IN CONVERSATION WITH GABRIEL HOWELL

interview by JANA LETONJA

Gabriel Howell is starring as the fan-favourite Snotlout in Universal Pictures’ highly anticipated live-action remake of ‘How To Train Your Dragon’, which was released on 13th June. Gabriel is perhaps most known for his breakout role in Netflix’s time jumping 2023 show ‘Bodies’ and has most recently starred in BBC’s ‘Nightsleeper’, as well as taking on the role of Trevor in ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank’.

We’ can currently watch you in the live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. What was your reaction when you found out you got the part?

I actually woke up to a FaceTime from my agent. I’d got in late the night before after seeing Hans Zimmer at the O2 and was still asleep, dreaming of Cornfield Chase no doubt. I assumed it was a butt-dial so I let it ring out. Thankfully, she rang again and the whole office was on the other end telling me I was going to be part of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. I was still in my boxers. It’s all a bit of a blur.

It’s my little brother’s favourite movie so I called him first and he went quiet for a moment before asking me how much money I was going to get and then telling me not to mess it up. Tough love. I then called my Mum and she screamed and we cried together for a bit.

Snotlout is such a bold and comedic character. How did you approach bringing him to life in a live-action setting? Did you take inspiration from the original animated version of Snotlout, or did you put your own spin on the character?

Hopefully, it comes out as a healthy bit of both. I mean, Jonah Hill’s just pretty iconic as a human and his Snotlout will always be the OG, so I undoubtedly took a lot from him. But I think if I tried to copy, I’d fall short and probably get lost in the process. I went back to the books first which is how I was first introduced to this world and all these characters. I wanted to start from square one, with the original ingredients as laid out by Cressida Cowell, and build from there. Then it was a lot of listening to Action Bronson. He is everything Snotlout wants to be. I also did a good few push ups and walking around parks, improvising to myself, trying to make myself laugh and noting it down when I did. You know, like a normal person.

The film has such an iconic fan base. Were you a fan of the original ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ movies before getting cast?

Massively. The original films are a genuinely perfect thing.

What was the most exciting, or challenging, part of playing Snotlout?

I think it’s the same answer for both. I’ve not worked on a stage this big before, on a set with this many moving parts and on a franchise that already has a fanbase like Dragon’s, so both the thrill and the fear of the gig was just sort of doing it. Seeing if I could still bring my little beating heart to something that felt so much bigger than me. I tried and keep hold of my way of working, my spark and a good bit of play whilst simultaneously, and quite definitely, shitting myself.

Without giving too much away, what can the fans that haven’t had the chance to watch it yet expect from this live-action adaptation?

It’s blossoming and evolving from the thing we all love, I promise. Get ready for the same goosebumps you got when you watched the original for the first time. Same tears too. And get ready to have a new Hiccup steal your heart for good. Mason is absolutely astonishing in this movie.

Your breakout role in ‘Bodies’ was intense and emotional. How did you prepare to play a younger version of Stephen Graham’s character?

I felt I’d known Elias all my life when I first read him, so it was always just about wanting to fiercely protect him and fight for him tooth and nail. For ‘Bodies’, it was a lot of boiling down the chaos to what Elias simply did or didn’t know at any given moment. Where he was at and what he wanted and who he could trust, as his world caved in. There was so much happening to and around him and it could easily get all noisy and scattered, which was unhelpful. It’s clear to the viewer that he’s going to become the big bad wolf, but I had him when he was just a cub so it was important for me to work from there and still give him a fighting chance to outrun the dark, even if we all know it’s coming for him anyway. And then leaning on the pure open heart of Amaka Okafor.

On stage, you played Trevor in ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank’. How does performing in live theatre compare to film and television acting?

You’ll know a lot quicker if you’re actually being funny or not, I’ll tell you that for free.

You’ve taken on a variety of roles across different genres. Do you have a favourite type of character to play?

I always end up getting hungry for the thing I’m not doing, so right now I’m yearning for something nastier, darker and quieter. And it always comes back to writing, regardless of genre. Good writing is like the first coffee of the day. It shakes off any rust, gets you laser focused and suddenly it becomes very simple who you are, what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. It’s when you read something that makes your heart beat faster, something you can’t wait to say. I’ll chase that forever.

When you’re not acting, what are some of your favourite things to do in your free time?

I’m getting really into my running at the moment. It’s just the best thing for my brain. I’m rarely as at peace as when I’m running in Hampstead Heath. Key for me is no headphones, just listening to the sound of trainers hitting the ground. That’s what I’ve figured out. I love me some poetry, drinking coffee with my Dad, going to the Prince Charles Cinema and watching movies by myself on a weeknight. Not necessarily in that order.

With ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ out, what’s next for you? Any upcoming projects you can tease?

I’ve just wrapped on a short film up in Manchester, called ‘Wild Bodies’, written and directed by the singularly magnificent Austin Collings and shot by the great Dan Nightingale, who I actually first met working on ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. I’m so fond of everyone involved who put their whole hearts into it, I’m really proud of what we did there so please look out for that.

TEAM CREDITS:
photography DAVID REISS
styling KEELEY DAWSON
groomer TALITHA MADDISON-BURBIDGE