Jonah Platt

Last updated

Jonah Platt
Born
Jonah Sezzin Platt

(1986-11-17) November 17, 1986 (age 38)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education University of Pennsylvania
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
  • advocate
Spouse
Courtney Galiano
(m. 2016)
Parent(s) Marc Platt (father)
Julie Platt (mother)
Relatives Ben Platt (brother)
Website www.jonahplatt.com

Jonah Sezzin Platt (born November 17, 1986) is an American actor, singer and Jewish advocate. He has credits across stage, film and television, with his most prominent roles occurring on stage.

Contents

Since 2024, he has hosted the award-winning weekly podcast, Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, interviewing Jewish entertainers, writers, advocates, rabbis, as well as non-Jewish allies. [1] [2]

Early life

Platt was born in Los Angeles, one of five children of Julie and Marc Platt. [3] His father is a film, television, and theater producer whose credits include Legally Blonde , Into the Woods, La La Land, Mary Poppins Returns , the musical Wicked , and its film adaptation. [4] His mother has served as chair of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America, which oversees 146 Jewish federations across the United States and Canada. [5] [6] He has two sisters and two brothers, including actor Ben Platt. [7] He and his family are Jewish. [8] [9]

He attended Jewish day school and sleepaway camp at Camp Ramah, affiliated with Conservative Judaism. [1] [10] He also participated in Birthright Israel, a free ten-day trip to Israel for young Jewish adults between the ages of 18 and 26. [11]

He attended Harvard-Westlake School, an independent school in Los Angeles. [12] In 2008, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences with a B.A. in English with minors in Cinema Studies and Music. [13]

Career

Advocacy

In October 2023, Platt contributed a column to Variety as part of Variety’s Antisemitism and Hollywood package. Platt's column advocated for more joyful Jewish narratives being told on screen. [14]

In January 2024, he joined Julianna Margulies, David Schwimmer and Debra Messing in signing an open letter addressed to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, demanding it include Jews in its representation and inclusion standards. [15]

In late 2024, California's 51st State Assembly district recognized him with a Community Excellence Award for Combating Antisemitism. [16] [17]

In October 2024, he started the podcast, Being Jewish with Jonah Platt. His guests have included actor Skylar Astin, singer and activist Montana Tucker, Rabbi David Wolpe, writer Sarah Hurwitz, comedian Tiffany Haddish, actress Ginnifer Goodwin, actor Josh Gad, news commentator, Van Jones and matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom. [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] Guests have also included Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, writer Dara Horn, basketball coach Bruce Pearl and actor Jason Alexander. [1] [24] [25]

In 2025, he was awarded multiple accolades for his podcast, including honoree of Best Indie Podcast by the Webby Awards and the Religion Communicators Council Wilbur Award for Excellence in the category of Audio Productions – Extended Length. [26] [27]

In September 2025, he joined Messing, Liev Schreiber, Mayim Bialik and Gene Simmons in signing a letter rejecting a boycott of the Israeli film industry. [28]

In November 2025, American Friends of ELEM (a non-profit supporting Israeli youth at risk) honored Platt with the Lifesaver Award at the Ray Of Hope Benefit in Manhattan. [29]

Stage

In 2013, he starred in the Los Angeles revival of the musical comedy, Bare: A Pop Opera . [30]

In 2014, he starred as Wolf alongside Kristen Bell and Sarah Hyland in a Hollywood Bowl production of the musical, Hair . [31] In the same year he starred as Homer in La Mirada's theatre revival of Floyd Collins . [32] The production went on to win Best Production of a Musical (Large Theater) at the 2014 Ovation Awards. [33]

In 2015, he made his Broadway theatre in Wicked , playing Fiyero. [34]

In 2017, he played the Beast in Beauty and the Beast — A Christmas Rose, a production in Pasadena in the style of a British pantomime. [35]

In the same year, he directed a production of Bert V. Royal's Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead . The production ran for six sold-out shows at the Blank Theater as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. It was partly funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, with 15% of proceeds going towards the GSA Network. [36]

In 2018, he starred as Marty Kantrowitz in the musical stage adaptation of the 1999 film, A Walk on the Moon . Platt performed at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. [37]

In 2019, he directed Carrie Manolakos and an all-star cast in a reading of the play Irena at Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills. The story is based on the life of Irena Sendler, a Polish social worker who rescued more than 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Second World War. [38]

In 2020, he starred as Davy Rothbart in the musical Found , directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. The production at the Los Angeles Theatre Center is based on a collection of stories written Rothbart, drawn from discarded notes and letters. [39]

In 2023, he starred in a workshop of the The Heart of Rock and Roll , directed by Gordon Greenberg. [40]

Later in 2023, he starred alongside Bella Heathcote in Samuel Baum's play The Engagement Party at the Geffen Playhouse. [41]

Music

He has performed with his brothers, Ben Platt and Henry as "The Platt Brothers". [42] He has also performed as a soloist and in duet with Ben. [43]

Film

In 2021, he had a minor role in Aaron Sorkin's drama, Being the Ricardos , which also starred Nicole Kidman.

Platt is currently producing his first feature film, The Mensch, in which he will co-produce and star alongside Ginnifer Goodwin. [1]

Personal life

In 2016, he married Courtney Galiano in a Jewish ceremony officiated by Rabbi David Wolpe. [44] The couple have two children together. [18] His wife converted to Judaism and he is an Advisory Board Member for the American Jewish University’s Miller Intro to Judaism Program. [45] [46]

In 2025, Platt revealed that he had received an adult diagnosis for ADHD and how he was responding to it. [47]

Acting credits

Theater

YearProductionRoleVenueNotes
2013 Bare: A Pop Opera Jason McConnell Hayworth Theatre Los Angeles
2014 Hair Wolf Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles
Floyd Collins HomerLa Mirada Theatre for the Performing ArtsLa Mirada, California
2015 Wicked Fiyero Gershwin Theatre Broadway
2017Beauty and the Beast — A Christmas RoseThe Beast Pasadena Convention Center Pasadena
2018 NASSIM Performer Barrow Street Theatre New York
A Walk on the Moon Marty Kantrowitz American Conservatory Theater San Francisco
2020 Found Davy Rothbart Los Angeles Theatre Center Los Angeles
2023The Engagement PartyJosh Geffen Playhouse Los Angeles

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018I'll Be WatchingLieutenant Jack Rivers
The Last Breakfast ClubBender
2021 Pompo: The Cinéphile Alan
Being the Ricardos Tip Tribby
2022Menorah in the MiddleBen
2023 The List Matt
2024SpreadOrson
2025 You're Dating a Narcissist! Henry
TBAThe MenschTBAIn development

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013 The Office Frat BoyEpisode: "Finale"
2015 Parenthood ICU DoctorEpisode: "How Did We Get Here"
2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm Husband #4Episode: "Fatwa!"
2018 Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert EnsembleTelevision special
2018-2019 Trolls: The Beat Goes On! Milton Moss (voice)7 episodes
2019 A Million Little Things SingerEpisode: "The Rosary:
2020 Harley Quinn Singing ClayfaceEpisode: "Something Borrowed, Something Green"
2021 Country Comfort Lucas PresleyEpisode: "Bless the Broken Road"
2022 Uncoupled Horst2 episodes: "Chapter 2", "Chapter 7"
2024 Mighty MonsterWheelies Drillbert (voice)Episode: "Rock, Rock. Who's there?"
Universal Basic Guys Interrogator/Paul2 episodes: "Jaws of Life", "Fight or Flight"

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 (17 July 2015). From Broadway to Jewish Advocacy: Jonah Platt on Identity, Antisemitism, and Israel American Jewish Committee. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  2. Amid rise in antisemitism, Jonah Platt aims to unite Jews CNN. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  3. Dodd, Sophie (9 December 2023). All About Ben Platt's Parents, Marc and Julie Platt People. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  4. "Digging into 'The Book of Mormon': an interview with Ben Platt and Nic Rouleau". Depaulia Online. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  5. Wagenheim, Mike (June 28, 2022). "Julie Platt begins tenure at helm of one of US Jewry's signature organizations". JNS. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  6. Kampeas, Ron (February 16, 2022). "Jewish fundraising powerhouse JFNA names 2nd woman (and actor Ben Platt's mom) as chair". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  7. Weiss, Melissa (April 29, 2020). "For the Platt brothers, Yom Ha'atzmaut is a family affair". Jewish Insider. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  8. Deitcher, Jay (30 September 2024). With deep philanthropic roots, Jonah Platt launches new podcast on ‘Being Jewish’ Jewish Insider. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  9. "Ben Platt Profile". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  10. Gewanter, Ira (27 February 2018). Jonah Platt Brings Stories, Style and Song to Gordon Center JMore. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  11. Jonah Platt Birthright Israel Foundation. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  12. (3 September 2015). Platt brothers to star in New York musicals Harvard-Westlake Chronicle. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  13. A Conversation with English Alum and Broadway Star Jonah Platt University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  14. Platt, Jonah (18 October 2023). Why Hollywood Needs to ‘Explore and Highlight Jewish Joy,’ Not Just ‘Suffering or Idiosyncrasies’ Variety. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  15. Lindsay, Benjamin (9 January 2024). Julianna Margulies, David Schwimmer and Over 260 More Implore Academy to Include Jews in Inclusion Standards | Exclusive The Wrap. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  16. Boye, Kody (1 February 2025). With Anti-Jew Hate on the Rise, Jonah Platt is on a Mission to Help People Have Hard Conversations USA Today. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  17. (15 December 2024). Community Excellence Awards California's 51st State Assembly district. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  18. 1 2 Zaltzman, Lior (15 October 2024). Jonah Platt’s ‘Being Jewish’ Podcast Aims to Unite the Jewish Community at a Divisive Time Kveller. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  19. Lobell, Kylie Ora (12 November 2024). Actor Jonah Platt Discusses His New Podcast and Jewish Advocacy Jewish Journal. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  20. (31 October 2024). ‘CNN’ commentator Van Jones blasts pro-Hamas ‘idiots’ for supporting a ‘Nazi organization’ Jewish News Syndicate. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  21. Abelsohn, Jessica (16 January 2025). Becoming 10 per cent more Jewish Australian Jewish News. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  22. (24 October 2025). Single Jews Make THIS Mistake the Most! Netflix’s Jewish Matchmaking Star Aleeza Ben Shalom YouTube. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  23. (March 2025). Black AND Jewish! How “Girls Trip” Star Tiffany Haddish Fought Her Way From Homeless to Hollywood YouTube. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  24. (October 2025). Being Jewish with Jason Alexander! Seinfeld Star on Israel-Palestine Peace, Jews on TV & more! YouTube. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  25. (October 2025). MILLIONS Watch History’s First Asian-American Rabbi, Angela Buchdahl of New York’s Central Synagogue YouTube. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  26. Best Indie Podcast 2025 Webby Awards. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  27. (18 March 2025). 2025 Wilbur Award Honorees, Award of Excellence and Award of Merit Recipients Religion Communicators Council. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  28. (25 September 2025). 1,200+ Entertainment Leaders Release Open Letter Rejecting the Boycott of the Israeli Film Industry Creative Community for Peace. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  29. Ray Of Hope Benefit 2025 American Friends of ELEM. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  30. Blank, Matthew (22 July 2013). PHOTO CALL: Meet the Cast of the L.A. Return of Pop Opera Bare, Starring Lindsay Pearce, Payson Lewis and Jonah Platt Playbill. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  31. Verini, Bob (2 August 2014). L.A. Theater Review: 'Hair' at the Hollywood Bowl Variety. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  32. Gray, Margaret (4 April 2014). Theater Review: A haunting 'Floyd Collins' The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  33. Riley, Jenelle (3 November 2014). 2014 Ovation Award Winners Announced Variety. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  34. (1 October 2015). Wicked's Jonah Platt on Show Tunes in the Car, Advice from His Pitch Perfect Brother & Loving Fiyero Broadway. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  35. Vine, Hannah (14 December 2017). First Look at James Snyder, Jonah Platt, John Tartaglia, and More in Beauty and the Beast—A Christmas Rose Playbill. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  36. Peleg, Oren (12 July 2017). Teens put new twist on adult-themed ‘Dog Sees God’ Jewish Journal. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  37. See Katie Brayben and Jonah Platt in A Walk on the Moon Playbill. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  38. Musbach, Julie (18 January 2019). Jonah Platt Directs Carrie Manolakos in Reading of IRENA by Megan Cavallari & Kait Kerrigan Broadway World. Retrieved on 30 October 2025
  39. Meyer, Dan (16 January 2020). Jonah Platt, Karla Mosley, More Set for Found at IAMA Playbill. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  40. Gans, Andrew (17 July 2023). Jonah Platt, Katie Rose Clarke, Tamika Lawrence, Manu Narayan, More Cast in The Heart of Rock & Roll Workshop Playbill. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  41. Debruge, Peter (3 November 2023). ‘The Engagement Party’ Review: Eight Characters Find Infinite Reasons Why This Couple Should Not Be Wed Variety. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  42. Burack, Emily (19 May 2020). Everything You Need to Know About the Brothers Platt Hey Alma. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  43. (December 2018). Ben Platt and Jonah Platt perform duet of James Taylor's "Shower The People" YouTube. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  44. (4 September 2016). Courtney Galiano, Jonah Platt The New York Times. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  45. (29 June 2021). Backstage Pass: Ben, Jonah, and Henry Platt in Conversation with Abigail Pogrebin The Jewish Theological Seminary. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  46. How to Build a Jewish Future: Jewish Federation's Julie Platt on Supporting Israel & Communal Safety YouTube. Retrieved on 29 October 2025
  47. (August 2025). “My ADHD Diagnosis Changed My Life!” How Jonah Platt Discovered his Full Authentic Self YouTube. Retrieved on 29 October 2025