VT: Obviously the most exciting role to date is your portrayal of the character Snotlout in HTTYD. Tell us about the character you portray, how did you landed the role and preparing yourself for the role of a unique Viking such as Snotlout (what a name!)
GH: Snotlout, in his own mind, is Hiccup’s main rival whilst being the alpha of the group and the heartthrob of Berk. Snotlout, in everyone else’s mind, is a very loud strange little Viking cub who just wants to be his Dad.

The audition process was great fun - it was mostly just improvising with the other three recruits and trying to make Dean laugh. My script pages from the auditions are a mess from weeks of having them in my pocket and scribbling all over them, trying to come up with new ideas for each round.

Preparation was simple, I went method and lived in Peter Serafinowicz’s shadow. I didn’t see the sun for six months. Doctors thought I wouldn’t recover.

VT: Growing up, did you enjoyed watch these type of genre of fantasy films? If so, what are some of your favorites?
GH: I grew up watching the original BBC Narnia series from the late 80s on VHS at my Granny’s. I have very fond memories of those Saturday mornings, sitting crossed legged staring up at the fuzzy television set in my pajamas. I was shamefully late to Lord of The Rings but I watched all three of them in one day when I had food poisoning about five years ago and they quite literally stole the beating heart out of my chest - they still very much have it. Even thinking about those movies makes my chest hurt. Try to watch them at least once a year. Good for the soul.

VT: Being a Viking: What are some of the most memorable moments for you making this film? Did you have to study or develop a unique voice to portray Snotlout?
GH: There’s a scene where Hiccup introduces the Monstrous Nightmare to Snotlout. It was just me and Mason on a night shoot in the training area and it had started to rain. The camera was behind me so all I could see in front of me was Mason leading the huge puppet head of the dragon out of the darkness with the arena and statues of the old Vikings towering over us glistening in the rain. That was special. As for the Viking accent, I tried to make him sound like Joe Pesci but Dean said no.

VT: The film consists of a fresh young cast plus established actors: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, and Harry Trevaldwyn. What’s it like working with this young group of actors? What did you learn from working on this film and what would you like for the audience to take away from watching this film? 
GH: They’re quite simply the kindest and most talented bunch of people I’ve ever met. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to go on this journey with. I love them all so much.

As for learning, Dean said during rehearsals that if we can make the audience laugh then that’s fine but if we can fill them with wonder then that lasts forever. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. I also learnt that if given the option and a massive budget I will, in fact, only drink San Pellegrino Sparkling Water for six months. 

As for the takeaway, I just hope people love seeing this franchise continue to blossom and evolve and become more of the thing we all love it for being.

VT: With this film, we are certain that it is gonna open a lot of doors for you. Going forward, what types of roles would you be gravitating towards?
GH: I just want to keep going and learning and being surprised at what lands in front of me. I find my gut always leads me in a direction if I listen so I’m just gonna try and do that. I’m always chasing good writing and trying to work with the writers I love. I want to do stuff that breaks the heart wide open, in whatever form it comes.

VT: Most actors, are purely loving the opportunity to act, be in the creative process. The notoriety and fame part, can be fun but at times be too much or intrusive (such as social media). What’s your view considering you about to enter the arena of getting recognize.
GH: Oh god! I don’t know! I’m somewhat socially inept at the best of times so I might just hide in a shed if that starts to happen. 

Some random questions for Gabriel to answer:

Name your favorite place you love to visit.
Hong Kong. I think it’s the most beautiful place in the world.

Describe your perfect day.
Run in the woods, swim in the sea, coffee, dog walk, pub, home and then cook with the people I love. 

When I travel, these are the five items that I need to have to remind myself about home.

• Parker Jotter Ballpoint Pen. Same as my dad’s.
• Journal
• I have a little wooden carving of The Green Knight that I like to travel with.
• Running Shoes
• Anything Mary Oliver has ever written.

If I could speak in different tongue, which language would you choose?
Dog

Your perfect meal if it was your last one. (Editor’s note: Since you are all in the world of dragons)
Wait, so I’m hypothetically dying in this interview? Okay, cool. Well, when I was a student my flatmates and I would make tuna pasta cheese all the time because you could make mountains of it for cheap. That meal still brings me so much comfort. I’ll need some hot sauce on the side please. And I’ll have a negroni too. Or nine…no hangover if I’m dead.

A book that you will recommend that benefit you and you feel could benefit for others and why it is significant to you.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. It’s sort of part memoir, part self-help, part artist survival guide whilst very much being the best book on the process of writing, and being a writer, I’ve ever read. Mike Birbiglia recommended it on his podcast and since reading it I’ve bought it for so many people’s birthday presents. It’s beautiful and simple and cynical and invaluable.

Describe your personal style.
Inconsistent and sometimes misjudged.

If you were given the opportunity to do a walk in at the Criterion film closet, which five films of dvds would you choose?

• Philip Kaufman’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being
• Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese’s This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection
• Robert Bresson’s Diary of a Country Priest
• Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times
• Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express