Ben Platt on Netflix- Page 3

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 1:31pm

Lot666 said: "Larry6417 said: "Ben Platt did not become a star until he originated the role of Evan Hansen; his celebrity did not come about because he's from a family that works in related fields. Do you "pretend" that people like Michael Douglas and Jamie Lee Curtis are "something special [because they were] just lucky enough to be born into a powerful family"?"

Naive.

Famous actors like Michael Douglas and Jaime Lee Curtis def have the talent, but would NOT be stars today without the family influence. I'm a talent agent at a large agency and children of celebrities get signed immediately, talent or no talent. This is the agency's decision, not mine. Mia Farrow is the same situation, but at least she admits to using her parents' money and connections."

The point is, lineage is not a reason to discount an individual's talent. Ben Platt blew up when he originated the role of Evan Hansen. Prior to that performance, "powerful family" notwithstanding,I'd never even heard of him."

It doesn't matter if you heard of him or not. He was given MANY opportunities before Dear Evan Hansen (Pitch Perfect, Book of Mormon, etc.) which ultimately led to his casting in DEH. Again, I'm not disputing his talent. He is a hardworking actor with a plethora of talent. There are many people out there, however, who can do exactly what he does, if not better, but will never be given the opportunities he has. I'm sure if you asked him yourself, he would admit to this. 

[Back Row]

Posted: 5/30/20 at 9:59am

I don't share the enthusiasm for his performance, but he seems to have a fiercely loyal fan base. I think the key to the appeal of a lot of artists is that they are able to establish a connection, either calculated or through good fortune, with a segment of the audience that is desperately seeking an emotional connection with a performer. This explains  the commercial success of some of the marginally talented performers from the American Idol franchise. In Platt's case, he portrayed a character that resonated with a lot of people who were forced to go through adolescence as observers rather than participants, and those folks appear to be coming out in droves to see him. Personally, I think he projects a sense of entitlement that is quite off putting, and I find it hard to get past that. Some performers have voices that are so thrilling that you can look past any annoying quirks in their personality and just enjoy their talent. In my opinion, Platt's vocal ability doesn't rise to that level. He seems to have found his audience, so good for him. I just don't happen to be among them.