21 Mind-Blowing "High School Musical" Facts That'll Make You Miss the OG Disney Channel
Zac Efron Vanessa Hudgens High School Musical movie trivia movie facts
Noelle Devoe Stacey Grant
Do you love the "High School Musical" franchise with a serious passion? Here are all the fun facts and behind-the-scenes details from the Disney movies. Plus, we have the scoop on the upcoming "High School Musical" TV series.
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Seventeen
When you hear "Disney Channel Original Movie," or "DCOM," odds are you're going to think of the first or second High School Musical films. (The third one is technically not a DCOM; get your head in the game, Wildcat!)

Since 2006, these movies have inspired a generation to be who they want to be, not who the world thinks they should be. The soundtracks are all fire (and still hold up) and the cast still randomly reunites, much to the internet's delight.

With the new TV series — starring Sofia Wylie from Andi Mack — debuting in 2019, it's high time everyone revisits the original trilogy and discovers all the fun facts about them. After all, we're all in this together. (Sorry.)

Oh, and since Netflix removed the films, you can currently stream them on Amazon Prime.

WATCH "HSM 1" NOW WATCH "HSM 2" NOW WATCH "HSM 3" NOW

High School Musical

1. Coach Bolton and Ms. Darbus were supposed to have a duet

Bart Johnson told Seventeen in 2017 his character was supposed to have a musical number with Ms. Darbus. Since the two characters couldn't stand each other, the song would have been along the lines of the "Anything you can do I can do better" track from Annie Get Your Gun. Unfortunately, the song never made it off the cutting room floor because it would have made the DCOM's runtime go over, but Bart noted how director and choreographer Kenny Ortega "really wanted the number to be in the movie."

2. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens weren't exactly low key about their feelings for each other on set

Bart also told Seventeen in 2017, "There was a time halfway thought filming #1 when I saw Zac and Vanessa sitting REALLY close to each other on the couch as I passed by and said, ‘Hey guys.'"

But then he noticed just how close they were sitting next to each other. He "stopped dead in [his] tracks and took a few steps backward to them and stared at them blank," saying, "'Uh… wait… uuuuh… you guys sure are sitting close.'" This moment occurred "LONG before anything ever happened."

3. The cast still can't get enough of the movie

Thirteen years after High School Musical aired on Disney, Vanessa Hudgens is still inspired by the story. She told Bustle that a music video she has coming with the band Phantoms is going to make HSM fans "freak out." And she wasn't lying. The music video is out and we're getting major "Breaking Free" vibes.

Seriously, it looks right out of High School Musical. Remember the scene where Troy and Gabriella sing "Breaking Free" in their callback audition for the musical? Gabriella stands there in her lab coat, too scared to sing in front of the audience. Well, get ready to have major deja vu watching this new vid.

Then, Vanessa turns to the Phantoms, showing off the same red ribbon Gabriella was rocking in her hair in the HSM scene. The Phantoms are dressed in Wildcat red, urging Vanessa on just like Troy did. Finally, she turns to the piano player, who kind of looks like a male Kelsi, with his maroon jacket and black hat. There's also the fact that they're in an auditorium!

Just like in the movie, while Gabriella is nervous at first to sing in front of people, she quickly gets into the groove. At that point in "Lay With Me," it kind of turns into the HSM finale, with cheerleaders and basketball players dressed in red and white dancing in the background!

We seriously appreciate this ode to HSM, Vanessa!

4. Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel "hated each other"

They're friends now, but that wasn't always the case for the onscreen siblings. When Lucas stopped by his High School Musical co-star's YouTube channel to perform a special rendition of "What I've Been Looking For" in 2017, fans lost their minds. Then they really lost their minds when Ashley confessed, "We were not close. We were not good friends ... We hated each other."

Lucas confirmed they "didn't get off on the best foot" when they started filming the first movie.

5. The cast could have been completely different

Cassie Steel from Degrassi was originally cast as Gabriella but had to pull out because of her filming schedule for the show. The same scheduling issues prevented Zoey 101's Matthew Underwood from taking on the role of Troy. Then Corbin Bleu originally auditioned for the part of Ryan Evans but thought Lucas Grabeel was better for the part so decided to try out for Chad instead. Obviously, he made the right choice. Looks like everything worked out for the best!

6. Ashley Tisdale originally auditioned for the role of Gabriella

Could you even imagine her as any character other than Sharpay Evans?! Although we have to admit, she would have looked just as cute with Zac! After all, many fans did ship the non-canonical "Troypay."

7. It wasn't supposed to be called High School Musical

The movie's working title was High School Musical until the creators could come up with a better name, but by the time they were done filming, they still hadn't thought of a new title, so the producers begrudgingly stuck with High School Musical. Guess everything happens for a reason!

8. In its early stages, it was going to be a Grease sequel

A 1999 version of the script was called Grease 3, and it would have followed Danny and Sandy's kids in a plot almost identical to that of High School Musical's, only with serious similarities to Grease. Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were reportedly in mind for the lead roles.

9. The school mascot was originally going be a leopard, but is was changed to a wildcat

10. The falling snow in the New Year's scene was actually potato flakes

Yum?

11. You might have noticed a huge change in Troy's voice between the first and second movies

That's because, when they were filming the original HSM, Zac Efron couldn't hit the high notes necessary for his singing role, so Drew Seeley sang most of his part while Zac lip synced. In the second and third movies, Zac took on all of his own singing. As for Drew, he played the role of Troy Bolton in the High School Musical: The Concert tour and he was pretty awesome.

High School Musical 2

12. HSM 2 is the highest rated Disney Channel Original Movie premiere ever

Even though there have been tons of other amazing DCOMs since HSM 2 came out in 2007, none have been able to come close to its massive 17.2 million premiere viewers!

13. The pink piano used in Sharpay's performance of "Fabulous" was repainted white and used in the performance of "Everyday" at the end of the movie

14. The assignments thrown at the beginning of "What Time is It" were actual assignments completed by actual students at East High in Salt Lake City, Utah (where the movie was filmed)

Each individual assignment had to be checked for inappropriate or embarrassing information before they filmed the scene.

15. Viewers voted for what Disney Channel star they wanted to make a cameo in the second movie and chose Miley Cyrus

She made a surprise appearance in the final performance of "All For One." But if you don't remember that may be because it was only four seconds long.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

16. HSM 3 was originally called Haunted High School Musical and it was going to be a Halloween movie

They scrapped the idea though, and it's not hard to imagine why.

17. Zac Efron came into dance rehearsals three weeks late

He had been filming Me and Orson Welles. But he's such a pro you didn't even notice, right?

18. It was the only High School Musical movie to be released in theaters

It went on to make over $250 million worldwide. The Lizzie McGuire movie only made a little over $55 million worldwide when it hit theaters in 2003, so its theatrical success was unprecedented for Disney Channel productions brought to the big screen.

19. All of the songs from the movie were eligible for an Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Song, but none ended up getting nominated

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens did perform some of "Last Chance" as a tribute to musicals during the award show though.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

20. There's a HSM TV series on the way

It'll feature 10 docs-style episodes that follow a new crop of East High Wildcats who put on a performance of — get ready for it — High School Musical for their winter theater production. Learn more about the new cast here!

21. It's filming at the same location as the OG High School Musical