High School Musical’s Lucas Grabeel Cried Over the News of Ryan Finally Coming Out: ‘This Would Mean So Much’

In addition to wrapping up Ricky & Co.’s adventures at East High, the fourth and final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series also reunites fans with the previous generation of Wildcats, leading to a long-overdue moment for a beloved character.

Now streaming in its entirety, the farewell season kicks off with a scene from High School Musical 4, a reunion movie being filmed at East High — you know, as if this show couldn’t get any more meta. During a break in the song, Ryan Evans plants a big ol’ kiss on his partner (played by Pentatonix’s Scott Hoenig), confirming what longtime fans have always known.

“To have Ryan be happily partnered and kissing a guy at his high school reunion is, I think, a pretty big deal,” showrunner Tim Federle tells TVLine. “It’s one of the really special things we got to do with the franchise this season.”

So, how did this exciting turn of events come about? Federle began by calling Lucas Grabeel, “the keeper of the Ryan flame for 15 years,” to make sure that he felt like this was the right move for his character. Spoiler alert: Grabeel loved the idea.

“Lucas, like, cried on the phone and said, ‘This would mean so much to people who grew up with this movie,'” Federle recalls. “‘It’s what they were always kind of missing from this character.'”

Hit PLAY on the video above to watch our full interview with Federle, then drop a comment with your thoughts on Ryan’s big moment below. While you’re down there, go ahead and grade the season premiere via our poll.

Note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.