Lucas Grabeel Isn't Sure He Would Play Ryan in 'High School Musical' Today
Lucas Grabeel is opening up about his character Ryan’s sexuality in High School Musical.
During a new interview, the 35-year-old actor said he isn’t sure if he would play Ryan today, after director Kenny Ortega recently revealed that his character was gay.
“There’s so many amazingly talented gay actors that could do it as well, so if High School Musical was made today – I don’t know if I would play Ryan,” Lucas shared with TMZ. “I would love to, but the last thing I want to do is take an opportunity away from other people.”
Lucas continued: “As a straight white man, I know that even without trying, I have taken opportunities away from other people.”
Lucas went on to recall talking to Kenny about Ryan where Kenny said that he didn’t think Disney was “ready” to have an openly gay character.
‘I came up to Kenny one day and was like, ‘Hey, so can we talk about the character for a second? Ryan’s gay, right?’” Lucas recalled. “He was like, ‘Well, I mean, it’s a touchy subject sometimes with children’s programming – I’m not sure if Disney is ready now for that kind of thing. I absolutely agree that he is and I think we have an opportunity here to showcase a real person.’”
Lucas also shared that at the time the movie was released back in 2006, gay people weren’t represented with multi-faceted characters.
“[Coming out] is something that a lot of kids go through and don’t often see portrayed on television,” Lucas said. “At that time it was either [the gay characters were] extremely flamboyant or very closeted and kind of shut off.”
“We need to start educating everyone at the youngest age possible and that’s why it will fall into the hands of Disney who create so much great programming for the developing minds of our future country,” Lucas added. “We in the film industry have a duty to educate as well as entertain.”