Entertainment TV 'High School Musical' Cast: Where Are They Now? They're all in this together, after all these years. See what the cast of Disney Channel's High School Musical franchise is up to now, including Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and more By Andrea Wurzburger Updated on February 27, 2023 10:00 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos 01 of 09 Zac Efron as Troy Bolton Fred Hayes / © Disney Channel / Everett ; Tommaso Boddi/WireImage It's hard to believe now, but the Disney Channel Original Movie was the now-heartthrob's breakout role. Before playing Troy Bolton, Efron had a few small parts on shows like CSI: Miami and The Guardian, but he shot to fame following High School Musical's success. His gorgeous head of hair didn't hurt. Efron has starred in plenty of movies since, including the movie adaptation of the musical Hairspray (2007), The Greatest Showman (2017), Baywatch (2017) and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019), in which he played prolific serial killer Ted Bundy. He also starred alongside Ryan Kiera Armstrong in the 2022 remake of 1984's Firestarter. In 2020, it was announced that Efron was set to return to his Disney roots with a reboot of Three Men and a Baby, slated to debut on Disney+. He received a Daytime Emmy Award in 2021 for outstanding daytime program host for the Netflix travel docuseries Down to Earth with Zac Efron. Efron will portray former pro wrestler Kevin Von Erich in the upcoming drama The Iron Claw. 02 of 09 Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella Montez Fred Hayes/The Disney Channel/Kobal/Shutterstock; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Back when she went by Vanessa Anne Hudgens, the actress played Gabrielle Montez, the academically inclined newbie to East High who got involved with the school's musical theater program and Efron's Troy. Following the film (and its sequels), she dropped the "Anne" and continued acting and singing. Hudgens has stayed busy since her High School Musical days. She released two albums — 2006's V and 2008's Identified — has acted on both television and in movies and performed on Broadway in the 2015 revival production of Gigi. She has also become a Netflix leading lady, starring in holiday films such as The Princess Switch franchise (2018–2021) and The Knight Before Christmas (2019), as well as 2021's Tick, Tick... Boom alongside Andrew Garfield. Hudgens dated her High School Musical costar Efron from 2006 to 2010. After their split, Hudgens dated actor Austin Butler from 2011 to 2020. She has been linked to MLB player Cole Tucker since 2020; the pair announced their engagement in February 2023. 03 of 09 Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth Fred Hayes / © Disney Channel / Courtesy: Everett Collection; Gabriel Olsen/Getty Even though his High School Musical character did not approve of his best friend Troy's theatrical pursuits, in real-life, Bleu went on to star in a number of Broadway productions: In the Heights (2010), Godspell (2012), Holiday Inn (2016) and the 2019 revival of Kiss Me, Kate. Bleu also showed off his dance moves on Dancing with the Stars in 2013, where he made it to the finale and placed second. In 2022, Bleu returned to his HSM roots with a special appearance on season 3 of Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. He has been married to Canadian actress Sasha Clements since 2016. 04 of 09 Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans Fred Hayes/The Disney Channel/Kobal/Shutterstock; Phillip Faraone/Getty Tisdale played Sharpay Evans, who was all about getting the most attention possible, which we respect. Before High School Musical, Tisdale had already been acting on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Following the movie's release, Tisdale continued to act on Suite Life until 2008 and lent her voice to Phineas and Ferb from 2007 to 2015. She has voiced many characters on animated shows like Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch, American Dad, Ginger Snaps and more. Her role as Sharpay earned her a spin-off movie, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure (2011). On top of acting, Tisdale has released three albums and launched her own beauty brand, Illuminate cosmetics. From 2019 to 2020, she starred alongside Patricia Heaton on Carol's Second Act. In 2014, Tisdale married musician Christopher French. They welcomed their first child, Jupiter Iris, in March 2021 05 of 09 Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans Fred Hayes/The Disney Channel/Kobal/Shutterstock; Walt Disney Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock Grabeel played second fiddle to Tisdale as Sharpay's brother, Ryan Evans. Since the final HSM film's release, Grabeel has continued to act and starred in Freeform's Switched at Birth. He also voices animated characters on shows like Family Guy, Pinky Malinky and Elena of Avalor. He's one of the few original cast members who made an appearance on the Disney + show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. 06 of 09 Monique Coleman as Taylor McKessie Fred Hayes / © Disney Channel / Courtesy: Everett Collection: Kevin Winter/Getty Like Bleu, Coleman also laced up her dancing shoes to compete on Dancing with the Stars in 2006, though she came in fourth place in the competition. Coleman continues to act, though her most important role is one of advocacy. In her Instagram bio, she calls herself a "Champion for Youth." In 2010, she was named the UN's first ever Youth Champion. She founded Gimme Mo, an organization that seeks to empower youth to make changes in the world. She starred in a talk show of the same name that aired on Discovery Life in 2018. In 2021, Coleman had a mini HSM reunion with Bleu when they costarred in the Lifetime holiday film A Christmas Dance Reunion. In 2022, it was announced that Coleman would appear on season 4 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. 07 of 09 Olesya Rulin as Kelsi Nielson Fred Hayes / © Disney Channel / Courtesy: Everett Collection: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Rulin, who played the shy pianist Kelsi, continued to act post-HSM. She appeared on series like The Mentalist and CSI: Miami, had a recurring role on the show Greek and starred on PlayStation Network's Powers. In 2018, she acted in the TV movie Devious Nanny; she appeared on the show SEAL Team the following year. In 2022, Rulin and husband Joseph Noel Pauline welcomed their first baby together, daughter Ondine Michelle Pauline. 08 of 09 KayCee Stroh as Martha Cox Stroh popped, locked and jammed her way onto our screens for High School Musical 1, 2 and 3, but then did not do much acting after appearing on Shapetown, USA in 2011. She did return to do her signature dance moves in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series in 2019, and for that we are forever grateful. 09 of 09 Alyson Reed as Ms. Darbus Fred Hayes/The Disney Channel/Kobal/Shutterstock; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty You didn't think we would forget Ms. Darbus, did you?! Before she played the oh-so-dramatic theater teacher in HSM, Reed was a Broadway star. She was even Tony-nominated for best featured actress in a musical for her role in the 1987 revival of Cabaret. She also starred as Cassie in the film adaptation of A Chorus Line (1985) and acted in TV series like Party of Five and Providence. Post-HSM trilogy, she's still acting, and has appeared on shows like How to Get Away with Murder, NCIS, Grace and Frankie and Modern Family (to name just a few). She also acted in the 2019 film Ad Astra. In 2022, it was announced that Reed would appear on season 4 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.