“Dear Evan Hansen” Star Kaitlyn Dever on Telling Stories that Matter for Shape Magazine

From ‘Booksmart’ to ‘Unbelievable’ to the upcoming ‘Dear Evan Hansen,’ Kaitlyn Dever puts her heart and soul into each role she takes on. She opens up about the personal rewards and transformational power of stretching yourself for a worthy purpose in SHAPE’s Women Run the World issue.

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On the upcoming premiere of Dear Evan Hansen: “People will connect with Dear Evan Hansen because this is a musical that lets us feel less alone and less isolated—especially during a time when we’ve all felt disconnected from our loved ones. And we’ve lost so many lives during the past year. Now more than ever, this movie needs to be told.”

On her raw portrayal of heart-wrenching characters: “I make sure we’re telling these stories right—and telling them with honesty and respect.” “These stories deserve to be told in the best way possible,” says Kaitlyn. “I put so much pressure on myself to do all these characters justice.” “I do things that scare me sometimes, but I’m almost addicted to that feeling.”

On what her role in Unbelievable achieved: “We screened Unbelievable for several congressmen and congresswomen. We were trying to get the Debbie Smith [Reauthorization] Act passed, which essentially eliminates rape-test backlog. I could feel that we were making a difference. [The law passed in 2019.] Since Unbelievable came out, I’ve had so many people sharing their stories with me. It means the world to me.”

On not putting limits on herself: “I love mixing it up. I never want to be set in stone with anything I do. There are endless opportunities in this industry, and I’m constantly reminding myself that I can make anything possible for myself.”

The September issue of Shape magazine is available for purchase on August 13.

[Photo Credit: Djeneba Aduayom for Shape magazine]

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