If you’re a fan of Never Have I Ever, get ready for this interview! YEM got the chance to sit down with Jaren Lewison, who plays Ben in Never Have I Ever. Ben is a major character throughout the show, acting as one of the two main love interests for Devi. If you haven’t watched the full season 3, be sure to finish it and then tune back into the interview because there are MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
First, we got into a little bit about the different relationships that Ben has on the show, specifically with Aneesa and Devi. Jaren shares what it was like playing such a multi-faceted character and what that means for his friendships and romantic relationships. Ben’s character is kind of a contradiction; he’s Devi’s nemesis, yet her love interest, so it’s really interesting to hear about how Jaren approached the role so that all of Ben’s sides could be shown. Talking more about Ben’s character, we also got into a little bit about him and Paxton’s dynamic, specifically relating to emotional expression and even toxic masculinity. You’ll definitely want to stay tuned to hear Jaren talk about all these topics that come up during the season.
Jaren also goes into how he hopes Ben inspires audiences, which was super interesting to talk about. Ben, as well as so many of the other characters on the show, experience the universal highs and lows of growing up and being a high schooler during the season, so it was great to get into the more real, personal ways that Never Have I Ever connects with its audience. Jaren shares a little bit about how fans have reacted to the show and its messaging, which was really great to hear about.
