When Ben Platt was in tenth
grade at Los Angeles’s Harvard-
Westlake School, he dressed
up as Glee’s Mr. Schuester for
Halloween, the Fox show’s affable
choir director. (His best friend,
Booksmart’s Beanie Feldstein,
went as Sue Sylvester.) “Glee
hit me at the right time. I was in
[creator Ryan Murphy’s] key fan
base,” says the New York actor,
now 26. “As a queer artist, he’s
always created stories that are
ahead of the curve, representing
people onscreen that I hadn’t
seen properly represented
before.” After Murphy saw Platt
lead Broadway’s Dear Evan
Hansen, the Tony-triumphing
musical about a socially anxious
teen, in which Platt won a 2017
Tony for Best Actor in a Musical,
Murphy created a new role for
him. The Politician (available now
on Netflix) tracks Payton Hobart
(Platt) and his wild campaign for
class president, alongside a cadre
of fellow electioneers, played by
the likes of Zoey Deutch, Lucy
Boynton, Rahne Jones, and Julia
Schlaepfer. (Following seasons
will project this ensemble into
the future as Payton runs up the
political totem pole.) To celebrate,
Platt nominates his castmates
with superfluous awards, below:THE CAST
OF THE
POLITICIANINTRODUCING
NINE BREAKOUT
ACTORS ON
EVERY CASTING
AGENT’S
WISH LIST.BY BRIANNA KOVAN.
PHOTOGRAPHED
BY SEBASTIAN KIM.
STYLED BY
ALISON EDMOND.YOUNG
Who’s the most likely to make
people laugh? Zoey Deutch.
Most likely to reference an obscure
book or article? David Corenswet.
Most likely to start a group chat? Me.
Most likely to never participate in
said group chat? Lucy [Boynton].
Most fashionable? Lucy again.
Most likely to become president?
Rahne Jones. “She has that
instant, powerful likability.”
From left, on Deutch:
Kimono, $7,200, sandals,
all, Paco Rabanne.
Earrings, ring, all, Chopard.
On Platt: Jacket, sweater,
trousers, all, Tom Ford.
Loafers, Sperry, $90. On
Boynton: Dress, Adam
Lippes, $3,490. Earrings,
Harry Winston. Ring,
Cartier. Pumps, Jimmy
Choo, $625. On Jones:
Jacket, Givenchy, $11,320.
Shirt, $830, trousers, both,
Salvatore Ferragamo.
Hoop earrings, $6,500,
rings, $275–$375 each,
all, Tiffany & Co. Sneakers,
Koio, $248. On Schlaepfer:
Dress, David Koma,
$9,400. Earrings, $12,100,
ring, all, Bulgari. Sandals,
Tabitha Simmons, $595.