Benj Pasek Biography: Age, Net Worth, Songs, Film Scores, Career, Awards

Benj Pasek ranks as a top-tier composer, lyricist, and producer who has reshaped modern musical theater, film scores, and TV tunes with his heartfelt lyrics and sharp collaborations, mostly alongside partner Justin Paul.

From crafting breakout hits like the raw song cycle Edges during college days to scoring Oscar-sweeping films such as La La Land and powerhouse Broadway runs like Dear Evan Hansen, he blends emotional depth with pop savvy that hooks crowds worldwide.

Profile

• Full Name: Benjamin Pasek
• Stage Name: Benj Pasek
• Born: June 9, 1985
• Age: 40 years old
• Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Composer, Lyricist, And Producer
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Jeffrey Ivan Pasek
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: None
• Children: None
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $17 million USD

Early Life and Education

Benj Pasek is a top-tier composer, lyricist, and producer.

He came into the world on June 9, 1985, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a Jewish family that sparked his love for music right from the start.

His parents, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek—a noted child psychologist and professor—and Jeffrey Ivan Pasek, gave him a home full of encouragement, with his mom even dipping into songwriting herself.

He finished up at Friends’ Central School before heading to the University of Michigan, where he grabbed a B.F.A. in musical theater in 2006—that’s where he linked up with Justin Paul and kicked off their writing team.

His white ethnic background ties into strong American-Jewish traditions, and he holds to Judaism.

Career

Benj Pasek jumped into the scene fresh out of college with the song cycle Edges, a set of tracks on growing up that spread like wildfire online and got staged over 200 times worldwide by the early 2010s.

He and Justin Paul snagged the Jonathan Larson Grant in 2007, then rolled out kid-friendly musicals like James and the Giant Peach in 2010 at Goodspeed Musicals and A Christmas Story: The Musical, which hit Broadway in 2012 and earned a Tony nod for Best Original Score.

Their Off-Broadway hit Dogfight in 2012 brought home a Lucille Lortel for Best New Musical, showing their grip on tough, real-life tales.

Things exploded with Dear Evan Hansen, which bowed Off-Broadway in 2016 and Broadway later that year, pulling nine Tony nods and winning for Best Original Score—its cast album topped the Grammys in 2018 too.

On film, they penned lyrics for La La Land in 2016, with “City of Stars” grabbing the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Original Song, while “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” got a nod.

As producers, they co-won a Tony for A Strange Loop in 2022, and hit EGOT in 2024 with an Emmy for “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” from Only Murders in the Building.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @benjpasek

Personal Life

Benj Pasek, 40, is a top-tier composer, lyricist, and producer.

He keeps things low-key on the romance front, staying single and open about being gay without spilling much on partners or past flings.

No spouse or kids on the radar—he channels that family vibe into shares about his niece and tight bonds with folks back home.

Raised in Philly’s Ardmore area, he still nods to his roots often, like crediting his mom’s influence in chats.

These days, he splits time between New York and LA, unwinding with theater nights and quiet hangs that recharge his creative side.

Discography

Musicals (Selected):

• Edges (2005) as Co-Creator (song cycle)
• James and the Giant Peach (2010) as Composer/Lyricist
• A Christmas Story: The Musical (2012) as Composer/Lyricist
• Dogfight (2012) as Composer/Lyricist
• Dear Evan Hansen (2016) as Composer/Lyricist
• A Strange Loop (2022) as Producer

Filmography (Selected):

• La La Land (2016) as Lyricist (songs like “City of Stars”)
• Trolls (2016) as Songwriter
• The Greatest Showman (2017) as Lyricist (songs like “This Is Me”)
• Aladdin (2019) as Songwriter (“Speechless”)
• Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (2022) as Composer/Lyricist
• Spirited (2022) as Songwriter
• Snow White (2025) as Songwriter

Television (Selected):

• Smash (2012) as Songwriter
• The Flash (2017) as Songwriter (“Runnin’ Home to You”)
• A Christmas Story Live! (2017) as Composer/Lyricist
• Only Murders in the Building (2024) as Songwriter (“Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?”)

Net Worth

Benj Pasek, 40, is a top-tier composer, lyricist, and producer. His net worth hovers around $17 million USD these days.

That pulls from fat royalties on blockbusters like La La Land and The Greatest Showman soundtracks, Tony-winning Broadway runs such as Dear Evan Hansen, and steady TV gigs from Smash to Sesame Street.