Dear Evan Hansen is a film about a teenage boy trying to navigate his way through high school while navigating anxiety and loneliness, adapted from the Tony Award-winning musical of the same name. With songs written by duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, whose credits include popular movies such as The Greatest Showman and La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen is a very beloved story. Broadway fans have been excited to see Dear Evan Hansen translated to the big screen.
Directed by Stephen Chbosky, Dear Evan Hansen's story shows its title character entering his final year of high school with an assignment from his therapist to write letters to himself as an exercise in positive thinking. When one of Evan's self-addressed letters is found on the person of a fellow student who commits suicide, the student's parents assume they were friends and that Evan's letter was their son's suicide note. Evan, feeling sorry for the Murphy family, goes along with their assumption and soon finds himself tangled in a web of lies.
Although early reviews of the film have generally been negative, fans may want to head to theaters to compare the performances from the original Broadway show. From rising stars to Oscar-nominated actresses, the film boasts a lot of talent. Here's a guide to the cast and characters of Dear Evan Hansen.
Ben Platt as Evan Hansen
Ben Platt stars as high-schooler Evan Hansen in the film, reprising the role he originated on the Broadway stage and for which he won the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical. Evan struggles to make connections with those around him, only finding those connections as he continues to lie to Connor Murphy's family (and also to himself) about their friendship. He is best known for this role, but he also starred in Netflix's The Politician which showcased Ben Platt's vocal chops. Viewers will likely remember his role as the awkward but hilarious Benji in the Pitch Perfect series.
Julianne Moore as Heidi Hansen
Evan's hard-working mother, Heidi, is played by Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore. Heidi obviously loves Evan and wants the best for him but as a single mother, she alone is responsible for the family finances and often takes extra shifts at the hospital where she works as a nurse. Moore is a Hollywood staple who will be familiar to fans of The Hunger Games franchise, where she played President Coin in the final two films. Moore can also be seen in the cast of Lisey's Story on Apple TV+, the mini-series based on Stephen King's horror novel.
Kaitlyn Dever as Zoe Murphy
Kaitlyn Dever portrays Zoe Murphy, Connor's sister, as a high school junior who plays guitar for the school band and on whom Evan has had a long-time crush. Zoe begins to reciprocate Evan's feelings as he spends more time with the family, believing the things that Evan tells the Murphys about Connor. Dever has been a rising star in Hollywood and is best known for her roles as overachiever Amy in Booksmart.
Danny Pino and Amy Adams as Larry and Cynthia Murphy
Connor's parents are portrayed by Danny Pino and Amy Adams, a well-to-do couple who grieve the loss of their son in different ways. Cynthia is distraught and finds comfort in Evan's (at first) well-intentioned lies, while step-dad Larry struggles to understand Connor's actions. Adams is very well-known and has starred in every film genre from comedies like Disney's Enchanted (and its upcoming sequel) to her role as Lois Lane in the DCEU. Pino can be found more often on television shows, including recurring roles on One Day at a Time and Scandal.
Dear Evan Hansen's Supporting Cast & Characters
The supporting cast includes Colton Ryan as Connor Murphy, Amandla Stenberg as Alana Beck, and Nik Dodani as Jared Kleinman. Connor is a troubled high schooler who ends his life after a brief meeting with Evan and whose name haunts the events of the story. Ryan has had small roles in both television and film and served as an understudy for the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen. Alana and Jared are Evan's peers, who become closer to Evan as they also get mixed up. Stenberg can be recognized as Rue in The Hunger Games and Dodani recently starred in Escape Room.
