Ben Platt Praises Ellen DeGeneres for Inspiring Him to Come Out; Adds, 'I'm Single'

Broadway phenomenon Ben Platt thanked Ellen DeGeneres for inspiring him to be open in his sexuality.

The Tony winner for Dear Evan Hansencame out in a sweet music video for his song "Ease My Mind" in February. Regarding the video featuring Charlie Carver as his love interest, Platt said at the time"

"When we were conceptualizing this sort of loose narrative that we wanted to connect through the videos, there was not really any moment where we had to decide it should be about me and a man as opposed to anything else. Because it was just, We're going to represent what this was inspired by, which was this man that I was in love with. So it was really a no-brainer."

He added that it was the "first opportunity to represent my relationships and the men that I've loved."

Appearing on DeGeneres's show, Platt praised the talk show host for her courage in coming out more than 20 years ago and in living her life openly.

"I have never had the opportunity in my work or in my art to discuss my sexuality or my relationships. To have an opportunity to do that through something personal and through a piece of work has been really wonderful," Platt said. "I have to say I grew up a really big fan of yours and of your stand-up and was very inspired by you because you're always, in the way that you discussed your sexuality and your relationships it became part of the art and part of what makes you so funny and...that was really inspiring to me."

The actor, who was there to promote his role on Ryan Murphy's new series The Politician, also said he hopes there comes a point where coming it out is no longer a huge deal.

"It's exposing in a new way and I'm trying to show different parts of myself," he continued. "[The fans] have been really wonderfully supportive. Hopefully, we're past the time where it has to be this whole giant announcement and it can just be part of who you are."

"That's what it should be," replied Ellen. "It should just be like, oh, we happen to know that that person is gay and that should be it."

Platt also made it a point to tell DeGeneres and the audience that he's available.

"I'm very single. We can mention that," he said.