JANTHAVY NORTON

Never in her wildest dreams did Janthavy Norton think she’d become an actor. But, by a strange twist of fate, this skater girl has found herself saying “see you later, boy” to ordinary life and hello to Hollywood. “Somebody randomly messaged me needing a chick skater for a campaign video for Nasty Gal,” skater-turned-actor Janthavy Norton says. “It was really random, but after that things just kept happening. People kept reaching out through word of mouth and that’s how I got into it.”

- Ariana West

Norton, a first-generation American, grew up in a Cambodian and Vietnamese household with high expectations from her parents, but ultimately she went her own way. “I’ve always been around skating because of my brothers,” Norton says. “It was a casual thing growing up, but I actually started trying when I was 17. I was at a house party and this guy had a mini ramp that I really wanted to try dropping in.

“I don’t know what came over me, but I was drawn to this half-pipe,” she continues. “I think I fell at least 20 times and I never completely got it. Then my cousin got me a skateboard for Christmas and I started skating all the time.”