The two-decade-old question for High School Musical fans is finally answered in a new "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" Season 4 sneak peek.
Ryan Evans, played by Lucas Grabeel in the trilogy film franchise, was confirmed to be gay.
Is Ryan Evans Gay?
Based on the new "HSMTMTS" clip - Yes, Ryan Evans is gay.
Disney released the exclusive sneak peek of the new "HSMTMTS" clip, which features Corbin Bleu, Kaycee Stroh, Monique Coleman, Bart Johnson, Alyson Reed, and Lucas Grabeel in a scene for the "High School Musical 4: The Reunion."
At one point after Stroh, Bleu, Coleman, and Grabeel performed a new song, playing their own characters on the original film, Grabeel went to the side of the stage to get his microphone.
Waiting was presumed to be his boyfriend.
"You look amazing. This is so cool," Ryan's boyfriend said, as he comes strutting in his sequined purple suit. "This means so much to me that you are here," Ryan quipped back, prompting an "I love you" from his boyfriend. The two went on to seal a kiss before Ryan got his microphone and went back to the stage.
Ryan Evans' sexuality has been a debated topic among "High School Musical" fans. At the time, despite his flamboyance and femininity on-screen, it was never confirmed, denied, or even addressed what Ryan Evans' sexuality was.
He even developed a romantic relationship with Kelsi Nielsen, played by Olesya Rulin, on "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."
Watch the clip below.
It's time for the high school reunion we've all been waiting for… 😉 Here's a sneak peek of the opening number of #HSMTMTS, streaming August 9 on @DisneyPlus! pic.twitter.com/UUhsY1RXU5
— HSM: The Musical: The Series (@hsmseries) July 25, 2023
Lucas Grabeel Talks About Ryan Evans' Sexuality
In 2019, when Grabeel made a cameo on Kate Reinder's dream sequence on "HSMTMTS" Season 1, he discussed to TVLine the hotly-debated topic of Ryan Evans' sexuality.
"People have always asked me if Ryan was gay. I've seen a lot of performances from the tours or high schools or community theaters, and they always take Ryan to that place of being way over the top. That's fine, but that's not exactly the way I played it," he said at the time.
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 25, 2023
Disney, despite being a children's and a "family-friendly" content provider has been progressively open with introducing LGBTQ+ characters in their recent materials.
But for Grabeel, who identifies as straight, he had a lot of talks with director Kenny Ortega, about his own experience in high school.
"He was not out, and he wasn't running around being that way, but he had that energy inside of him. It's such an important time in your life, and you're figuring so many things out. Now, thankfully, people are much more accepting and welcoming of other people's differences," he added.
Grabeel appears with his other co-stars on the fourth and final season of "HSMTMTS." Meanwhile, talks about whether Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, and Zac Efron reprising their roles in the upcoming season are still on the down low.
READ ALSO: 'HSMTMTS' Season 4 Trailer Explored: Original HSM Cast Reunion Possible?
