Ben Platt Ends Interview Abruptly Following Controversial 'Nepo Baby' Inquiry

Ben Platt ends interview when asked about nepotism allegations in career.

Actor Ben Platt recently cut an interview short after being confronted with a question about whether his career was boosted by his father's status as a film producer. The incident occurred during an interview with EJ Dickson of Rolling Stone. Dickson asked Platt about the 2022 New York Magazine cover titled "The Year of the Nepo Baby," which featured celebrities like Maya Hawke, Lily Collins, Dakota Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Platt himself, depicted as babies.

Dickson inquired about Platt's response to the cover and his thoughts on the discourse surrounding it. Platt simply replied, "We're going to skip right over that if we can," according to Dickson. When Dickson pressed further, asking if there was no comment on the issue, Platt's publicist intervened and redirected the conversation to focus on Platt's new film, "Theater Camp."

The interview was cut short, with Platt's publicist requesting to wrap it up after only a few more questions. The intended duration of the interview was supposed to be 45 minutes. Platt's involvement in the "nepo baby" narrative gained attention when he was cast as the teenage lead in the film adaptation of the high school-based musical "Dear Evan Hansen" at the age of 27. Platt had previously played the role on stage at the age of 23 and even won a Tony Award for Best Actor in 2017 for his performance.

Despite facing backlash for the casting decision, Platt, whose father Marc Platt was a producer on the film, continued in the role. However, the film received negative reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office. In response to criticism about his age in the film, Platt shared a tweet expressing gratitude for the positive reception of the film's trailer and directed those making negative comments to an article or the movie "Grease."

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Platt addressed the age discrepancy, acknowledging that people expected him to move away from teenage roles. He explained that the urgency to film the role arose due to personal reasons and the pandemic further complicated the situation. Platt had assumed the project would be put on hold due to the pandemic, but it ultimately moved forward despite his age.

Overall, the incident during the interview sheds light on the criticism surrounding Platt's career and the influence of nepotism in the entertainment industry. While Platt's talent and achievements cannot be denied, questions about the role of connections and familial ties in his success continue to arise.