High School Musical: The Musical: The Series showrunner Tim Federle opens up about plans for Olivia Rodrigo’s character moving forward. The High School Musical spin-off show kicked off in late 2019, starring Rodrigo as main character Nini. In season 1, Nini was cast as the lead of East High’s meta production of High School Musical. Season 2 saw Nini take on a reduced role, playing a fork in their production of Beauty and the Beast. In HSMTMTS season 3, the series moves away from the school for a summer adventure that sees all the characters attend Camp Shallow Lake and prepare for a production of Frozen.
The end of HSMTMTS season 2 marked another big change – Rodrigo’s Nini got the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and pursue her dreams. Nini’s reduced role was a long time coming, since Rodrigo’s first single “Driver’s License” became a chart-topping sensation upon its release in early 2021. Her debut album Sour came out shortly after, cementing her status as a pop star. As a result, Nini didn’t go with the other characters to Camp Shallow Lake and was featured less in HSMTMTS season 3. However, she reunites with her best friend Kourtney (Dara Reneé) and the rest of the cast in the season finale, called “Let it Go.” Now, showrunner Federle talks Rodrigo’s future on the show.
In an interview with EW, Federle addresses Rodrigo’s role on HSMTMTS after season 3. Though he admits that the series will continue to focus on other characters moving forward, he leaves the door open for Rodrigo’s return whenever possible. See what he had to say below:
“I would never say never to Olivia, and I would never use the word ‘last,’ because I hope the show goes on and on and on and we get like a [Grey’s Anatomy,] ‘Patrick Dempsey on the beach with Ellen Pompeo’ moment 17 seasons later. But yeah, I think it’s probably a fairly safe bet to say that, for now, we have so many cast members who we love and who we’re serving, that I think there’s no immediate plans for Nini to be a huge part of the show going forward. But the world has a way of surprising me and I never say never.”
Federle’s comments confirm that the HSMTMTS season 3 finale will act as a send-off for Nini, putting other characters like Kourtney and Gina (Sofia Wylie) more firmly into the spotlight. The show’s approach to Nini’s send-off banks on the talent of the larger ensemble cast, showing Federle’s faith in the other actors that make up HSMTMTS to continue its success. Federle indicates, however, that Rodrigo can return to the series when possible, even if her return happens several seasons down the line. Rodrigo’s massive success in the music industry made her eventual departure from HSMTMTS inevitable, but her reunion with the cast is a treat for fans hoping for a proper farewell to Nini.
After many characters were introduced in HSMTMTS season 3, including Val (Meg Donnelly), Maddox (Saylor Bell Curda), and Madison (Jojo Siwa), perhaps new characters will join in season 4 to ease the transition away from Nini’s story. Whether Rodrigo returns for season 4 or not, the next season is shaping up to be an intriguing one that harkens back to the show’s roots. Recent story details for HSMTMTS season 4 revealed that East High will be hosting the filming of High School Musical 4: The Reunion, with the HSMTMTS cast serving as extras in that film. With an extra meta season to look forward to, the upcoming episodes are shaping up to be the show’s strongest yet.
