“Knowing that the beginning of his acting career was at our school shows us that we can make it to Broadway.” – Maddie Boudov ’21

Following his nationwide music tour, Ben Platt ’11 will star in a Netflix original series, “The Politician,” set to premiere Sept. 27. Platt, who is best known for his lead role in the Broadway musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” has won Grammy, Emmy and Tony awards over the course of his career.

“It’s nice to see [Platt] branching out into other mediums more recently after gaining a lot of exposure for his run on Broadway,” Charlie Albert ’21 said. “He has been in a handful of films and is releasing his own album, and I am interested to see what he brings to the table in this TV show.”

In the new musical comedy, Platt plays Peyton, a wealthy teenager who begins his political career in high school and plans to ultimately become the President of the United States. The show traces Peyton’s campaign for student council and his conflicts with opponents.
“Having just seen the trailer, I’m really excited to see the show,” Lola Cortez ’22 said. “I feel like everyone can relate to the plot, and I can’t wait to see more of Platt’s work.”

Student actor and singer Alon Moradi ’21 said he is proud to be at the same school that his role model attended.

“It is very inspiring to be able to have choir and acting classes every day with photos hanging on the walls depicting [Platt] in the same shows that we are doing as high school students now,” Moradi said.
Moradi explained the importance of the legacy alumni leave behind and the footsteps that he hopes to follow in.

“I think the legacy of performing arts [here] allows the program to thrive and drive the future students here.”

Maddie Boudov ’21 reflected on the impact Platt’s legacy has on her acting career.

“For me, hearing about Ben Platt’s career and seeing him push his boundaries as an actor inspires me to be like him,” Boudov said. “Knowing that the beginning of his acting career was at our school shows us that we can make it to Broadway.”