Amandla Stenberg Joins ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Film Adaptation At Universal

Amandla Stenberg is joining the cast of Universal Pictures’ feature adaption Dear Evan Hansen, based on the original stage musical play with music and lyrics by Academy Award-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Stenberg will play Alana, a high school senior whose cheery facade and social-media savvy mask a deeper loneliness and isolation, and whose response to the death of a classmate ignites a movement.The role has been expanded for the film, with Stenberg singing a new original song composed expressly for the film. She is writing the song in collaboration with the Broadway musical’s original songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Dear Evan Hansen follows the story of a high schooler with social anxiety who gets caught up in a lie after the family of a classmate who committed suicide mistakes one of Hansen’s letters for their son’s suicide note.

Ben Platt, who played Hansen in the stage musical and won a Tony for his performance is expected to reprise the title role. Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart) is also in talks to join the cast as Zoe, who begins dating Hansen after he begins a relationship with the classmate’s family.

Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for the stage musical is set to write the script with Stephen Chbosky (Wonder) to direct. Marc Platt (La La Land) and Adam Siegel will produce for their Universal-based Platt Productions while Pasek and Paul will executive produce.

Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production Sara Scott and Director of Development Lexi Barta will oversee production on behalf of the studio.

Stenberg is best known for her roles in The Hate U Give, Everything, Everything, and The Darkest Minds. She recently starred in the Netflix series The Eddy.

She is represented by UTA and Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano.