It starts with them saying ‘yes’ to him, and people in his life saying ‘yes’ to mentoring him and helping him grow. He’s figuring out who he wants to surround himself with - the people who will push him outside of his comfort zone to nurture him, help him grow, and introduce him to different perspectives. In the fourth season, the theme is preparation for adulthood. “Ben’s overall journey is about finding himself and finding who he wants to be. The Texan stressed the recurring theme of self-discovery throughout Ben Gross’ character arc. Lewison emphasized that this episode laid the groundwork for Ben’s subsequent growth over the next three seasons. His mother leaves him for a wellness retreat, and his father and girlfriend cancel plans to attend a Los Angeles Clippers game he’d been excited about for months.īen breaks down during a dermatologist appointment with Devi’s mom, Nalini, and it’s his first display of weakness on the show. The episode delves into Ben’s strained relationship with his often-absent parents.
Lewison brought up the Ben-centric episode in “Never Have I Ever’s” first season, narrated by Andy Samberg, as the moment when Ben begins to reveal his layers and allow vulnerability. He added that people like Ben, who often “put on a mask,” tend to have an easier time forming relationships when they allow their true selves to shine. “He is a kid who, deep down inside, is just looking for love and attention, and I think we all know a Ben Gross,” Lewison said. He’s trying to get into Columbia, which is obviously a fantastic school, and he’s also Jewish,” he added.Ī post shared by Jaren Lewison Gross - one of the two main love interests in “Never Have I Ever” - remains the academic rival to protagonist Devi Vishwakumar (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), even as a teen romance blossoms between them.Īs the show progresses, Ben, the star student, becomes more forthcoming about his feelings of loneliness and self-doubt, but also comes to terms with expectations of others. He’s striving really hard to accomplish his goals. “In my case, I’m an actor who is also Jewish - that’s something that’s really cool. I have so many other different interests, which I think is so representative of Jews in the world,” Lewison said. Much like myself - I’m also an actor and an athlete and a former student. “What I really love about is that it’s not his entire identity. He was excited about this opportunity to share his culture and applauded the “Never Have I Ever” writers for crafting dynamic characters who stay connected to their cultural roots. Lewison embraces the complexity of his character, Ben Gross Jaren Lewison as Ben Gross in “Never Have I Ever” (Courtesy: Netflix)īen Gross is the first openly Jewish character Lewison has portrayed - his acting career began with a two-season stint on “Barney & Friends” in 2007-08. Reflecting on his college experience, Lewison expressed gratitude to USC’s Hillel for keeping him involved in the Jewish community and giving him the opportunity to meet fellow Jews in Los Angeles. For Rosh Hashanah, he enjoys cooking for his loved ones. For Passover, he leads his family’s Seder and hides the afikoman (his leadership makes him the “rabbi” of the group, he jokingly said). The former high school football star noted that his Jewish education gave him a proficiency in reading and writing Hebrew, approximately at a second-grade level.įor the holidays, Lewison typically returns home (he currently lives in Los Angeles) and takes an active part in the family festivities. Raised in an Ashkenazi family based in Dallas, Texas, Lewison attended a Conservative Jewish day school where he took classes in both Hebrew and in English. It’s a shared experience.” “Never Have I Ever” stars Jaren Lewison, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Darren Barnet at the Season 4 premiere in Los Angeles, California. “It’s always something that bonds me to people when I find out that they are also Jewish, because it just kind of feels like safe. I’ve found that I gravitate oftentimes to other Jews, I just sort of find them,” Lewison said.
“I’ve always been really proud of being Jewish.
Kicking off our interview, Lewison enthusiastically exclaimed, “Let’s get Jewy” and launched into an explanation of his Jewish identity - a part of his life he holds dear. Jaren Lewison embraces Judaism in his everyday life Lewison spoke with Unpacked about the final season of “Never Have I Ever” and why he’s proud to play a Jewish character on screen. The 22-year-old quickly emerged as a fan favorite in the show, whose fourth and final season was released on June 8. As one of the breakout stars of “Never Have I Ever,” Jaren Lewison’s life was drastically changed four years ago when he was cast as Ben Gross in the hit Netflix comedy created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher.
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