While there is a new show adaptation of High School Musical on Disney+, there is still a reverence for the movie that started it all. If a student attends East High School, then there is no denying that they are a Wildcat for life. That is the ethos of High School Musical, a film that shows all students can coexist before eventually culminating in a musical ethos known as “We’re All in This Together.”
Things are a bit different at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from Harry Potter, however. There, students can be sorted into a number of different Hogwarts houses, including Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff. Respectively, the house symbols for these are lions, snakes, eagles, and badgers. Not wildcats. But, if the East High Wildcats were to be sorted at Hogwarts, where would they fall in?
Troy Bolton
Troy Bolton, the Harry Potter of High School Musical—if one allows for it—is likewise a Gryffindor. Played by Zac Efron, he and Gabriella are responsible for kicking off a domino effect of changes throughout the school, and it is thanks in large part to their irrepressible spirits.
Troy is a student who knows what he wants in life. While it may take a little while to understand that he wants to play basketball and sing, that doesn’t change the fact that the true Troy was underneath him all the time. And that Troy is a Gryffindor.
Gabriella Montez
Part of the reason why Troy and Gabriella are such a good match is because they are both Gryffindors. They both have fiery attitudes about them that guide them to act in daring ways.
Throughout the films, Gabriella is always daring to shake up the comfortable routine she knows and try something new. This takes a great deal of courage, and it is something that she has in spades thanks to her Gryffindor nature. Not to mention, she is quick to turn her back on Troy when things go awry, which could be a testament to Gryffindors’ impulsiveness.
Sharpay Evans
Sharpay Evans is a Slytherin, and that should be pretty obvious. She is the most obvious character on this list because of how snakelike she can really be, more often than not. Sharpay’s role in the HSM films is to be constantly scheming up plans that would benefit her and only her. She has no regard for the people in her life, shows them no kindness, and does not care who she burns to attain top status in her own little world.
The thing is, Sharpay has to keep learning her lesson on this matter, never once internalizing the morals that should come to define her.
Ryan Evans
Ryan is a character who goes through some of the most impressive character development throughout the trilogy of HSM films. In the first movie, he is undeniably a Slytherin. His ambition leads him to some pretty nefarious plotting alongside his sister.
However, by the time the third movie rolls around, Ryan is a master class choreographer who has a strong intelligence that leads him to receive a Juilliard scholarship. Perhaps these Ravenclaw streaks were always within him, but, for now, it might be best to label him as a hybrid. Consider him the rare instance of a Slytherclaw.
Chad Danforth
If Gabriella can be best compared to Hermione Granger and Troy Bolton is the de facto Harry Potter of the school, then that leaves it pretty obvious as to who Chad Danforth most closely embodies. As Troy’s best friend, Chad is the East High equivalent of Ron Weasley. Because of this, he is a Gryffindor.
Yes, there are moments when Chad does some pretty shady things at the expense of his best friend’s happiness, but he learns from his mistakes quickly and embraces the school’s transition from a sports-oriented institution to one that embraces all hobbies, talents, and passions. He is a Gryffindor, thanks in large part to the fact that he eventually leads East High by example in the Disney Channel film.
Taylor McKessie
An argument could have been made for Gabriella as a Ravenclaw because of how she dominates the academic circles as soon as she shows up to East High, but there is no question about Taylor’s Ravenclaw status. As the captain of the decathlon team, Taylor’s remarkable smarts helped carry the Wildcats to glory.
She also helped pad her own resume as she begins her pursuits to eventually become the President of the United States. One of the brightest students East High has ever seen, her position in Ravenclaw could be a strong suggestion that she achieved her political ambitions.
Kelsi Nielsen
Kelsi Nielsen is a remarkable pianist and composer and, as such, her immense ability and intellect earns her a spot in Ravenclaw. The compositions she comes up with on the piano throughout the trilogy are truly impressive. How could anyone else get that coveted scholarship to Juilliard?
Her songs are masterpieces that have become earworms for people across the world ever since 2006. Kelsi’s composing abilities are on par with some of the all-time greats. Beethoven composed “Moonlight Sonata,” but Kelsi composed “Everyday.” As this generation’s Mozart, she belongs in Ravenclaw.
Coach Bolton
Coach Jack Bolton, the father of Troy, is a Gryffindor, as well. Just as James and Lily passed on their Gryffindor traits to Harry, so too does Jack to Troy. Granted, he becomes a bit misguided in his priorities for Troy along the way, but what Gryffindor doesn’t feel a bit lost from time to time?
What matters is that Coach Bolton came around again, and he supported his son no matter what, even in the face of potential disappointment. Jack is an excellent father who operates on some of the best moral principles a parent can have.
Zeke Baylor
Zeke Baylor checks in as a Hufflepuff on this list, and this might be among the more obvious selections. Essentially, Zeke’s role in the HSM films is to be the sidekick of Troy and Chad and to fill a spot on the basketball roster.
However, he does exhibit a bit of unexpected depth when he reveals that his true passion is for baking. Everyone knows that the qualities that make a baker (generosity, kindness, homeliness) are also the qualities that make up a great number of Hufflepuffs. Zeke is a badger and a wildcat.
Mrs. Darbus
Mrs. Darbus would make for a solid Hufflepuff figure at Hogwarts, were she ever to be hired for a drama position at the magical school. With the demeanor of Professor Sprout, the manic nature of Professor Trelawney, and the firmness of Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Darbus is likely more of a blend, but, if there had to be one specific house for her to occupy, it would be Hufflepuff.
She always wants what is best for her students, and, while she can be a stickler to get them to where they’re meant to be, there is no doubt that she would do anything for them. She has all the generosity of a Hufflepuff.
