Shocking Twist: Disney Exec's Controversial Plan to Reunite Zac Efron with High School Musical
Disney exec's strange proposal to bring back Zac Efron to High School Musical didn't sit well with showrunner Tim Federle Find out why and how the mockumentary style of the show largely succeeded
Summary
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series showrunner, Tim Federle, reveals that there was an outlandish idea of bringing back Zac Efron.
A suggestion was made by a Disney executive to cast Zac Efron as his own character, a documentary filmmaker, in the first season of High School Musical. This would have provided an explanation for the show's mockumentary style, however, Federle was not in favor of this concept.
Although Zac Efron was considered for a guest appearance in the last season, it ultimately did not come to fruition because of scheduling conflicts and the prioritization of the existing cast members.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series showrunner Tim Federle reveals an outlandish idea about bringing back Zac Efron. Despite speculation about Efron reprising his role as Troy Bolton for the show's final season, it didn't happen due to scheduling conflicts and the consideration for the established cast members. However, early on, a Disney executive had a strange idea to bring Efron back, which Federle wasn't fond of.
In the series finale of High School Musical, Ricky Bowen finally asks the mockumentary crew, "Who the f--k are you guys?" This question, a playful nod, goes unanswered. In an interview with The New York Times, Federle sheds light on the mockumentary choice. He reveals that a Disney executive suggested that Zac Efron play himself as a documentary filmmaker chronicling the lives of the East High students, like Bowen. Federle didn't like the idea and explains why below.
High School Musical’s Mockumentary Style Mostly Worked
It turned out to be just a camera technique. During Season 1, a Disney+ executive came up with the idea of having Zac Efron turn the camera around at the end of the season and reveal that he had been filming all along. It was an intriguing concept, but I had reservations about portraying Zac as a documentary filmmaker documenting the students' breakups.
In the realm of HSMTMTS, the show's mockumentary approach seamlessly blends with its captivating style. The characters genuinely believe that a watchful camera crew documents their every move, while the intimate cutaway confessions reveal their innermost musings. Although the brief joke in the grand finale momentarily disrupts this dynamic, it could still be rationalized that either an independent film crew or a television crew has developed a fascination with East High.
Federle's argument is that the mockumentary style used in sitcoms should be seen as a stylistic choice rather than proof of an actual film crew's presence. However, it aligns well with the show's comedic approach. In High School Musical season 4, it is cleverly disclosed that Troy and Gabriella are undergoing couples therapy, knowing that it will create buzz among viewers.
Similarly, the mockumentary format in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series allows for jokes and character moments that wouldn't work otherwise. However, Federle believes that bringing back Efron as a fictionalized version of himself, now a documentary filmmaker, would be too distracting, even for a comedy that frequently embraces meta and self-aware humor.
Source: The New York Times
