Avery Kelley 
What’s up Wildcats?! The new school year is approaching, which means we’re taking it back to East High for the fourth and final season of the Disney+ series “High School Musical the Musical the Series.” The hit show is officially coming to an end, airing all episodes on August 9th.
The series has been known as a modern-day Disney cultural phenomenon, being a reboot of the iconic High School Musical trilogy. “High School Musical The Musical The Series” follows the students of East High in Salt Lake City, Utah, the school where the original High School Musical movies were filmed. We had the opportunity to speak with the cast of season four about the new episodes, new characters, new stakes, and some of their fondest memories from the series’ run.
Sofia Wylie portrays the role of main character Gina, the confident wild card, who since the beginning has shown her skills on and off the stage. From season one to season four, her character has faced many triumphs and tragedies allowing Wylie to grow alongside her character. “She’s [the character Gina] is so ambitious but might have a lot more insecurity than I think people knew in the first season, and we’ve been able to see that vulnerability show more throughout the seasons,” says Wylie. “But I just love how she’s been able to find her balance through it all and how she’s been able to give herself that grace and that freedom to grow. That’s something that I think I’ve learned from her.”
As the show comes to an end, the cast continues to reflect on the impact the show has made on them personally. Julia Lester, who plays the role of Ashlyn shares, “We’ll definitely miss each other… These people are genuinely like my best friends and my family, and it’s been really special to have the past four years of our lives spent together… [I think that the hardest thing] will be to really come to the terms with the fact that we may not ever work in the same environment again, but we’ll always be in each other’s lives.”
But this lasting impact doesn’t start with just the cast and crew. It starts with the audience. Since the show’s beginning, the characters and storylines of the series have constantly worked to promote diversity, inclusion, and representation of a large variety of communities. “I feel like representation is so important, especially as someone who grew up not really seeing themselves on TV,” shares Dara Reneé, who plays the role of Kourtney Greene. “Finally being able to be like, ‘Hey now I’m that, now I can be that role model for kids growing up that often didn’t see themselves,’ and I’m so proud to be a part of a show that not only encourages inclusivity but also respects it, and handles it in such a delicate and beautiful way.”
This season may be the last, but definitely not the least. Throughout season four, many of the cast members from the original films will be joining the show for its final curtain call. Ranging from Corbin Bleu who played the role of Chad to Alyson Reed who played the role of THEE Ms. Darbus. I mean, can you say iconic?
With every new season, there are new twists and turns. After the premiere of season three, it left everyone asking the question of which ship will survive: Team Rina or Team Portwell? Wylie shares, “There are definitely so many possibilities, especially with new characters coming in… there are more options for Gina than I think people anticipate.” Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Make sure to stream “High School Musical the Musical the Series” for it’s final bow, now streaming on Disney+. To see our full celebrity interviews, click the box below, and don’t forget to subscribe to True Star’s YouTube channel.
By Avery Kelley
Instagram: @askaveryk / Twitter: @averykels
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