Dear Evan Hansen is an upcoming musical teen drama film directed by Stephen Chbosky, and adapted for the screen by Steven Levenson from his and Benj Pasek & Justin Paul’s 2015 stage musical of the same name. A Universal Pictures/Marc Platt production, the film stars Platt’s son, Ben Platt, reprising his performance in the title role, which he originated on stage. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino, Julianne Moore and Amy Adams.
It is scheduled to be released on September 24, 2021, by Universal Pictures.
When Evan Hansen, a high school student with social anxiety disorder, has a therapeutic self-intended letter stolen by a classmate named Connor Murphy, who later dies by suicide, their family mistakes it for being sent to Evan by their son. Evan inserts himself into the boy’s past, throwing him into a series of duplicitous and confrontational events.
Cast –
Ben Platt as Evan Hansen
Kaitlyn Dever as Zoe Murphy
Amandla Stenberg as Alana Beck
Nik Dodani as Jared Kalwani
Colton Ryan as Connor Murphy
Danny Pino as Larry Murphy
Julianne Moore as Heidi Hansen
Amy Adams as Cynthia Murphy
DeMarius Copes as Oliver
Liz Kate as Gemma
Isaac Cole Powell as Rhys
Avery Bederman as Isabelle
Gerald Caesar as Josh
Tommy Kane as Greg
Marvin Leon as Skye
Hadiya Eshé as Cherise
Julia Chen Myers as Naomi
Mariana Alvarez as Mrs. G.
Swift Rice as Mr. Howard
On August 25, 2020, Ben Platt confirmed that principal photography had begun. It was shot in Los Angeles, California and Atlanta, Georgia, with primary filming with the main cast taking place in September and expected to end around Thanksgiving. About making the film during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaitlyn Dever said to Variety, “I’m very happy that we’re able to make something so special during such a strange and sad and confusing times … I have gotten used to the ‘doing nothing’ part of my job, which is just sitting and waiting for something to happen. Now, I feel like I’m really geared up for this and ready to go.”[18] Additional filming took place in Fayetteville, Georgia, which included scenes involving Ellison State Park[19]. The high school scenes were filmed at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School in Fayetteville[citation needed], and B.J. Reece Orchards was used for the scenes that took place at the Autumn Smile Apple Orchard/Connor Murphy Memorial Orchard. Blackhall Studios in Atlanta served as the COVID-19 testing site for the actors and crew members on set. On December 15, 2020, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairwoman Donna Langley confirmed that the film would wrap production that month.
In February 2021, Ben Platt described his experience of recreating his performance as Evan Hansen as “really special” and “bizarre” to Drew Barrymore on her daytime talk show, while also hoping that the film will be “a really moving experience for a lot of different ages of people … I think it’s going to be particularly poignant in terms of everybody’s inability and ability to reach out, and the ways in which we struggle to do that, and the magic that can happen when you do connect with someone and finally feel seen.” On May 13, 2021, Ben Platt admitted he was apprehensive about translating his performance for the screen. “I think I was nervous about having to meet that same level in a medium that I’m not necessarily as instinctually comfortable in, and that doesn’t necessarily lend itself to the same kind of fireworks as a live performance.” Ultimately, Platt overcame his personal reservations because they felt like “small beer…Having an opportunity to share this story with, like, millions more people is ultimately much more important than my being worried that my performance won’t be as good as it was on stage.” Platt also confirmed he lost weight and grew his hair out in order to look “authentic” as a gawky and fresh-faced 17-year-old.
