Gabe Nevins Interview

20 December 2007

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How did you get the part in Paranoid Park?

I went to a casting call last August, just for extras, because I heard about the casting call from a local skate shop and I thought it would be cool to be an extra in a skateboarding movie. So I went to downtown Portland where the casting call was to get my picture taken. And right when I walked in the room to get my picture taken Gus pulled me aside, and by then I didn't know who Gus was or any of the films he did. He pulled me aside and asked me a few questions like what I liked to do in my spare time, how old I was and what school I went to. Then I got my picture taken and about a week later I got a call from his assistant, and they wanted me to come in to read lines or something. I had no clue what was going on. I went into the office two or three times a week for a series of months, and he eventually told me he was thinking about giving me one of the main roles. Then the idea grew on me.

Was it shocking for you to be offered a main role considering you went for an extra part?

Yeah it was really shocking because he first said "We're thinking about giving you one of the main roles" and I didn't want it at all, because I've never been in a movie. So I was like "Err... OK." Because the whole time I was going I would just hang out with Gus and just do whatever, he never told me why I was there. So when he finally told me I was just like "Umm yeah... I don't want it." But I eventually accepted it.

Were you into skateboarding before you did the film or did you have to do extra training for it?

I was into skateboarding before and no, I didn't do extra training. When we were filming on the set me and Jake Miller, who plays my best friend in the movie, would just skate around and mess around. We didn't really have to practice much because we already knew what we were going to do in a way.

How long have you been skating for?

For about five years.

As this was your first film what was it like seeing yourself on the big screen for the first time?

The first time I saw myself on the big screen was in Cannes, and I was just really blown away, it was just weird. Especially when there's a bunch of people watching the film and I was still really shocked that I was in a movie, let alone Gus' new movie. So yeah, I'm still just mind-bogglingly blown away by it.

What was it like working with Gus?

Working with Gus was laid back and really simple. He didn't stress you out too much. He would really let you improv a lot and throw out a lot of ideas, he liked that.

Do you think that approach improves the film and the end product?

I think it does in a way because you start bouncing ideas off other actors and it just creates more to work with.

As you said the first time your saw yourself on-screen was at Cannes, what was it like going there and the film winning an award?

Going to Cannes, right when I arrived, it was just really crazy because there were so many people, so many people with cameras and just so much stuff going on. I was really excited to get out and go exploring with Jake. I actually went to see the short films that the directors had put together and that was really cool, sitting in the theatre and stuff. I'd have to say the whole Cannes experience was just really really, I don't know, cool. You could do anything you wanted and nobody stressed out about it.

Did you see any celebrities or film stars there that you admire?

I didn't see anyone that I personally knew, but i met a couple of famous people. I didn't meet anyone i knew off other films, I just saw them on TV.

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