What High School Musical's Cast Have Done Since The Disney Trilogy Ended

Summary

• The original High School Musical cast members have pursued diverse careers since the trilogy, with Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale being the most successful.
• Zac Efron focused on acting in comedies post-High School Musical and even ventured back into musicals with “The Greatest Showman.”
• Vanessa Hudgens expanded her acting career, became an influencer, and appeared in reality shows while Ashley Tisdale created her own brand and continued acting.

The High School Musical trilogy was initially many of the actors’ big breaks, so naturally, the original High School Musical cast has pursued various careers. Disney’s High School Musical trilogy began in 2006, as a Disney Channel Original Movie and ended in 2008 in international theaters. The franchise brought the Disney Channel network into a completely new era. The film saga is still one of the most popular and beloved franchises from the Disney Channel – High School Musical 2 still holds the record for the highest viewed Disney Channel Original Movie premiere with 17.2 million viewers.

The films even garnered a television spinoff; High School Musical: The Musical ended after four seasons on Disney+. High School Musical has undoubtedly left its mark on the world, especially the lives of its own cast. Since the trilogy ended, the cast members have pursued various endeavors – some have remained in Hollywood, while others have left the industry altogether. The three most successful actors are Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale, who also played the main characters. However, other cast members have had their own successes.

Zac Efron As Troy Bolton

Zac Pursued A Successful Acting Career Away From Musicals

Zac Efron portrayed Troy Bolton, the lead role in the High School Musical trilogy. Since the last film premiered, he established a career as a successful actor, starring primarily in comedies. Some of his most successful films include 17 Again, Neighbors, and Baywatch. Zac also tried to avoid musicals. In fact, it was almost 10 years since High School Musical 3: Senior Year before Zac Efron decided to add another musical to his resumé—The Greatest Showman. He also portrayed the serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

In addition to film, Efron created a YouTube series with his brother, Dylan, called Off The Grid. Zac moved to Australia in 2021 and began his own show called Down To Earth With Zac Efron—a documentary series that follows the actor on his travels around the world. Most recently, Zac Efron starred in the wrestling biopic The Iron Claw, which drew critical acclaim from critics, including an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. He also starred in the Netflix romantic comedy A Family Affair.

Vanessa Hudgens As Gabriella Montez

Vanessa Expanded Her Acting Career And Became An Influencer

Vanessa Hudgens played Gabriella Montez, the new girl who changed everyone’s lives at East High. Since the trilogy ended, Vanessa Hudgens has starred in several movies, including Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Spring Breakers, The Princess Switch, and the two most recent Bad Boys films. Vanessa has not only been an actress; she has also expanded her social platform and has become an influencer. She is notorious for attending Coachella and her Instagram Halloween series every year. She has also appeared on several reality shows, including So You Think You Can Dance, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, and The Masked Singer.

Hudgens has hosted several events, such as the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards, and the red carpet event for the last few Academy Awards. She has also appeared in two live televised musicals: Grease Live! as Rizzo and Rent: Live as Maureen Johnson. Her most recent film is the fourth installment of the Bad Boys franchise, Bad Boys: Ride Or Die. Vanessa Hudgens also married baseball player Cole Tucker and recently gave birth to their first child.

Ashley Tisdale As Sharpay Evans

Ashley Created Her Own Brand While Continuing To Act And Sing

Ashley Tisdale portrayed the iconic Sharpay Evans, the antagonist in the High School Musical trilogy. High School Musical 3: Senior Year was not the last time Tisdale portrayed Sharpay Evans. In 2011, she reprised her role in Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, a sequel to the trilogy. Otherwise, Ashley Tisdale has continued her acting career, similarly to Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. She briefly starred in the CW’s Hellcats and continued voicing Candace Flynn on Phineas And Ferb. Ashley will reprise her role as Candace in the Phineas And Ferb revival. She has also appeared on various television shows.

Tisdale dipped her toes in Hollywood’s executive world when she became an executive producer for Young & Hungry. In 2009, Ashley Tisdale released her second studio album, Guilty Pleasure, followed by her third studio album 10 years later, Symptoms. In 2020, Tisdale created a brand called Frenshe, a blog and company dedicated to wellness. Ashley has released various skincare collections through her brand in partnership with Target. She also uses Frenshe to debut her interior designs.

Lucas Grabeel As Ryan Evans

Lucas Became A Voice Actor

Lucas Grabeel played Ryan Evans, Sharpay’s eccentric twin brother. After High School Musical ended, he starred in Switched At Birth as Toby Kennish for six years. Besides Switched At Birth and a brief cameo in Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, Grabeel has primarily focused on voice acting. He voiced various roles in Family Guy since 2010 but acquired a recurring role as Chadley in 2016. Lucas voiced minor characters in several shows, including Robot Chicken, Phineas And Ferb, and DreamWorks Dragons. He even appeared in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Most recently, Lucas Grabeel voices Kyle in My Adventures With Superman.

Corbin Bleu As Chad Danforth

Corbin Pursued A Career In Acting And Theater

Corbin Bleu portrayed Troy’s best friend, basketball-obsessed Chad Danforth. Since High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Corbin Bleu has had many guest roles on television. He has appeared in The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, Castle, The Fosters, Chicago Med, Supergirl, and more. He even reunited with co-star Monique Coleman for the television film A Christmas Dance Reunion. Of course, Corbin appeared as himself in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Corbin has also starred in a number of movies, most recently in Hulu’s biopic Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story. However, the heart of Corbin Bleu’s career is theater.

He established himself as a tremendous theater actor in various plays and musicals. Most notably, Corbin appeared on Broadway in the musicals In The Heights, Godspell, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical, Kiss Me, Kate, and Gutenberg! The Musical! Corbin Bleu has also performed in Off-Broadway segments and other venues for different plays. He has been nominated for several theater awards, including the Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography, the Helen Hayes Awards, and the Drama Desk Awards. He has been to actress Sasha Clements since 2016.

Monique Coleman As Taylor McKessie

Monique Is An Actress And An Influencer

Monique Coleman portrayed Taylor McKessie, East High’s smartest student and Gabriella’s best friend. Monique has acquired several acting credits since the end of the high school musical trilogy, including shows such as Bones, Stitchers, and Family Reunion, and she has maintained a permanent presence in Hollywood through her various endeavors. Most notably, she created a TV show called Gimme Mo, where she discusses and investigates everyday issues among today’s youth. This project even garnered a nomination for a Daytime Emmy Award. Outside of Hollywood, Monique Coleman has pursued boxing and, most recently, adult figure skating.

Olesya Rulin As Kelsi Nielsen

Olesya Is An Actress, Influencer, And Philanthropist

Olesya Rulin portrayed Kelsi Nielsen, the school’s shy musician. Similarly to Monique Coleman and Corbin Bleu, since High School Musical ended, Olesya has guest starred in several TV shows, including CSI: Miami, The Mentalist, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The Rookie. However, she has primarily been an environmental activist and philanthropist, promoting a sustainable lifestyle through social media. Most recently, Olesya partnered with the sustainable clothing brand Silk Laundry. She is married to Joseph Noel Pauline, and they have a daughter together.

Chris Warren Jr. As Zeke Baylor

Chris Warren Jr. Remained An Actor

Chris Warner Jr. played Zeke Baylor, another basketball player on Troy’s team, who is also a talented chef with dreams of becoming a professional cook. Since High School Musical, Chris has maintained his acting career. His biggest role since the trilogy is in BET’s comedy Sistas. He also had a recurring role in The Fosters and starred in his own show, Grand Hotel. He also recently guest starred in Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 12, “Pick Yourself Up.” He is married to Layla Kayleigh, and they have two children together.

Ryne Sanborn As Jason Cross

Ryne Retired From Hollywood

Ryne Sanborn portrayed Jason Cross, another basketball player on Troy’s team, who was also the foolish comedic relief. Unlike his co-stars, Ryne Sanborn retired from acting right after High School Musical 3: Senior Year premiered. He attended the University of Utah and studied architecture. Ryne Sanborn also played hockey for the Salt Like Outliers, an ice hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League. It is unknown where he is currently.

KayCee Stroh As Martha Cox

KayCee Channeled Her Inner Martha

KayCee Stroh played Martha Cox, a brainiac with a secret passion for dancing, eventually becoming one of East High’s cheerleaders. Ironically, since the High School Musical trilogy, KayCee became a dancer and choreographer, dedicating her career to various dance forms and becoming a dance teacher. It is something that Martha Cox would certainly approve of. KayCee also appeared in a few other Disney projects, but her career is primarily in dancing. She also has her own furniture company. KayCee Stroh married Ben Higginson, and they have two children together.

Alyson Reed As Ms. Darbus

Alyson Has Continued Acting

Alyson Reed played Ms. Darbus, the drama and homeroom teacher. Alyson already had tremendous career achievements in various Broadway productions before she appeared in the High School Musical trilogy. However, since the films have ended, Alyson had guest roles on several shows, including Bones, Mad Men, and Grey’s Anatomy. Most recently, Alyson Reed had a recurring role as herself and Ms. Darbus in season 4 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

Bart Johnson As Jack Bolton

Bart Is An Actor Who Loves To Talk About High School Musical

Bart Johnson played Jack Bolton, Troy’s basketball-obsessed father who believes he knows what is best for Troy. Since High School Musical ended, he appeared in a few shows, including NCIS and 9-1-1: Lone Star. Bart also acquired a recurring role as himself in season 4 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and starred in the 2024 film Someone Like You. However, Bart Johnson is well-known for his passion for High School Musical. He dedicates his social media to the trilogy, always staying in touch with fans, promoting High School Musical cast reunions and attending fan conventions.

Source: Our Sports Central