Then vs Now: A look at where the cast members of High School Musical are 16 years later

Wondering what the cast of High School Musical has been up to after all these years? Here's what we know about them.

Updated on Mar 18, 2022 03:52 PM IST  | 835.6K

High School Musical

Check out what the cast of High School Musical is upto these days.

Remember the time when you fell in love with Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton? Yes, we are talking about the lead characters of High School Musical, a film that took us back to the memories of having butterflies in our stomachs as we stumbled upon our first love. The Kenny Ortega directorial gave us our favourite Disney pairing of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and it's unbelievable that the duo charmed their way into our hearts 16 years ago.

High School Musical was released on January 20, 2006, and ever since then both Hudgens and Efron have come a long way in their acting careers and have carved big names for themselves in Hollywood.  In the 2006 film, the two actors defined the innocence of young love and it still to this day, remains a film that will make you blush as we witness their romance. From the songs to the supporting cast, everything in High School Musical was enjoyable and as we reminisce the film 16 years on, here's a look at where the cast of the original film is.

Zac Efron

Zac Efron

Zac Efron who famously portrayed Troy Bolton in the film became an instant crush for many viewers. Following his appearance in the 2006 film, the actor starred in a string of films including Hairspray, 17 Again, The Lucky One, Dirty Grandpa among others. As for the big-budget films in his career, Efron starred alongside Dwayne Johnson in Baywatch and also opposite Zendaya in Hugh Jackman's musical The Greatest Showman. Among his most recent roles is his performance as the serial killer Ted Bundy in Netflix's 2019 movie,  Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile. Among his upcoming works is a reboot of Three Men and a Baby.

Vanessa Hudgens

Vanessa Hudgens

Vanessa Hudgens' voice was nothing short of angelic when she sang for High School Musical and the actress still remains one of the most talented singers in the industry, a glimpse of which can also be witnessed in her recent release Tick, Tick... Boom! alongside Andrew Garfield. After starring in the High School Musical franchise, Hudgens continued to take her acting career ahead with projects such as Journey 2: The Mysterious Island with Dwayne Johnson. She also teamed up with fellow Disney star Selena Gomez in 2012's Spring Breakers. Among her career's biggest hit though is also her Christmas movie franchise The Princess Switch which has till now released three films. Vanessa performed as Maureen Johnson in Fox's Rent: Live.

Ashley Tisdale

Ashley Tisdale

We all wished to process the sheer sass that Ashley Tisdale carried off with her character of Sharpay Evans. Apart from High School Musical, Ashley was also attached to another Disney project, which was the series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody with Cole and Dylan Sprouse. After the show wrapped up in 2008, Ashley made a mark in the music industry as she released a new album in 2009 and later also in 2020. On the persona life front, Tisdale married musician Christopher French in 2014 and the couple also welcomed their first child together, daughter Jupiter in 2021.

Lucas Grabeel

Lucas Grabeel

The actor who played Sharpay's brother Ryan Evans was one of the most loved characters in the film. Grabeel after starring in High School Musical did some amazing voice acting on Family Guy and also Pinky Malinky. He was also seen in the popular drama series Switched at Birth.

Corbin Bleu

Corbin Bleu

Corbin Bleu was a key character in the film as he played Troy Bolton's best friend Chad. The actor's charming act had won him a huge fan base. Bleu interestingly didn't make a career in films but in fact, became a Broadway star and performed in several major productions including In the Heights, Holiday Inn among others. The actor also tied the knot with actress Sasha Clements in 2016.

Monique Coleman

Monique Coleman

If Troy had Chad, Gabriella also had her bestie Taylor to her aide. A powerful character in the film, Monique's strong screen presence in the film was unforgettable. After the release of High School Musical, Coleman didn't take on any acting projects and was also open about it years later as she mentioned that she struggled to get work. Although Monique made some meaningful contributions to society by focussing on philanthropy and also won the honour of becoming United Nations' first-ever Youth Champion.

Which High School Musical character was your favourite? Tell us in the comments below.

ALSO READ: Ashley Tisdale says she'd NEVER reprise her High School Musical role; Calls Sharpay Evans 'highly unaware'