High School Musical: The Musical: The Series exec teases Joshua Bassett queer relationship
Showrunner Tim Federle says Ricky Bowen has "got some big things to figure out".
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Disney
The showrunner behind High School Musical: The Musical: The Series has teased that Joshua Bassett’s character, Ricky Bowen, might be exploring a queer relationship in season three.
In the season already, Ricky who is at summer camp has suggested recasting the leads in the musical Frozen as two males.
@andrewihepditch ricky/ej canon thats ALL IM GONNA SAY #hsmtmts #joshuatbassett #gay ♬ original sound – Andrew Hepditch
Joshua Bassett previously spoke to Attitude about how “liberating” it was to open up about his own sexuality after saying he was “happy to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community, because they embrace all,” last year.
In an interview with Digital Spy, Tim Federle addressed the idea of Ricky having a queer romance.
“One of the joys of a long-running show is that you get to explore all facets and all aspects of all of these characters. So as a queer storyteller myself, I feel a real responsibility to try to tell the truth about the experience of young people today, which is so much more fluid and accepting and exploratory than I think it was when I was a youth,” he said before mentioning that Ricky has some “big things to figure out.”
Continuing, he says, “He ends up going to summer camp, feeling like: ‘It’s going to be a summer of fun, and I’m not getting involved romantically. My last entire year has been the obsession of trying to figure my romantic life out’.
“And as so often happens, the best-laid plans go up in smoke when someone important distracts you. So I think he’s definitely on a big arc this season.”
Speaking to Attitude as he graced the cover last year Joshua said he would be “super open” for an LGBTQ+-inspired storyline for Ricky.
“I trust the writers, and I trust Disney to do what’s best, and you know what, I would love that,” he says. “I’m down for whatever they choose. All of that’s out of my control, I don’t have a say in that, but yeah, that would be great.”
New episodes of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series air weekly on Disney+.
The Attitude September/October issue is out now.
