The trailer for the upcoming Dear Evan Hansen film has dropped, making fans all over the world able to see Ben Platt play his iconic role of Evan Hansen one last time.
When it was first announced that the multi-award-winning Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen was being adapted into a film, many were excited by the prospect of seeing the show from the comfort of their homes instead of having to travel somewhere to see it. The trailer gives us our first glimpse of Ben Platt playing Evan Hansen, reprising the role he originated in the first Broadway cast.
The trailer shows Amy Adams and Julianne Moore as the two mothers, Cynthia Murphy and Heidi Hansen. We also see Kaitlyn Dever Zoe Murphy and Colton Ryan as Connor Murphy. Platt and Ryan (a previous understudy in the original production) are the only actors from the original Broadway production to appear in the film.
What immediately becomes obvious is that Platt doesn’t seem to be convincing anymore as a teenager. Although he does look younger than his 27 years, he still looks older than the 17-year-old character he is trying to portray.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Platt said: ‘‘I think everybody obviously had in their minds that I wasn’t going to stay teen-adjacent forever.’’ He continued by saying: ‘‘the need to get it done was a little urgent. Then of course the pandemic happened, and I kind of assumed that was that—it would be a no-go, and by the time the pandemic was over, I’d have outgrown it.’’
Although Platt isn’t the first adult actor to play a teenager, he is prepared to make this his last time playing a teenager.
‘‘I’d lost about 15 pounds and did a very specific diet, grew my hair out, and was shaving to make sure that I didn’t look like I had five o’clock shadow all the time, you know. I was just stripping myself into being a teenager for the last time. For what is hopefully the last time.’’ Platt said to Vanity Fair.
Despite the Twitter mockery, many fans of the show around the world will be overjoyed at the opportunity to see Platt play Evan, and see him give his heart-breaking performance, one last time.
Words by Alice Sjöberg
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