# Marc Platt (producer)

Marc E. Platt (born April 14, 1957) is an American producer who has worked in film, theatre, and television. He has received numerous accolades including three Tony Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for four Academy Awards.

## Early life

Platt was born and raised in a Conservative Jewish home in Pikesville, Maryland, the son of Sue Ellen (née Sezzin), a schoolteacher, and Howard Platt, who worked in the retail shoe business. He has an older brother and a younger sister. He graduated from Pikesville High School in 1975 and the University of Pennsylvania in 1979, where he was a member of the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club. He then earned his Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law and began his career as an entertainment attorney.

## Career

Platt started producing in theatre, before moving into film. Platt was a business-affairs lawyer for (ICM) In- ternational Creative Management's superagent Sam Cohn, laying the essential groundwork of entertainment contacts. He was thirty-three years old when he replaced Mike Medavoy, at Orion Pictures, as production chief. After Orion, he served as president of production for two more movie studios: TriStar Pictures, and Universal Studios. Platt has since formed his own production company, Marc Platt Productions, within the Universal realm and continues to pursue creative projects. His company is responsible for the Legally Blonde films and the HBO miniseries Empire Falls.
Platt has produced a variety of feature films beginning with the 1987 comedy Campus Man. His films include Legally Blonde (2001), Wanted (2008), Rachel Getting Married (2008), Nine (2009), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Drive (2011), The Girl on the Train (2016), and Cruella (2021). He also produced critically acclaimed films such as Steven Spielberg's Cold War drama Bridge of Spies (2015), Damien Chazelle's musical La La Land (2016), and Aaron Sorkin's legal drama The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), all of which earned him Academy Award for Best Picture nominations.
He was executive producer of the two-part docudrama The Path to 9/11, shown on ABC on the fifth anniversary of 9/11 on September 10 and 11, 2006. The film was controversial and accused of having a political agenda and fictionalizing the events leading up to the September 11, 2001 attacks, especially those involving the Clinton administration.
He collaborated with Walt Disney Pictures producing numerous musicals for the studio including Into the Woods (2014), Mary Poppins Returns (2018), Aladdin (2019, as an executive producer), The Little Mermaid (2023) and the upcoming Snow White (2025), as well as Universal's Wicked films (2024–2025). In 2021 he produced a film adaptation of the musical Dear Evan Hansen (2021) which featured a leading performance from his son Ben Platt, who originated the title role on Broadway. This casting, however, led to accusations of nepotism against them for having Ben, at age 27, reprise his role as the teenage title character in the film. For his work on television he produced Grease Live! (2016), Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (2018), and Rent: Live (2019) as well as the HBO projects Empire Falls (2005), and Oslo (2021).
Platt has produced numerous productions on the Broadway stage with his first official credit being Wicked earning his first Tony Award for Best Musical nomination. He was also nominated for Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for Pal Joey in 2009 and Tony Award for Best Play for Indecent in 2017. He won the Tony Award for Best Musical for The Band's Visit in 2018 and for A Strange Loop in 2022. He will also produce the upcoming stage adaptation of La La Land.

## Personal life

Platt and his wife Julie (née Beren) also a Penn graduate and trustee of the university, live in the Los Angeles area. They funded the construction of a performing arts rehearsal and performance space on the campus, the Platt Student Performing Arts House. Platt is a Penn Glee Club alumnus and supporter. His company has taken at least one Penn student intern a year since its inception.
The Platts have five children, including actor and singer Ben Platt.

## Filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

### Film

| Year | Tile | Credit | Notes |
| 1987 | Campus Man | Executive producer | |
| 2001 | Josie and the Pussycats | | |
| 2001 | Legally Blonde | | |
| 2003 | Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde | | |
| 2003 | Honey | | |
| 2005 | Happy Endings | Co-producer | |
| 2005 | The Perfect Man | | |
| 2007 | The Seeker | | |
| 2008 | Wanted | | |
| 2008 | Rachel Getting Married | | |
| 2009 | Legally Blondes | | Direct-to-video |
| 2009 | The Other Woman | | |
| 2009 | Nine | | |
| 2010 | Cop Out | | |
| 2010 | Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | | |
| 2010 | Charlie St. Cloud | | |
| 2011 | Drive | | |
| 2011 | Honey 2 | Executive producer | |
| 2013 | Evidence | | |
| 2013 | 2 Guns | | |
| 2014 | Song One | | |
| 2014 | Winter's Tale | | |
| 2014 | We'll Never Have Paris | Executive producer | |
| 2014 | Lost River | | |
| 2014 | Mockingbird | | |
| 2014 | Into the Woods | | |
| 2014 | Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks | Executive producer | |
| 2015 | Ricki and the Flash | | |
| 2015 | Bridge of Spies | | |
| 2016 | La La Land | | |
| 2016 | Honey 3: Dare to Dance | Executive producer | Direct-to-video |
| 2016 | The Girl on the Train | | |
| 2016 | Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk | | |
| 2018 | Hotel Artemis | | |
| 2018 | Nappily Ever After | | |
| 2018 | Mary Poppins Returns | | |
| 2019 | Aladdin | Executive producer | |
| 2020 | The Trial of the Chicago 7 | | |
| 2021 | Thunder Force | | |
| 2021 | Cruella | | |
| 2021 | Dear Evan Hansen | | |
| 2022 | Better Nate Than Ever | | |
| 2022 | Babylon | | |
| 2023 | The Little Mermaid | | |
| 2024 | Players | | |
| 2024 | Wicked | | |
| 2025 | Snow White | | |
| 2025 | How to Train Your Dragon | | |
| 2025 | Wicked: For Good | | |

#### Actor

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2022 | Babylon | Producer |

#### Thanks

| Year | Tile | Role |
| 1991 | The Addams Family | Special thanks |
| 2013 | Bananas | Special thanks; short film |
| 2016 | The Comedian | The producers wish to thank the following for their assistance |

#### Cameo appearances

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2001 | Inside 'Legally Blonde' | Documentary |
| 2003 | The Hair That Ate Hollywood | Documentary |
| 2004 | Wicked: The Road to Broadway | Documentary |
| 2007 | ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway | Documentary |
| 2020 | Ben Platt Live from Radio City Music Hall | Concert film |
| 2024 | Wicked: The Real Story | Documentary |

### Television
#### Executive producer

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2002 | MDs | |
| 2003 | Mr. Ambassador | Television film |
| 2003 | Legally Blonde | Television pilot |
| 2005 | Empire Falls | |
| 2005 | Once Upon a Mattress | Television film |
| 2006 | The Path to 9/11 | |
| 2009−10 | Taking the Stage | |
| 2016 | Grease: Live | Television special |
| 2017 | A Christmas Story Live! | Television special |
| 2018 | Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Television special |
| 2018 | A Very Wicked Halloween | Television special |
| 2019 | Rent Live! | Television special |
| 2021 | Oslo | Television film |
| 2023 | Scott Pilgrim Takes Off | |

#### Actor

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2017 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Musical Director |

#### Thanks

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2020 | Saturday Night Seder | Special thanks |
| 2024 | Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked | With gratitude |

#### Cameo appearances

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2001 | Backstage Pass | |
| 2004 | Broadway: The American Musical | Episode: "Putting It Together" |
| 2008 | Max on Set: Wanted | Documentary |
| 2024 | Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked | Television special |

### Theatre

* 1983: Total Abandon (play, associate producer)
* 2003–present: Wicked (musical)
* 2006: Three Days of Rain (play)
* 2008–09: Pal Joey (musical, associate producer)
* 2014: If/Then (musical)
* 2016: Oh, Hello on Broadway (Play)
* 2017: War Paint (musical)
* 2017: Indecent (play)
* 2017–19: The Band's Visit (musical)
* 2021–23: A Strange Loop (musical)
* 2022-23: Topdog/Underdog (play)
* 2023: Fat Ham (play)
* 2024: Death Becomes Her (musical)
* 2025: Purpose (play)
* TBA: La La Land (musical)

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Production / Role | Result |
| 2015 | Academy Award | Best Picture | Bridge of Spies | Nominated |
| 2016 | Academy Award | Best Picture | La La Land | Nominated |
| 2020 | Academy Award | Best Picture | The Trial of the Chicago 7 | Nominated |
| 2024 | Academy Award | Best Picture | Wicked | Nominated |
| 2004 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Wicked | Nominated |
| 2009 | Tony Award | Best Revival of a Musical | Pal Joey | Nominated |
| 2017 | Tony Award | Best Play | Indecent | Nominated |
| 2018 | Tony Award | Best Musical | The Band's Visit | Won |
| 2022 | Tony Award | Best Musical | A Strange Loop | Won |
| 2023 | Tony Award | Best Revival of a Play | Topdog/Underdog | Won |
| 2009 | Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy | Nine | Nominated |
| 2014 | Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy | Into the Woods | Nominated |
| 2016 | Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy | La La Land | Won |
| 2018 | Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy | Mary Poppins Returns | Nominated |
| 2018 | Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy | Babylon | Nominated |
| 2024 | Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy | Wicked | Nominated |
| 2020 | Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture – Drama | The Trial of the Chicago 7 | Nominated |
| 2024 | Golden Globe Award | Cinematic and Box Office Achievement | Wicked | Won |
| 2005 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Miniseries | Empire Falls | Nominated |
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Special Class Program | Grease Live! | Won |
| 2018 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety Special (Live) | Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Won |
| 2019 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety Special (Live) | Rent: Live | Nominated |
| 2021 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Television Movie | Oslo | Nominated |
| 2005 | Producer's Guild of America | Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television | Empire Falls | Nominated |
| 2015 | Producer's Guild of America | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | Bridge of Spies | Nominated |
| 2016 | Producer's Guild of America | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | La La Land | Won |
| 2020 | Producer's Guild of America | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | The Trial of the Chicago 7 | Nominated |
| 2024 | Producer's Guild of America | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | Wicked | Nominated |
| 2021 | People's Choice Awards | Drama Movie of the Year | Cruella | Won |
| 2022 | North Dakota Film Society | Best Picture | Babylon | Nominated |