Gabe Nevins

"I was just really surprised at how easy it was"

Gabe Nevins has the movie world at his feet

After his convincing portrayal of Alex, the troubled teen with a secret in Gus Van Sant’s Paranoid Park, the 16-year-old has had a string of job offers in Hollywood. But did he take any? No. Instead, Gabe’s decided to take his time whilst sticking to what’s been his main addiction for years: skating.

A measured approach

Non-professional actors usually go one of two ways. Either they overact like crazy, in a gurning Jim Carey way, or they’re emotionless automatons, regurgitating lines like the speaking clock. Nevins is neither. Despite no formal training, he gives a beautifully understated performance in Paranoid Park, only ever hinting at his character's inner turmoil and confusion through words unspoken and bottled-up emotions.

Gus Van Sant has said that he took Nevins on because of his ‘skaterness’. Not only that, but Gabe’s also from Portland, Oregon, which is precisely where the film takes place. Does he like his hometown? “The scene here is really good, especially downtown - it's pretty retro and some of my good buddies own a skate shop there.“

During the shoot, Nevins made sure to wear different skate clothes in each scene, just so he could promote the "they dress up in clown outfits...and ride these tiny bicycles down the freeway" companies that meant something to him.If you watch closely, you can see small references to brands past and present, turning the film into a mini-homage to the history of skating.

Nevins knows he was lucky to begin his acting career with Van Sant - a man who not only understands the teenage experience but who also knows skateboarding like few other mainstream directors. “The whole time I was filming I thought it was going to be way harder,” says Gabe. “When we came to do it, I was just really surprised at how easy it was. Gus had a lot to do with that. He really understood what it’s like growing up in Portland and skating."

Skater's choice

Nevins cites his favourite tricks as 360 flips and big spins but, most of all, he just revels in the camaraderie skating offers and the simple joy of rolling around town and soaking up the vibrant local scene: “There's a group down here called the Z-bombers. Every Sunday, they dress up in like clown outfits, and girl outfits, and ride these tiny bicycles down the freeway. Very cool!”

Paranoid Park shows a truth that every skater knows: there’s a freedom in skateboarding not to be found anywhere else. Both Van Sant and Gabe know that, which makes the young skater’s choice to postpone his film career, and focus on skating, all the more natural.