ORANGE, Calif. — His life runs in parallel lines. Parallel worlds.

Since he was 12 years old, all Gavin White has known is running, learning and most importantly, acting.

His day begins before sun is up hitting the pavement, logging upwards of 70-80 miles per week. His day ends long after it's gone down, logging hours pouring over scripts, networking with talent agents and executives, along with auditioning in the pursuit of a dream he's had since before he started middle school.

"I am lucky to have found my calling," White said. "I am an actor. I don't want to be anything else."

He started picking up acting and modeling gigs in his home state of Colorado just before junior high school. People could be driving down the freeway and notice a billboard. They may see a pre-teen White with braces, a bull cut and glasses skiing, kayaking or even in clothing advertising the great outdoors.

White also found his passion for running. In sixth grade, he was cut from his middle school track competition team. He was devastated but it didn't last long. White began waking up early in the morning before school to go running with his mother. She also worked as an actress, in the casting industry and is an avid runner. 

The apple didn't fall far from the tree. These two passions would run parallel for the next decade.

By high school, White signed with his second acting agent, flew out to Los Angeles every other week or so to audition for parts, play roles or just get in front of executives who make decisions on the biggest roles in Hollywood. All the while, he was competing in high school cross country and track at Mountain Vista High School in his hometown of Highlands Ranch, Colo. It was a rare balancing act for the teenager.

"It feels like I am constantly training these muscles in my mind that help me out so much," White said. "The discipline and hard work also really help both worlds."

From 2019 to 2021, White appeared in shows such as SEAL Team, Black-ish and a miniseries known as The Reunion among a myriad of other small parts on screen.

Then, White thought about life after high school. He debated skipping higher education altogether. He thought about moving to Los Angeles to sprint down the acting road only. Luckily, Chapman offered it all.

"Everything seemed perfect about Chapman," White said. "I said 'this is my school.' I didn't really have a backup plan."

Chapman Cross Country Era

Plan A has more than worked out. White enrolled the Bachelors of Fine Arts Screen Acting program in the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts in August 2023. He also began competing for the Chapman cross country and track and field teams. Something that almost didn't happen.

White's father, who played lacrosse at San Diego State, convinced his son to continue running in college. After following up on a few emails, White received a response from coaches saying he would be added to the team immediately. He didn't know it yet, but White was launching himself into the record books.

He immediately connected with former teammate and now close friend Gil Bothwell, who was entering his senior season in 2023. He returned in 2024 to compete as a graduate student and use his extra COVID year of eligibilty. Bothwell was the team captain, the leader and the record holder for the 8k when the two met.

"You can make an impact on the people around you," Bothwell recalls. "When I was a senior and a stud freshman comes along, If I can't do it, I make sure I can give something to my teammates to ensure they can do it."

Bothwell and White spent the next two seasons side-by-side jockeying for position in a deep field of distance runners. They matched each other's energy, speed and humility knowing only one would likely break the 8k record. In 2024, former Chapman track and field athlete Drew Floyd created a short film 'Passing the Torch' that documented White breaking Bothwell's record and how he supported his teammate.

"Gil was my first role model on the team," White said. "He was such a great inspiration, always putting the team first."

In the final scene, White finished the 8k on a dirt course at the Highlander Invitational in October 2024. He fell to the ground yelled and to his teammate '25:20,' as he gasps for air.

The new 8k record, which still stands to this day. In response, Bothwell knelt to hug him.

"I always ask myself, 'What can I give to the people coming after me?'" Bothwell said. "More than the fast times and record, they are going to remember the kind of people we were. I am so proud to pass that down to him."

The Chapman Acting Era

White the actor is still running parallel to White the athlete which is partly why he chose NCAA Division III athletics. Chapman allows and encourages students to pursue every dream. Currently, there are just two Chapman student athletes earning the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screen Acting: White and his track & field teammate Eva Ndoye.

Since moving closer to the greater Southern California area, White has built his resume. He was a finalist for the role of young Fred in the live action Scooby Doo movie on Netflix. He has also appeared in six total episodes of SEAL Team and many other projects. He even made it through multiple rounds of auditions for the starring role of young Haymitch in The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping. It is set to premiere in theaters in November 2026. 

White could go from morning practice to classes at the Dodge College, then drive up to a major studio lot such as Warner Bros. or Disney to audition for parts in front of executives, directors and producers.

"The best work in acting just comes from when you are present," White said. "I get up every day and do it all repeatedly. I do a lot of stuff nobody wants, in both acting and in running."

As with many industries, White's network is his net worth, so he is also interning at Newport Beach Film Festival and serves the cross country team captain this season.

"He is charismatic, playful and goes with the flow, but also always puts his best foot forward," Chapman assistant coach Mircea Bogdan said. "He knows what is at stake."

As White approaches his final days of the parallel world, he finds himself fighting something far bigger than the six school records he holds.

"There is a fire in him that hasn't stopped burning," Bogdan said.

The Artist

"What keeps me coming back is this important leadership role that I have," White said. "If we can finish better than we started, that is all we can truly do."

He only has four more chances maximum to race in an NCAA cross country meet. Then, White says he will return to the track in the spring for one final go around.

He is an artist with an easel, running out of space to paint his Chapman era. It is two-lane road with acting on one side and athletics on the other. He is the through line, sprinting down the middle. His last name is etched behind him.

 A reminder of the athlete, actor and artist— Gavin White. A name that could be on the big screen one day.