LJ Benet Reveals Why He Stepped Away from Acting After “Dog with a Blog”: 'It Gets So Exhausting Not Being You' (Exclusive)

Desiree AnelloSun, May 31, 2026 at 12:45 PM UTC

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LJ Benet in Broadway's 'The Lost Boys'; LJ Benet in 'Dog with a Blog'
Credit: POLK & CO; Disney+ -

LJ Benet exclusively tells PEOPLE why he took a break from acting before making his Broadway debut in The Lost Boys

“Honestly, I had no idea who I was because I feel like I'd been playing this character of LJ, you know, the actor for such a long time,” he recalls

Tickets for the stage adaptation of the 1987 horror comedy at New York City's Palace Theatre are now on sale

LJ Benet is opening up about why he stepped away from acting after starring in Dog with a Blog as a teenager.

After appearing as the recurring character Karl Fink on the hit Disney Channel show, the 29-year-old actor reveals to PEOPLE why he decided to take a break from the spotlight before returning to make his Broadway debut in The Lost Boys.

“I was doing a musical in Las Vegas when I was 19. I just finished doing Dog with a Blog at that time,” Benet recalls. “While I was doing this musical in Las Vegas, I really felt like I was just losing who I was.”

“Growing up in the industry, you really develop an identity for just performing, not only on stage but off the stage, not on camera but off camera,” he continues, going on to reference Keke Palmer's recent TED Talk, in which she discussed having to “put on this character every day in order for herself to feel successful.”

LJ Benet and Ali Louis Bourzgui in 'The Lost Boys' Broadway musical
Credit: Matthew Murphy

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Emphasizing that he relates to that sentiment all too well, Benet explains that, as he got older, putting on a constant facade grew more and more difficult.

“It gets so exhausting not being you,” he says. “Honestly, I had no idea who I was because I feel like I'd been playing this character of LJ, you know, the actor for such a long time. LJ, the performer for such a long time, I had no idea who LJ the person was outside of that.”

LJ Benet in Broadway's 'The Lost Boys'
Credit: Matthew Murphy

In taking some time to prioritize self-discovery, Benet explains that he found comfort in discovering his faith before taking on dozens of “odd jobs” to make ends meet.

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“I had no idea what was happening in my life,” he admits. “I started doing Uber Eats. I started selling solar [panels]. I became a handyman for a period of time. I worked at a gymnastics summer camp that my sister helped hook me up with. I did the most odd jobs ever.”

“In my heart of hearts, I just still felt like God was just like, ‘Trust me with this, trust me with this. I have something for you,' ” he continues, noting that the most impactful moments came when he didn't need to act or perform for anyone. “It was during that time that I really felt like I found who LJ was — who I was on the inside.”

LJ Benet, Ali Louis Bourzgui, Brian Flores, Dean Maupin, Sean Grandillo in 'The Lost Boys' Broadway musical
Credit: Matthew Murphy

Landing his first Broadway role in the stage adaptation of the beloved 1987 horror comedy The Lost Boys came at the right time.

Directed by Tony Award winner Michael Arden with music by The Rescues, the new musical follows two brothers who move to a small California beach town with their single mother (played by Tony nominee Shoshana Bean) only to discover it's home to a gang of teenage vampires. Benet stars as Michael, the older brother who finds himself drawn into their mysterious world while struggling to hold on to the people he loves.

Those themes of identity, belonging and found family resonated with Benet after his own years-long journey of self-discovery.

Working on the show — which is up for 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical – “made him a better human,” and brought him “pinch-me moments” that he never even expected.

“I think a lot of people, when they come to see our show, are gonna be surprised by how much they see themselves in these characters,” he says. “You really get to see yourself in the show no matter who you are. I really hope that people leave with a sense of hope that there is something bigger that they can be a part of, this idea of chosen family or a family that you grew up with … you can be a part of our little vampire clan.”

Tickets to The Lost Boys are now on sale.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”