America’s Got Talent returns to NBC on Tuesday, September 15 with the highly anticipated live semifinals. Among the acts in this round of the competition is magician Geno Ploeger who has been mentored by AGT winner Mat Franco.
Geno Ploeger Wants Fans to Understand That Mat Franco is His Mentor
Throughout the competition, Geno has been working towards shedding Howie Mandel‘s audition commentary, on how similar his magic is to winner Mat Franco. For those who may have missed it, Geno paid homage to Franco in his audition since he has previously worked as his intern.
After streaming magic for three years, Geno connected with Franco during a TikTok Live and landed an internship helping the AGT winner with social media. Geno had been watching Franco since he was 10 years old, so this was truly an opportunity like no other.
“It was pure chance and luck that I got that opportunity because I caught him while he was live,” Geno said. “Which was really cool, to be able to be like to help someone out who’s helped me out so much throughout the years.”
Even this far in the competition, Geno is still in close contact with Franco, since they have a mentor and mentee relationship. Sometimes he’ll even go to his mentor with ideas for the AGT stage, and he’s able to suggest certain things that are perfect for the show.
He is Bringing a Completely New Act to the Live Semifinals
Since his audition, Geno has been fighting to get his footing in the competition. Even though he made it through directly to the Quarterfinals, he’s been working hard to solidify himself as a separate entity from Franco. Luckily, Geno was able to successfully work on this image during the Quarterfinals where he told the story of how he got into magic.
“That was my sole goal, I don’t want people to think this anymore,” he said. “I want to be me and that’s why I told my story on how I got into magic. To me that’s the most wholehearted thing I could have done.”
Even though Geno understands why people still may draw the connection between him and his mentor, he’s hoping his last performance helped fans seperate them.
“I studied Matt so much growing up. A lot of my roots of the performance comes from that and I could see why people think that,” he said. “But I think now at this point in the competition with me telling my story, I’m really trying to show me and my own performance style.”
In addition to working closely with Franco, Geno has also had other magic teachers and mentors.
“I think what people don’t see outside of just the Matt Franco story is all of the other teachers I’ve had throughout the years, and I’ve had I’ve had so many that I that I work with,” he said.
The Magician is Extremely Grateful For the Experience
Throughout his journey on America’s Got Talent 2026, Geno has been incredibly emotional when receiving the news that he’d be progressing to the next round. It’s evident that this gratitude is coming from both his passion for magic, and appreciation of the competition as a whole.
“Going into the experience, I had no clue what it was going to be like,” he said. “In my head, I was thinking everyone was going to be super focused in what they’re doing. But I’ve met people that are going to be friends for the rest of my life… I think the experience goes by in a blink, as soon as we know it the experience is done and now they’re casting for the next season.”
Geno is set to perform in the Semifinals on Tuesday, September 15 at 8PM ET. Make sure to tune in and watch his performance, and vote for him to continue into the finale.
“It would mean everything [to be selected for the Finals]. AGT for me has been a decade in the making… I’ve wanted nothing else than to come to AGT and perform and it has been the biggest dream come true being here,” he said. “I’m just so grateful to be here because it truly is my biggest dream. So, I’m glad that that shines through and people are able to see that.”
Words by:
Corey Cesare Corey Cesare is Talent Recap's Managing Editor and featured YouTube Host. She has a love of all things pop culture and an unhealthy obsession with celebrities. Corey earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Cinema/Screen Studies from the State University of New York at Oswego in 2021. She spends her spare time shooting astro, nature, and portrait photography, and coming up with movie ideas that she hopes to make into a film someday.
