This page is dedicated to all the wonderful things critics, bloggers and fans alike have had to say about Nathan. We all need encouragement and kudos from time to time and this page is for Nathan to bask in!
I will only give the quotes about Nathan here. All the articles/blogs/ from which these quotes are taken are linked and I urge you to read the full material!
Regarding Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Actor Nathan Basael is amazing in the role of Leslie Vernon, alternating between goofy comedic charm and creepy menace, sometimes both within the same scene. He sits there chattering away about the how-to of psycho killing with a little kid's glee and gives everyone the impression that he's honest and open, but in retrospect reveals almost nothing about himself in the process. Basael has taken a character that could easily have been played as a joke and made him into a complex and nuanced man. (from Jeremy Knox at FilmThreat.com - 7/06)
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But Baesel owns this movie. It's great to see him switch from fun, happy guy to genuine psycho at a moments notice. (from Dalyn McDougle at Creature Corner.com - 3/06)
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In his first feature film lead, Baesel is superbly funny -- and then creepy -- as Leslie Vernon, having great fun as he puts a spin on what Jason Vorhees or Michael Myers might be like during their off-time. When it's time to get down to business, however, Leslie isn't fooling around, and it's a testament to Baesel that he is able to plausibly make that haunting switch between seeming harmless and threatening. (from Dustin Putnam at TheMovieBoy.com - 2006)
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What I was able to latch on to with this particular story was the strength of the characters. Leslie Vernon and Taylor Gentry became so layered. I always begin to laugh when I talk about this because it ends up sounding so pretentious. After all it's just a horror movie, but I can honestly say that these characters really came to life. You get to know these two people and it couldn't have come about without the performances from Nathan Baesel who plays Leslie and Angela Goethals who plays Taylor.
We knew right away that if this didn't play on the ground... and what I mean by that is if we couldn't get a guy playing Leslie and a girl playing Taylor who could handle this improv style and just be in character... we were dead. We auditioned so many people and it was quickly down to just a handful...and Nathan and Angela together, even in the room, was like "Wow!". (from an interview w/BTM Screenwriter David J. Stieve at Monsters&Critics.com)
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These are from the IMdB BTM Comments page:
Nathan Baesel delivers a Christian-Bale-worthy performance and is a diamond in the rough. (daveleone)
Nathan Baesel is impeccable as the new psycho in town Leslie Vernon. (dre)
Genius number two is actor Nathan Baesel. Be prepared for truly great things from this guy. (thegreatcassini)
It is really really smart, very well-written and perfectly acted by Nathan Baesel. (foundation666)
Superbly acted, Nathan Baesel who plays Leslie Vernon is amazing. (vieira-adam)
The acting was superb (especially from Nathan Baesel... (brainfreeze)
This is a very intelligent and well-made movie. A lot of it comes from the actor playing Leslie Vernon who is absolutely delicious in his portrayal of the serial killer in training. (ladydeath13-1)
what a brilliant plot and how the hell did they manage to find the main actor (Nathan Baesel), what a future for this actor!! (leprimate)
The actor playing Leslie Vernon is captivating, funny, scary, and has an acting future. (mannyvcamerol)
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BD: Robert was also very complimentary of Nathan Baesel, who plays Leslie Vernon and is currently on the ABC series “Invasion”. What was it about him that led you to cast him as Leslie?
SG: I went in my casting sessions with a particular person in mind for Leslie. And I saw a lot of actors who looked like who I wanted and who did what I asked for extremely well. However, one piece of advice that Al Corley told me before casting completely stuck and that was, “Look, this is your first feature, you’ve got millions of things to think about, so forget going for a particular look. Just get the best possible actors you can. Period.”
I know it’s not a contest, per se, but Nathan – he was the best. He responded to direction effortlessly, even if it had him doing a complete 180. More importantly, he made choices, and brought certain aspects to the role that I hadn’t even considered! And his commitment to the role was border-line scary! He’d refuse to wear shoes, remaining in bare feet on frozen ground for hours at a time because he chose to stay in character between shots. I could talk about Nathan for hours. I’m mesmerized by his skill. I truly believe that if lightning strikes and this movie is seen by more than a few people, Nathan’s going to be a star. (from an interview with BTM Director, Scott Glosserman on BloodyDisgusting.com)
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Nathan Baesel and Angela Goethals play off each other brilliantly in the leads. (fantasiafest.com)
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Leslie Vernon, brilliantly portrayed by Nathan Baesel, is a different breed of cat to say the least. (creature-corner.com)