How to Spend $200 with Franky Villani

Handing over 0 in 1’s to any skateboarder can lead to trouble. While some might make a quick exit to hit the strip club or liquor store, Franky Villani took us out to pizza before indulging on halloween costumes and horror movies. Franky Villani is no average skateboarder… Grant Fiero from Skate Fillet spent the day with Franky to learn more about what makes this mild mannered maniac tic.

Grant Fiero – Whatup Franky! So we started the day at Rosemead park, do you skate there a lot?

Franky Villani – No, that was my second time there, but, I like it a lot. I usually skate Huntington Beach Park.

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Oh sick! That park looks fun too. Who do you usually skate with at Huntington Beach?

I kinda just show up by myself, and then there’s always somebody there. TJ Harris works there, so there’s always someone to talk to.

Nice, sounds like it works out well. You have a very creative bag of tricks, no one really knows what’s coming next out of you, is there anyone that inspired that?

Whenever we go to a spot I try to do something kinda… I don’t know, I just pull shit out of my ass pretty much. My whole skateboarding tricks are all getting lucky pretty much haha. A lot of those tricks are never going to go down again.

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You had a part in “Tricolor” which NB# just released last month, now you’re dropping a Thunder part on Friday, what has the filming process been for those?

I didn’t even know I was working on the Thunder part at all, I was just skating with Chris Rogers (Filmer) a lot. I’ve just been chilling on that footage for a while, I didn’t even realize I had a full part. Working on Tricolor was different because I was kind of stressed trying to film a part, I put a lot more pressure on myself for Tricolor.

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What’s the difference between working with James Messina (NB# Filmer) on a bigger project like Tricolor, and Chris Rogers for this part?

It’s always homie vibes, but it’s different, for the New Balance video I felt like there were expectations to be met, a homie part is whatever you want, it’s just mellow.

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You recently announced your departure from Zero, do you have any plans as far as a board sponsor at the moment?

No, not right now, I’m skating Jacks Garage shop boards currently, just enjoying myself and not worrying about it.

After our sesh at Rosemead we went to the Halloween store, is spooky stuff something you’ve always been a fan of?

I’ve always liked it, I like scary stuff. I don’t know why. I was always scared of things like Chucky when I was younger, but as I got older I just thought it was cool.

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Oh, ok, so are you into stuff like Knott’s Scary Farm and all that?

I never really been to those because they’re expensive. But, I’ve been to this one called the 17th Door, it’s not really scary, it’s just gross and it hurts.

It hurts?!

They like make you touch electricity and stuff like that.

Wait, you’re actually getting shocked? Is it 18 + to enter haha?

Yeah, oh yeah for sure. It wasn’t even like scary, it was gnarly. It fucks with all your senses; sight, smell, all that!

Wow, sounds heavy.

Yeah, I don’t think I’m going back this year. But you should check it out if you’ve never been. You can tap out if you want though. I had to shower after, there’s like pig carcass’, squid on the wall, it’s gnarly.

Sounds hectic. Our last stop of the day was the movie store, are you just into horror movies or what?

Yeah, right now all I got was horror movies.

Is that what you have always enjoyed watching?

Yeah, but I’ll watch a comedy after a horror sometimes, when I‘m scared. I try to forget about being scared haha.

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So after a long day of skating you just chill at home and watch a horror movie?

By the time I get home it’s time for bed pretty much, I’ll probably just watch Rick & Morty or something, something I could fall asleep to.

Yeah, that makes sense, watching a horror right before bed might not be the best idea haha. What are your top 10 favorite horror movies you own?

Slither, The Evil Dead, The Fourth Kind, The Blob, Land of The Dead, Killer Klowns, Trick ‘R Treat, An American Werewolf In London, Re-Animator, Arachnophobia

Do you have one out of that list that’s your all time favorite?

I don’t have a favorite. All these are pretty equally cool.

Cool, thanks so much for the time Franky. It was rad watching you skate, spend $200, and hear your stoke on horror movies, I’ll probably never go to 17th door, but if I do I’ll hit you up!

Haha yeah no worries.

Interview by Grant Fiero – Video by Tim Fulton – Photos by Eduardo Sanchez