Actor Gavin Warren is representing Houston on the big screen this fall. The 10-year-old is starring alongside Academy Award nominated actor Ryan Gosling and Golden Globe and Emmy winning actress, Claire Foy, in First Man, a Neil Armstrong biopic.
Discovered at seven years old during an International Modeling and Talent Association conference, Warren told SWOON Katy he decided to be an actor after watching an Adam Sandler movie and thinking he should try that.
Warren got to know Gosling and Foy on set after he recently spent two months filming with them. “Ryan was so nice, and on some of our breaks, he would play baseball with me,” said Warren. “Claire was so nice also and acted like my mom. She was funny, too.”
After hearing the First Man director Damien Chazelle slip a bad word, the young actor shared some great life advice with him. “[I said] when you have a baby, don’t say bad words,” Warren said. The Academy Award winning director took the advice to heart and let Warren improv a variety of scenes. He went on to tell Chazelle, “when you have a baby, it’s okay to say ‘no’ to them.”
This isn’t the first film Warren has starred in. He is known for the film Back Roads which came out earlier this year and 2017’s Two Wongs Make a White, a satire on race and stereotypes.
We sat down with the young actor to learn more about him:
SWOON Katy: What is your favorite thing about acting?
Gavin Warren: Meeting all the cool people and sometimes getting to do my own stunts. On my last movie, the girl in wardrobe taught me how to cross-stitch and the makeup girl taught me special effects painting.
SWOON Katy: What actors would you like to work with?
Gavin Warren: Kevin Hart, The Rock and Chris Pratt.
SWOON Katy: How do you balance work, school, friends, family and hobbies?
Gavin Warren: I see a tutor every morning for an hour, and then I go home and do online school as fast as I can. After lunch, I have time to work on my auditions. Then, I have time to play with friends, and do all the other things that I like to do.
SWOON Katy: Whenever you have free time, what do you like to do?
Gavin Warren: Art, gymnastics, [play] soccer, [hang out] with friends and play Fortnite. Art, [play the] drums and piano is what I like to do to relax.
SWOON Katy: What are your favorite restaurants and hang out spots in Katy?
Gavin Warren: YEN Hibachi is my big time favorite! I also like Snooze, Yai Thai, Lupe Tortilla and Local Table.
Warren will soon travel to Hollywood for the premiere of this compelling story of NASA’s mission and the true story of Neil Armstrong being the first man to land on the moon.
