>>> WE ARE BACK, WITH THE ONE, THE ONLY, BEN PLATT, HE’S
ALREADY A TONY A GRAMMY AND AN
EMMY WINNING ACTOR, SINGER AND
SONG WRITER NOW, HE’S ALSO THE
POLITICIAN.
POLITICIAN. THAT IS THE NEW NETFLIX SERIES
HE STARS IN AND PLAYS AN
AMBITIOUS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
SET ON BEING THE PRESIDENT ONE
DAY.
DAY. BUT FIRST, HE HAS TO FOCUS ON
GETTING INTO THE COLLEGE OF HIS
DREAMS.
DREAMS. TAKE A LOOK.
>> POLITICS ISN’T ABOUT
POLICIES, A CANDIDATE IS ELECTED
ON A STORY.
AND THE STORY I WANT TO TELL IS
THAT I WENT TO HARVARD.
NOW, IF YOU DON’T LET ME OUT OF
MY MARRIAGE AND MY MARRIAGE
ALONE, THEN THE STORY I TELL
WILL BE ABOUT HOW I WAS REJECTED
FROM HARVARD.
FROM HARVARD. AND THAT’S THE STORY I’LL TELL
WHEN I’M DEDICATING MY BILLION
DOLLAR PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY TO
PRINCETON, OR NEW HAVEN, I’M
SERIOUS.
SERIOUS. THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
YOU GET TO DECIDE WHAT MY STORY
WILL BE.
WILL BE. >> THIS IS SO DIFFERENT, BEN,
FROM ANYTHING YOU HAVE EVER
PLAYED.
PLAYED. I’M NOT USED TO THAT BEN.
THIS IS LIKE THE EGO MANIACAL
GUY.
GUY. >> HE’S A LOT MORE AGGRESSIVE
AND SELF-SERVING THAN THE GUYS I
HAVE PLAYED SO FAR.
>> WHEN YOU SAW THIS ROLE,
WHENEVER I SEE YOU, I PICTURE
SOMEONE LIKE A CHARACTER WHO’S
KIND OF MEEK AND EXPLODES LATER.
>> TOTALLY.
>> TOTALLY. WHEN RYAN MURPHY PITCHED THE
PIECE, OBVIOUSLY I WAS IN
BECAUSE IT’S RYAN MURPHY AND
HE’S BRILLIANT, AND I LOVED GLEE
AND HORROR STORY, AND SOMEBODY
THAT TOOK UP SPACE IN A ROOM,
AND AFTER PLAYING EVAN HANSON,
AND BOOK OF MORMON, TO PLAY
SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BE SEEN AND
IS CONFIDENT, AND AGAIN, REALLY
SOMEWHAT EGO MANIACAL IS REALLY
FUN.
FUN. >> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SHOW
IN A SECOND BUT I’M JUST SITTING
HERE, I WAS READING THAT INTRO
ABOUT YOU, AND LOOKING DOWN AT
MY NOTES AND IT SAYS YOU TURNED
26 YESTERDAY.
26 YESTERDAY. >> I DID TURN 26 YESTERDAY.
>> HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE 26.
>> I DID PROMOTING OF THE SHOW,
HAD BEST FRIENDS OVER, ATE SUSHI
DANCED AROUND.
DANCED AROUND. >> DO YOU EVER SIT WITH WHAT’S
HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE, YOU’RE
BEN PLATT, YOU HAVE ALL THESE
THINGS, DO YOU EVER JUST REVEL
IN IT FOR A MINUTE.
>> I TRY TO.
MY MOM JULIE, THAT’S HER MO
ALWAYS IS TO LIKE GET ME.
I LIVE VERY MUCH IN MY HEAD AND
OFTEN GET AHEAD OF MYSELF OR
THINK ABOUT WHAT’S COMING NEXT
OR WHAT COULD HAVE GONE
DIFFERENTLY.
DIFFERENTLY. SHE’S THE ONE TO CALL ME AND SAY
LET’S TAKE IN WHAT HAPPENED,
LET’S BE IN THE MOMENT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DO WELL
IN YOUR LIFE, IT SEEMS WITH YOUR
PROJECT IS YOU PICK WELL.
YOU SEEM TO PICK PROJECTS THAT
ARE A PERFECT FIT FOR YOU, AND
THIS ONE, THE POLITICIAN, IS I
MEAN, I WAS WATCHING PARTS OF
IT, AND I LEANED INTO THIS.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS PERFECT.
I KNOW RYAN MURPHY WAS THE
REASON.
REASON. WHAT ELSE WAS IT ABOUT THIS
PROJECT THAT MADE YOU SAY YES.
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS, I THINK
THE LIBERAL, SOCIAL, UTOPIAN
WORLD HE PORTRAYS IS SOMETHING
I’M PROUD TO BE PART OF, A WORLD
WHERE THE QUEERNESS OF THE
CHARACTERS AND GENDER OF THE
CHARACTERS IS PART OF THE
TAPESTRY, AND AN ASSUMED
REALITY, AND DOESN’T NEED TO BE
A FOCUS OF PLOT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A FORWARD
THINKING, BEAUTIFUL THING AND IT
JUST DISCUSSES THIS THING WE’RE
GRAPPLING WITH HOW AUTHENTIC CAN
WE BE AND PUT OUR MOST AUTHENTIC
FOOT FORWARD WHEN WE WANT TO
CURATE OUR IMAGINE AND ACHIEVE
WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE,
AND EVERYBODY WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
RIGHT NOW REGARDLESS OF AGE AND
WALK OF LIFE IS DEALING WITH,
YOU KNOW, HOW CAN I BE FULLY
ORGANIC WITHOUT COMPROMISING
WHAT I’M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
>> DO YOU HATE SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> LOVE HATE, LIKE WE ALL DO.
I THINK IT’S WONDERFUL FOR
SHOWING YOUR LOVE FOR PEOPLE AND
PROMOTING THINGS YOU’RE PROUD OF
AND IT’S ALSO LIKE VERY
DANGEROUS AND A LOT OF SORT OF
PITFALLS OF SEEKING VALIDATION
THERE AND A LOT OF UGLY PEOPLE
THEREON
THEREON ON THERE.
ON THERE. >> YUCKY STUFF FOR SHUMPLT.
YOUR CAST IS AMAZING GWYNETH
PALTROW PLAYS YOUR MOTHER.
>> BRAND NEW ACTRESS ON THE
SCENE.
SCENE. >> I’VE HEARD OF HER.
>> AND BETTE MIDLER, JANUARY
JONES, BOB BALIVAN, JUST A FEW.
>> THAT’S AN AMAZING CAST.
YOU SAID YOU WERE PREPPING FOR A
BIG SHOW AT RADIO CITY, TELL ME
ABOUT THAT.
ABOUT THAT. >> I PUT OUT AN ALBUM EARLIER IN
THE YEAR AND I WAS TOURING IN
THE SPRING AROUND THE COUNTRY
DOING SHOWS WITH THAT MUSIC, AND
I GET TO DO MY TOUR AT RADIO
CITY, AND WE’RE GOING TO FILM IT
FOR A NETFLIX SPECIAL AS WELL.
>> HOW IS IT GOING TO FEEL
STANDING ON THAT STAGE?
>> COMPLETELY CRAZY.
THE ONLY TIME I HAVE BEEN ON THE
STAGE IS FOR THE TONY AWARDS, TO
GET TO OWN IT WITH MY OWN MUSIC
AND STORY IS GOING TO BE REALLY
REALLY SPECIAL.
REALLY SPECIAL. >> I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU, HAPPY
FOR ALL OF YOUR SUCCESS.
>> THANKS, HODA.
>> THE POLITICIAN, START
STREAMING ON NETFLIX THIS
FRIDAY.
FRIDAY. AND BEN YOU’RE COMING BACK ON
THE 3RD HOUR, YOU’RE GOING TO
SING A LITTLE.
>> I’M GOING TO SING A LITTLE
SONG FOR YOU.
>> SUCH A GOOD GUY.