‘It helps others realise they don’t have to be alone’: Kaitlyn Dever discusses the importance of depicting the struggles of isolation in Dear Evan Hanson after the Covid pandemic
Kaitlyn Dever has detailed the importance of depicting the struggles of social anxiety and isolation in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
The actress, 24, who plays Zoe Murphy in the musical film Dear Evan Hansen alongside Ben Platt, with the film openly detailing the effects of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).
Posing for a stylish photo shoot, Kaitlyn told PORTER, hopes the upcoming movie will help people going through the same thing, saying: ‘It’s a really important story to tell now more than ever… it’s about isolation and feeling alone and helping others to realise that they don’t have to be alone.’
Topical: Kaitlyn Dever, 24, has spoken out about the importance of telling the story of social anxiety in her upcoming film Dear Evan Hansen after the isolation of the pandemic lockdowns
The Broadway musical of the same name won six Tony Awards in 2017, including a win for Ben, 27, in the coveted Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.
Joined by an all-star cast who did not star in the stage production, Ben will appear with Kaitlyn, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, and Amandla Stenberg.
The story follows Evan Hansen, a high school student with social anxiety disorder, who is recommended to write letters to himself as a form of therapy by his psychiatrist.
All-star cast: The actress, who posed for a stylish photoshoot and sat down for an interview with PORTER, plays Zoe Murphy in the musical film alongside Ben Platt as Evan Hansen
Evan is later taken to the principal’s office to meet with Connor’s parents Cynthia (Adams) and Larry Murphy (Danny Pino) as he is told that their son had committed suicide as they found the letter and believed they were Connor’s final words before taking his life.
Evan tells them that he didn’t write it and tries to give the letter back when Cynthia lifts his sleeve to find Connor’s name written on the cast as Larry says: ‘We didn’t think Connor had any friends.’
This leaves the protagonist to continue to live on with the lie and all the wanted and unwanted attention that comes from it.
Out of the ordinary: Kaitlyn says the moment she watched the live filming of song You Will Be Found during the halt on musical performances during the pandemic as ‘crazy’
And Kaitlyn says the moment she watched the live filming of song You Will Be Found during the halt on musical performances during the pandemic as ‘crazy’, with the lyrics providing a message of hope to those who are suffering or feeling lost during a difficult time.
She said: ‘The phrase ‘you will be found’ is so powerful and the fact I was able to watch that go down live was crazy… I was sitting in the school auditorium where we were shooting and realising that we were some of the first people to see a live performance [during the pandemic] safely.’
Stephen Chbosky directed the film as Steven Levenson wrote the screenplay which was based on the stage musical with music and lyrics written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and the book by Steven Levenson.
Dear Evan Hansen is set for release on September 24 in the US with the UK release following on 22 October.
To see the full interview, read PORTER or download the NET-A-PORTER app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Search for NET-A-PORTER on the App Store and Google Play.
Upcoming release: Dear Evan Hansen is set for release on September 24 in the US with the UK release following on 22 October