EXCLUSIVEShaun White Reveals Girlfriend Nina Dobrev 'Helped' Him 'Navigate' the Filmmaking Industry While Making Docuseries: 'She's the Best'
July 6 2023, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
When Shaun White was putting all the pieces together for his upcoming docuseries, Shaun White: The Last Run, which will be released July 6 on Max, he relied heavily on his girlfriend Nina Dobrev for help, as she's been in the film and TV industry for quite some time.
"She's the best. She was over my shoulder a lot of it. It was only supposed to be three episodes, and I said, 'Would you mind taking a look at this? You know this world.' After we watched the first episode, I was kind of having a heart attack because it's like I am born and I retire. There was so much happening in episode one that I was like, 'What's happening here?' I was having a panic attack but had to remember it's the first draft," the five-time Olympian, 36, exclusively tells OK!.
As a result, the Vampire Diaries star, 34, reassured her man that it would all be OK. "We ended up calling the team and saying, 'This doesn't feel like it is going to fit into all three episodes.' We pushed really hard for that, and she helped me navigate the industry of filmmaking and helped me describe what I needed," he explains. "We ended up pushing for a fourth episode and got it, which was really exciting. That is a really big deal when that happens. She's been super supportive through the whole thing."
So much so, the actress had a little viewing party for White and his family and friends to mark the achievement. "Usually I was just watching in my room on my iPad with my headphones on," he quips. "It was totally different to watch it with other people, so that was great. I am glad we did it because I didn't know if we were having a big launch premiere, so she said, 'We have to do something to celebrate!' She's always been my biggest advocate and in my corner. She's amazing."
In the new docuseries, White gives viewers a glimpse into how he became one of the greatest snowboarders of all time. "I don't think this has really been told before. It's always been like, 'I got from here to here to the Olympics and a little bit about my past.' There's always been one moment we've focused on, and this tells the whole story with my family involved, which I loved. It felt like the right time to release this. I am pretty thrilled I did it because it turned out so well," he says.
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"It's almost therapeutic in a way because you're pouring your heart out and remembering things differently," he adds. "It was therapeutic to go through and relive these moments."
As for if anything was off-limits, White says, "I've always been an open book, and this was the time for me to say, 'This is how I felt. This is what was going on.' I also got to hear from other perspectives as well."
"It's amazing to see how far the sport has come, but then it's also like that part of my career is over. But it's not over — a new chapter of life is beginning. It's bittersweet, and there's a lot of emotions that come with it. It's also an intense sport with a lot of injuries and crashes and to have come out of that still in one piece is amazing. I still feel like I could compete, but it's more mental because I've done it for so long. You have to feel motivated to get out there and try new tricks — to go through that range of emotions every time I watch the film is definitely interesting for me, but I am glad it's over because it took a toll on me," he admits.
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Shaun White: The Last Run will be released July 6 on Max.
