High School Musical director explains why Ryan wasn't openly gay in Disney Channel films

‘We decided he’s probably going to come out in college’

Director Kenny Ortega has explained why he didn’t make Ryan openly gay in the High School Musical franchise.

Speaking about the musical trilogy, Ortega revealed that the character of Ryan, played by Lucas Grabeel, was gay but that he had worried at the time that Disney might not have accepted an out character in a children’s film.

“The character of Ryan in High School Musical, Sharpay’s twin brother, we decided he’s probably going to come out in college,” Ortega told Variety. “It was less about coming out and just more about letting his true colors come forward.”

Asked whether he ever considered making the character openly gay, he said: “I have to be honest with you. I didn’t think at the time.”

Insisting that Disney was “the most progressive group of people I’ve ever worked with”, Ortega continued: “I was concerned because it was family and kids, that Disney might not be ready to cross that line and move into that territory yet.

“So, I just took it upon myself to make choices that I felt that those who were watching would grab. They would see it, they would feel it, they would know it and they would identify with it. And that is what happened.”

High School Musical was released in 2006 and made stars of its lead actors Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, going on to spawn two sequels and a Disney+ spin-off series.