Wildcats unite! Zac Efron is set to join his former High School Musical costars in the upcoming ABC special The Disney Family Singalong.
Kenny Ortega, who directed the Disney Channel trilogy, confirmed to Deadline on Monday, April 13, that he got Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman to participate in some fashion. Efron, 32, then agreed last-minute to come on board and send a message during the special.
“We couldn’t reach Zac until late but when we did, he immediately jumped in, of course,” Ortega, 69, told the website. “Everyone we reached out to was quick — and you’ll see it in their spirit and the way they come together from their homes. They recognize this is an opportunity to strengthen spirits for those joining us for the broadcast.”
The filmmaker revealed that several actors and artists from his movies and TV shows are set to participate in an uplifting performance of the High School Musical song “We’re All in This Together.”
“You’re hearing those words chanted out — I’ve been sent videos from doctors, orderlies, nurses and medical professionals in masks and hospital gowns singing ‘We’re All in This Together’ in the hallways of hospitals,” he said. “It’s a really nice fun coming together of a lot of young people that are banding together under the lyrics of this song for the show.”
Ryan Seacrest has been tapped to host The Disney Family Singalong, which will also feature Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, Michael Bublé, Kristin Chenoweth, Demi Lovato, Jordan Fisher, Josh Gad, Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, Little Big Town, Donny Osmond, Thomas Rhett and John Stamos, among others.
The first High School Musical movie premiered in January 2006 starring Efron (Troy Bolton), Hudgens (Gabriella Montez), Tisdale (Sharpay Evans), Grabeel (Ryan Evans), Bleu (Chad Danforth) and Coleman (Taylor McKessie). The cast members reprised their roles in the 2007 and 2008 sequels, High School Musical 2 and High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
The Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which features an all-new cast, debuted in November 2019.
The Disney Family Singalong airs on ABC Thursday, April 16, at 8 p.m. ET.
