LECANTO — Students at Lecanto High School got a Hollywood moment Friday as one of the school’s most famous alumni returned to the place where his journey to stardom began. Actor Miles Teller, a 2005 graduate, came back to Citrus County on Friday to speak with students about chasing big dreams and remembering where you came from.
Teller, now known worldwide for blockbuster roles in “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Divergent,” and his acclaimed performance in “Whiplash,” addressed a packed crowd inside the place just renamed Miles Teller Theater inside Curtis Peterson Auditorium. He encouraged Lecanto High’s current students to believe that success can come from small towns too.
WATCH: 'Top Gun: Maverick' star Miles Teller returns to Lecanto High for 20th anniversary homecoming
“It’s where it all started,” Teller said while standing on the stage where he once performed in school productions. He recalled being part of the drama club, balancing baseball, music, and acting, inspired by former drama teacher Beth Bedee, whose support helped push him toward a career in film.
Teller even reflected on playing Ren McCormack in Lecanto High’s production of Footloose, a role he would reprise just seven years later in the Hollywood remake. “That was really surreal,” he said.
His return brought out loud cheers from students, some of whom shared the stage with Teller during a surprise moment of live drumming. Teller, who plays drums in real life, performed alongside members of the Lecanto band.
“It was such an enlightning experience, I feel like I could make it big now, especially being in this rural area. I feel like I have a lot more of a chance to get out there and do what I want to do, said drumline member Jaden Carlton.
Fellow drumline member Damian Rupp said playing on stage with Teller and getting a group picture with him was special, “I had a lot of fun.”
The school district, Student Advisory Council, and the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce hosted the event. As promised, there was a special announcement:
Teller and his wife donated $50,000 to the Citrus County Education Foundation to support students and the arts.
Teller said this return to Lecanto felt like a bonus version of his 20th high school reunion he could not attend.
Some of his friends were in the theater including Derek Benthusen, who said: “Whenever we pick up the phone, it’s always like we’ve seen each other just yesterday.
His sister, Dana Teller, a stand-up comedian, also attended the event. She said she has always been her brother’s biggest fan. “It’s just so cool to see this kind of recognition on a global scale,” she said.
Teller’s rising career continues. Along with “Eternity,” he will star next year in the highly anticipated film about Michael Jackson’s life.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Erik Waxler has previously interviewed Teller and the drama teacher who inspired him. You can watch that story here:
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