Where the High School Musical cast is now, 18 years later
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What is the cast doing now, and who’s still in showbiz? We checked on Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Lucas Grabeel and Olesya Rulin …
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South China Morning Post
Zac Efron starred as Troy Bolton, the most popular guy at East High, equally talented at singing and playing basketball. Troy fell in love with Gabriella after meeting her at a ski resort and reluctantly being paired up for karaoke.

It’s unclear when Efron and co-star Vanessa Hudgens began dating in real life, but they split in 2010.

Efron has a YouTube channel, where he posts fitness and travel videos, too. His love for adventure led to a Netflix travel series titled Down to Earth With Zac Efron, which debuted on the streaming platform in 2020. The show returned for a second season in November 2022.

2. Vanessa Hudgens

Gabriella Montez was portrayed by Vanessa Hudgens. Gabriella was one of the smartest students in her class. She was shy, but showcased her fun side whenever she took the stage for a performance.

In recent years, Hudgens starred alongside Andrew Garfield in the autobiographical musical Tick, Tick … Boom!

Outside of her film roles, Hudgens relaunched her skincare brand Know Beauty, in March 2023.

3. Ashley Tisdale

Ashley Tisdale played mean girl Sharpay Evans. Sharpay loved attention, and didn’t appreciate people who were also gifted performers.

Tisdale tied the knot with musician Christopher French in 2014 and they welcomed a daughter named Jupiter Iris French in March 2021.

Tisdale branched into beauty with the creation of Illuminate Cosmetics in 2016. She also launched the wellness blog Frenshe, which led to the development of a personal care brand called Being Frenshe.

She reprised her role as Candace in the 2020 animated film Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe and voiced a character in Baby Shark’s Big Movie!

4. Lucas Grabeel

Lucas Grabeel played Sharpay’s brother, Ryan Evans.

He was constantly forced to participate in schemes with his fraternal sister. But Chad Danforth, Troy’s best friend, gained a new-found sense of respect for Ryan after they danced to a baseball-themed routine in the sequel.

After HSM, Grabeel went on to voice characters on popular TV shows. He was also part of a folk-rock band called Midnight Holler.

When Grabeel teamed up with Tisdale in 2017 to sing “What I’ve Been Looking For” (popularised by the first HSM film) the former co-stars revealed a surprising detail about their relationship.

Grabeel said that they “didn’t get off on the best foot”, but nowadays they love each other.

Grabeel is also good friends with Hudgens and attended her wedding in December, along with HSM co-star Monique Coleman.

5. Corbin Bleu

Troy’s wingman, Chad Danforth, was played by Corbin Bleu.

In a 2007 interview, Bleu revealed that he actually came up with the creative and fun catchphrases that were written on Chad’s shirts.

Since HSM, he starred in productions of In the Heights, Godspell and Holiday Inn. Bleu returned to Broadway in a 2019 revival of Kiss Me, Kate!

The actor was also the runner-up on season 17 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and released two albums.

He guest-starred on episodes of Castle, The Good Wife, The Fosters, Chicago Med and Supergirl.

Bleu reprised his HSM role for season three of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and returned for the season four premiere in August 2023.

Bleu has been married to actor Sasha Clements since 2016.

6. Monique Coleman

Monique Coleman starred as Taylor McKessie, the leader of East High’s scholastic decathlon team and selected as the activities coordinator at Lava Springs.

Aside from her Instagram being filled with inspirational messages, Coleman was named the United Nations’ first-ever Youth Champion for her efforts to improve the lives of young people.

In her personal life, she got married to Walter Jordan in 2012, lived in New York, and “recognised that I still want to make sure to achieve the dreams that I have as an artist”.

More recently, Coleman joined Grabeel and Bleu for the season four premiere of HSMTMTS. She and Bleu also co-starred in the 2021 holiday film A Christmas Dance Reunion.

7. Olesya Rulin

Songwriter and pianist Kelsi Nielsen was played by Olesya Rulin. She wrote the song “You are the Music in Me” for Troy and Gabriella.

Later, she appeared on shows like Seal Team, The Night Shift, NCIS: Los Angeles and The Mentalist.

She’s close with Coleman and once thanked her for “cheering me on and making me see my own potential. All while helping young people around the world achieve their dreams”.

Rulin married Joseph Pauline in November 2021 and the couple welcomed their first child together, Ondine Michelle Pauline, in August 2022.