Move over Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron? Olivia Rodrigo is making headlines after she seemingly penned the song “Drivers License” about her High School Musical: The Musical: The Series costar Joshua Bassett.
Disney+ released the mockumentary series inspired by the popular films in 2019. The show follows Rodrigo’s Nini, who is cast as Hudgens’ character, Gabriella Montez, in the school’s production of High School Musical, and Bassett’s Ricky, who lands the role of Efron’s Troy Bolton. (The series also takes place at a fictionalized version of East High, the school at which the original movie was set.)
HSMTMTS also stars Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders — but Rodrigo has become the breakout star of the show after dropping her first single on Friday, January 8. On “Drivers License,” which was written by the 17-year-old actress, Rodrigo sings about a breakup.
“I got my driver’s license last week / Just like we always talked about,” the lyrics read. “But today I drove through the suburbs / Crying ’cause you weren’t around.”
While Rodrigo and Bassett have never publicly confirmed an offscreen romance, fans have long speculated about their relationship, citing social media evidence. They have also opened up about their close relationship in the press.
“It really feels like such a family, and I think that all of the people on the cast are so loyal to each other, and I think that’s so important,” Rodrigo told Glamour Magazine U.K. in May 2020. “I think I’ve learned a whole lot about fostering deep, trusted relationships over having surface-level friendships, and I think that’s so important. I remember Joshua, who plays Ricky, told me this, ‘You are your five closest friends,’ and I think that’s so true, because if you surround yourself with is just such an indicator of who you are as a person, you just absorb the energies that they’re giving off.”
As of June 2020, Bassett has been linked to fellow Disney star Sabrina Carpenter, whom Rodrigo seemingly references in the track.
“And you’re probably with that blonde girl / Who always made me doubt / She’s so much older than me / She’s everything I’m insecure about,” Rodrigo sings. (Carpenter, 21, is three years older than the Bizaardvark alum.)
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 2 is expected to premiere on Disney+ later this year. Bassett and Rodrigo’s characters got back together during the season 1 finale.
Scroll through for five things to know about Rodrigo:
