Canadian MTV host Dan Levy makes the jump to actor in Paradise City: Degrassi Goes Hollywood.

Dan Levy admitted he felt like a bespectacled fish out of water on the set of Paradise City: Degrassi Goes Hollywood.

"Naturally, I'm a very anxious, nervy person," said Levy, the Canadian MTV host -- and son of Eugene -- who is making his pro acting debut in Paradise City.

"Throw me into new scenarios and I'm not usually the one who floats right to the top of the struggle. But where my nerves came from this time was being immersed in a production world that was almost the polar opposite of what I know.

"The TV I'm used to, anything goes. With this, you have a script and props and there are extras and you feel pressure."

Pressure aside, Levy's performance is one of the bright spots in Paradise City, a two-hour made-for-TV movie from the Degrassi franchise that debuts tonight on CTV. Paradise City stars Lauren Collins, Stacey Farber, Cassie Steele and Nina Dobrev, among others, and features Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith -- a.k.a. Jay and Silent Bob -- who appear as themselves.

"I knew (Paradise City director and Degrassi alumnus) Stefan Brogren socially, and last year he said, 'We're thinking of you for this Degrassi thing,' " recalled Levy. "It was very vague at the time. But then when it took shape, I actually got an offer.

"It was a huge compliment, but also a big risk, since I didn't exactly have a stacked resume."

Levy plays a cocksure Hollywood producer who becomes convinced that Paige (Collins) is perfect for a role, despite wails of protest from Mewes. The project in question, by the way, is the story of Mewes' life, and it's called -- wait for it -- Mewesical High. Get it?

Paradise City crams a lot of teen-movie cliches, heavy and light, into two hours: A bus trip in pursuit of a dream; ambition trumping friendship; pals who become enemies who become pals again; raging hormones; unrequited love; the perils of fame; threats of suicide; and, of course, all is solved by the perfect song at the perfect moment.

But for what it is, and who it's for, Paradise City generally is slickly put-together. And one of the pleasant surprises is the camera presence of Dan Levy.

"Absolutely," said Levy, when asked if he would be interested in more acting ventures. "I stumbled into (being a host on MTV), which I never would trade, but it was very much by accident. Before that I had come from a theatre background in high school and studied it in university, so it always has been on my radar.

"When Stefan first approached me, I was thinking, 'OK, glorified extra, pizza-delivery person, what do you want me to do?' Then I read the script and I was like, 'Oh, you actually want me to be in the movie? You want me to actually say things?'

"So I didn't want to screw it up. I really wanted to lock down those scenes and know my lines and be as professional as possible."

Mission accomplished, Dan.