physical fight.
Relationships
- Main article: Spinner-Jane Relationship
- Gavin "Spinner" Mason
- First Relationship:
- Start Up: Pass the Dutchie (710)
- Broke Up: Lost in Love (1) (808)
- Reason: Spinner lied about getting into the police college.
- Second Relationship:
- Start Up: Lost in Love (2) (809)
- Broke Up: Degrassi Takes Manhattan (920)
- Reason: Spinner found out about Jane's affair with Declan.
- First Relationship:
- Main article: Declan-Jane Relationship
- Declan Coyne (Affair)
- Start Up: Close to Me (904)
- Broke Up: Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (906)
- Reason: Jane realized it was wrong to cheat on Spinner with Declan.
- Main article: Jane-George Relationship
- George (Ex-Boyfriend)
- Start Up: Degrassi Takes Manhattan (2) (921)
- Broke Up: Degrassi Takes Manhattan (3) (922)
- Reason: George chose Siobhan over Jane for lead singer.
Interaction
v - e - d |
---|
Alex ā¢ Alli ā¢ Anya ā¢ Ashley ā¢ Blue ā¢ Bruce ā¢ Caitlin ā¢ Chantay ā¢ Clare ā¢ Connor ā¢ Craig ā¢ Damian ā¢ Danny ā¢ Darcy ā¢ Dave ā¢ Declan ā¢ Derek ā¢ Ellie ā¢ Emma ā¢ Fiona ā¢ Hatzilakos ā¢ Hazel ā¢ Holly J. ā¢ J.T. ā¢ Jane ā¢ Jay ā¢ Jenna ā¢ Jimmy ā¢ Joey ā¢ Johnny ā¢ K.C. ā¢ Kelly ā¢ Leia ā¢ Liberty ā¢ Manny ā¢ Marco ā¢ Mia ā¢ Paige ā¢ Peter ā¢ Raditch ā¢ Riley ā¢ Sav ā¢ Sean ā¢ Snake ā¢ Spike ā¢ Spinner ā¢ Terri ā¢ Toby |