Frankie A. Rodriguez Is Opening Up About Getting To Play An Openly Gay Student in New 'HSM' Series

Frankie A. Rodriguez Is Opening Up About Getting To Play An Openly Gay Student in New 'HSM' Series

Even though it was never said, it was implied that original High School Musical character Ryan Evans was gay.

Now, in the new Disney+ series, you won’t have to wonder about Carlos, played by Frankie Rodriguez, because it’s a fact.

Talking with Variety about his role in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Frankie shared his thanks to showrunner Tim Federle all while addressing the diversity and representation in the show.

“I think it’s very important,” he shared. “Growing up as a little Mexican gay kid, there’s not really much to look to so I remember after we wrapped just thanking our showrunner Tim [Federle] for creating a character like Carlos.”

Frankie added that Carlos is “not a gimmick. He’s not the butt of a joke. He’s just a kid, existing in high school who loves musical theater and has a passion for it.”

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is a 10-episode series that picks up nearly 15 years after the original movie aired at the real-life location where it all began: East High.

It follows a group of students as they countdown to the opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical.

Check out the trailer and first look pics now!

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