Gabe Nevins Interview

20-12-2007 14:43

Gabe Nevins has gone from being an unknown American high school kid to the star of award winning film Paranoid Park.Based on the novel by Blake Nelson and directed by Gus Van Sant, most famous for Good Will Hunting, the film tells the tale of Alex, an ordinary boy whose life is turned upside down when he accidentally kills a security guard at his local skate park.Moody and atmospheric, Paranoid Park won the 60th Anniversary Award at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Female First spoke to Gabe about going to Cannes and what it was like shooting his first film.

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?