Dear Evan Hansen Breakout Star Ben Platt Named Among Time 100 Most Influential People

Dear Evan Hansen breakout star Ben Platt has made the list of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world. The publication revealed the prestigious list on April 20. Twenty-three-year-old actor Platt appears on a list that includes names ranging from RuPaul to Tom Brady and Donald Trump. Making the Time 100 list is considered a great achievement, especially for such a young notable as Platt.

Platt's colleague Zac Efron penned an essay paying tribute to Platt, pointing out why his work in Dear Evan Hansen has made an impact beyond the stage.

"From the minute he stepped onto the Dear Evan Hansen stage, I knew there was something different about Ben Platt," wrote Efron. "Dear Evan Hansen tells a very particular story about teen suicide and anxiety. But because of the way Ben brings Evan to life, that story becomes instantly relatable for any person who has ever felt conflicting emotions without having an outlet."

Platt's performance and the musical in which he stars have received international attention since its opening at Broadway's Music Box Theatre on December 4, 2016. Platt's place on the Time list could mean a lot for his chances at further accolades as awards season looms.
 

Other stage veterans named to the Time list include Tony winners Viola Davis and James Corden and Emmy winner Sarah Paulson.

Check out Platt and his costars in the Dear Evan Hansen show clips below.