The character Ryan, from the series of children's musicals High School Musical (Disney Channel), is gay. If you've already watched the films, you might not be surprised by the information – but there's a reason why the beloved supporting character played by Lucas Grabeel has never been identified on screen as such.
In interview with Variety, director Kenny Ortega confirmed the sexual orientation of the villain Sharpay's (Ashley Tisdale) brother (and companion) and that he would come out of the closet during his college years.
“We wanted him to show more who he is than to come out of the closet,” said Ortega.
The director also said that Disney was not ready to have an LGBT character at that time. “And Disney is one of the most progressive groups I’ve ever worked with,” he pondered.
