Joshua Bassett Nearly Turned Down High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

Joshua Bassett is reflecting on a career-defining decision that almost went a different way. The 25-year-old actor, currently promoting his new book, discussed his path to landing High School Musical: The Musical: The Series during an appearance on SiriusXM's Page Six Radio.

Before landing the Disney+ hit, Bassett had largely stepped back from pursuing acting. A chance message from his sister's college friend changed that trajectory. "They were casting this movie called Zombies and thought I might be a good fit," he explained. "I was like, 'Yeah, right. I'm going to film school. I'm not going to act.' But I went up for it anyway."

Though he didn't book Zombies, an audition callback for the Avatar sequels came the next day. "I didn't book those either, but it made me realize, 'Oh, maybe I can do this,'" Bassett recalled. What followed was an intensive period of auditioning—over 200 in a single year, with daily drives to Los Angeles. "I was just like, 'Let's see where it leads,'" he said.

Around the same time he was auditioning for HSMTMTS, Bassett was also in contention for another television series. His initial reaction to the High School Musical project was decidedly lukewarm. "I remember getting the audition and thinking, 'Oh god, they're going to ruin High School Musical,'" he shared. "Disney loves to milk a franchise. I thought it was a cash grab."

The competing opportunity seemed more appealing to him at the time. "There was this other show on a different network that I was convinced was my thing. It was edgy and cool and I really wanted it. I did not want High School Musical," Bassett explained.

The turning point came when Disney learned about his screen test for the rival show. "They said, 'We'll see you the next day,'" Bassett recounted. He went in for the HSMTMTS screen test and ultimately booked the role.

The outcome vindicated Disney's swift move. The series ran for four seasons and proved transformative for Bassett's career. He earned Emmy recognition in consecutive years at the Children's and Family Emmy Awards, winning in the Outstanding Original Song category for a Children's or Young Teen Program for "Finally Free" from season three.

Meanwhile, the other show he'd been so confident about barely lasted one season. "The reviews were terrible. It totally flopped," Bassett noted. "You just don't know what you want."

Since HSMTMTS wrapped, Bassett has returned to his musical theater roots, taking on the role of Seymour in a recent off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors.