Entertainment

‘High School Musical’ star Corbin Bleu: Reboot hit me ‘like a ton of bricks’

“High School Musical” first sang and danced its way onto the TV screens of every teen and tween more than 15 years ago.

But the Disney franchise is one that just keeps on giving.

Original star Corbin Bleu is making a special guest appearance on Season 3 of Disney+’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” — and he’s ecstatic to be back.

While the 33-year-old isn’t starring as his character Chad Danforth, he’s actually playing a very exaggerated version of himself.

Bleu recently opened up to People about how coming on the show felt like coming home “in many ways.” 

“I really went on an emotional roller coaster,” the “Jump In” star said. “When this season was coming to an end, I had a moment where I was just watching all of them perform, and it just hit me.”

“HSMTMTS” currently stars a slew of young actors including Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie and Matt Cornett.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks where I’m seeing the impact that the original movies had,” the Brooklyn native added. “The fact that it even paved the way for this to take place, and the fact that they’re carrying the torch in such a beautiful way.”

The “High School Musical” series began in 2006, and it subsequently released two sequels in subsequent years. A spinoff film, titled “Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure,” premiered in 2011.

“The fact that I got to be a part of it again, that I got to actually live in the joy and the magic that is ‘High School Musical’ again, I wasn’t expecting it,” Bleu said.

“Hannah Montana” star Jason Earles as well as Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jojo Siwa are also making guest appearances in the upcoming season.

Corbin Bleu
“I really went on an emotional roller coaster,” Bleu said of starring in the third season of “HSMTMTS.” Stefano Giovannini

Bleu recalled working on the 2006 pilot episode of “Hannah Montana” before doing “High School Musical,” adding that he knew Earles, 45, way before meeting his “HSM” cast.

“It was just like seeing a long-lost brother. We had so much fun together being able to poke at what the old Disney days were for us, too. Especially the fact that I’m playing myself and he’s not playing himself,” the “Catch That Kid” star said.

“That actually added another funny kind of tongue-in-cheek layer of me being able to talk about Jason Earles, the actor, when he’s standing right there but he’s not actually playing Jason Earles,” he added.

In this Oct. 21, 2008 file photo, cast members from "High School Musical," from left, Corbin Bleu, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Monique Coleman and Zac Efron make an appearance MTV's "Total Request Live" show in New York. Disney Channel is reviving “High School Musical.” The channel said Tuesday, March 1, 2016, it’s starting a nationwide casting search for the latest sequel in the hit TV movie franchise. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File)
“High School Musical 3” stars Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Zac Efron, Ashely Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens appeared on MTV’s “Total Request Live” show in 2008. AP

“High School Musical” OGs Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens both recently visited East High in Salt Lake City — the setting for their Disney Channel films.

“Don’t you… Forget about me ✊🏼,” the “Neighbors” actor, 34, captioned an Instagram post on July 22 that featured him posing in front of the school.

Last month, Hudgens, 33, posted a video of herself taking photos in front of the same school. Fans went a little nutty after the former flames shared snaps of themselves at the place, hoping that an “HSM” reunion was possibly in the books.

The third installment of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” drops on Disney+ Wednesday.