New York

Main Line Songwriter Wins Golden Globe for ‘La La Land'

Benj Pasek, 31, who grew up in Ardmore, was one of the co-writers behind “City of Stars,” which won Best Original Song at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

One of the songwriters who just won a Golden Globe for the modern day musical “La La Land” hails from Montgomery County.

Benj Pasek, 31, who grew up in Ardmore, was one of the co-writers behind “City of Stars,” which won Best Original Song at the 2017 Golden Globes. Pasek’s mom Kathy Hirsh-Pasek watched it all unfold on NBC10 Sunday night.

“I don’t know if I was nervous as much as I was so excited that he even had the opportunity to be acknowledged by his peers for the work that he did,” she said. “How cool was that?”

During his acceptance speech, Pasek thanked “musical theater nerds everywhere,” which especially resonated with his drama teacher Terry Guerin at Friends Central School in Wynnewood.

“This is really, really awesome,” Guerin told NBC10.

Guerin said she knew Pasek was talented as she watched him hone his craft both on and off the stage while he was a high school student. Now she’s happy that the world knows it too.

“I was screaming and yelling and I got texts from friends who know that he was a student here,” she said.

Pasek currently has a musical on Broadway called “Dear Evan Hanson.” He also hosted a group of Friends Central drama students in New York. Despite the many high profile projects he’s involved in, Pasek hasn’t forgotten where he came from and who helped him along the way.

“He’s very much in touch and he’s supporting us now,” Guerin said. “Which is wonderful.”

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