Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Dear Evan Hansen’s Liz Kate

Singer-songwriter Liz Kate has been making a name for herself on the music scene—and is now breaking out on the silver screen.

Discovering her passion for music at the young age of five, Liz has been writing and singing her way through life. Performing around Nashville and Atlanta, Liz eventually joined Belmont University’s Songwriting program. And now her talents have landed her in a new role that was created for the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Dear Evan Hanson.

We chatted with Liz Kate about playing Gemma, Zoe’s best friend in Dear Even Hanson.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Liz: I actually grew up in Florida. That’s a fact that not many people know. I grew up in Florida for the first few years of my life with my grandparents and mom. My mother was a single parent. I grew up in a very creative family. Both my grandparents are in the art world.

When I was growing up, my grandmother would put objects in front of me and tell me to paint them. I grew into my passion for music around the age of five when I got my first guitar. I started songwriting shortly after that.

My mom, Kate Slatery, is an actress. When I was six, she inspired me to look into the acting world to see if it was something I would love to do. I’m very fortunate that I was never pushed into anything that I didn’t want to do. I had a lot of alleyways that I got to explore within the creative world.

PC: There are so many different facets to your talent. Is there one that comes more naturally to you? Is there one that’s more challenging?
Liz: Great question. I would say they all have their challenges at times. The music industry is very similar to the film industry, and they each have their own challenges. But I would say that music has come more naturally to me. As a young girl, I would sing all over the house. My grandma told me that when I was younger I would hum and sing along to everything. Music has always been in my blood, but songwriting can be challenging at times. I think about who I want to be talking to and what types of topics I want to talk about.

With acting, it can be challenging to get into your character. With every role, I always prep and build a backstory so I can really step into my character. That definitely takes some time. With my character in Dear Evan Hansen, I spent a lot of time developing her and making sure that she was who she needed to be for the movie and the story. That’s the most important part, and it’s definitely a challenge. But with both industries it’s all about having fun. I’m very lucky to be able to express my creativity and have fun with it.

PC: Speaking of Dear Evan Hansen, what should audiences know about your character?
Liz: Gemma is way cooler than I’ll ever be. [laughs] She’s such a down-to-earth, caring friend. She’s a new character. She isn’t in the original Broadway musical. So, she’s something different than what fans have seen, but I don’t think they’ll be disappointed. She provides a lot more insight into the type of community Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever) is surrounded by. Gemma is her best friend. She provides a lot of insight there that was missing in the musical. The production did a great job providing more insight into the story of who these characters are.

PC: Did you feel any pressure heading into this project given how beloved this Broadway musical is?
Liz: I definitely stepped into it very gently. I know the fans are diehard fans. It’s so inspiring and beautiful to see. Even the extras on set knew the story by heart. It was so special to see everyone come together. It’s something that people have been wanting for a really long time. You hear these stories of how Dear Evan Hansen has saved people’s lives and completely changed them. There was definitely pressure walking into this project. You just want to do the best that you can possibly do to tend to the story and make sure that every element is exactly what it needs to be and what it should be.

We wanted to honor the Broadway musical. There were so many elements that went into it. The production did such a beautiful job looking at each element and making sure they included it or adapted to what they thought would be best for the story. All you can do is your best. At the end of the day, that’s enough. I really don’t think the audiences will be disappointed. It’s going to be a life-changing movie. I’m so honored to work with everyone involved, especially my castmates. They’re all so beautiful and their acting skills are so amazing. To be able to call them friends now is beautiful.

PC: You have original members from the Broadway production in the film. Did Ben [Platt] or Colton [Ryan] share any words of wisdom with you all as you transitioned it from the stage to the screen?
Liz: I actually had a conversation with Ben about this. He had so much to say about it. I’m sure the diehard fans will notice this but Ben is actually wearing the same sneakers that he wore throughout the entirety of his time in the Broadway musical. He wore those throughout the movie. He pointed that out in our conversation. He told me it’s a lot to step into this character again because of all the social anxiety that Evan deals with and how this part is very emotionally draining. I can’t even imagine. He gives such a beautiful performance.

As far as advice, he shared with us that we always have to keep the story in our mind and do our best. There’s an iconic scene in the auditorium where he’s giving a speech and then begins singing “You Will Be Found.” I will never forget sitting in the auditorium with Amy Adams, Danny Pino, and Kaitlyn. We all started crying. There were actual tears shed because that’s how real it felt. It’s everything that we need right now because it’s been such a strange season that we’re coming out of and everybody needs to know that they’re not alone.

PC: This is your feature film debut. What did you learn about yourself as an artist?
Liz: You’ve got some great questions. This is my feature film debut. I’m very, very excited about it. Like I was saying earlier, I’ve been acting since I was about six. My mom is an actress, so I’ve always been around the industry. I learned that people really love to be around individuals that are real and can be themselves. You can’t be who you think other people want you to be. You have to be true to yourself because at the end of the day that’s all you have. If you spend your life living for someone else that’s not going to benefit you. I have learned so much about caring for others and being there for your friends. Gemma cares so much about her friends, especially after this tragedy happens.

PC: In addition to Dear Evan Hansen, you’re also a singer-songwriter. As we look ahead to the rest of 2021, can we expect some new music from you?
Liz: Yes, you can! I’m actually about to record my album, which is super exciting. I have shared some music in the past, but at this point in my life, my genre has changed as many artists’ do. I’m finally ready to share my heart and my music with the world. I’ve been working really hard with my longtime vocal coach, Vanessa Olivarez, and we’re finally at a place where we’re like, “Yes, this is the music that represents me.” It’ll be out later this year.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Liz: The Handmaid’s Tale. No questions asked.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Liz: Mamma Mia! I could watch that like sixteen million times in a row and I would still be wanting to watch it again.

PC: Favorite book?
Liz: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I’m almost done with it and it’s a really cool book.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Liz: Waitress. I love Sara Bareilles so much. She’s one of my huge musical inspirations.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Liz: I love to listen to everything. My genre is Americana singer-songwriter with a jazz influence, so I don’t think people think I listen to a lot of pop. I’ve had Olivia Rodrigo’s album on repeat.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Liz: I would say Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves. That album genuinely got me through some really hard times and long cries from Atlanta to Nashville when I first moved. I listen to her song “Mother” all the time. I cried my eyes out because of how much I missed my mom during that transitional period. There’s so much on that album about loneliness and hardship, but also the rainbow after the rain.

PC: Dream role?
Liz: This is crazy. I would love to either be a lead love interest or possibly somebody in a horror film.

To keep up with Liz, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Dear Evan Hansen wherever you stream movies.

Photo Credit: Tyler Krippaehne