Featured Image Credit: Disney+
Topics: Celebrity, TV And Film, High School Musical
Gregory Robinson
The sound of hearts shattering could be heard when it was confirmed that Olivia Rodrigo will no longer be a main cast member in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
The breakout pop star will be stepping back in season three and her character Nini, who was one of the main characters in the ensemble cast for the Disney+ series, will be downgraded to a recurring role.
This means Olivia will not appear in every episode of the new season when it drops later this year, per ET.
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Fans of the series were left feeling heartbroken after the news broke on Tuesday. Not only were there crying emojis, there were also a few question marks on Twitter in response to Nini's partial departure.
One fan tweeted: "I thought she was the main character?"
Another disappointed fan said: "Damn I’m only watching for Olivia".
While someone else shared: "This is so sad but I'm happy for her and all the things she has accomplished."
Lots of fans were caught off guard by the news, with one writing: "I didn’t even think about this happening".
Other fans welcomed the decision. "Well that’s good so she doesn't have a lot of stress cause bestie has festivals, award shows, concerts, documentary promo, and a tour," one fan tweeted.
The 19-year-old's move is somewhat expected after the colossal success of her single ‘Drivers Licence’ in 2021 which led to a string of hits including ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Good 4 U’ and the release of her Grammy nominated album Sour.
The songs on the album were widely reported to have been inspired by her relationship and break-up with her co-star Joshua Bassett, who returns as Ricky in season three.
Olivia is also set to embark on a sold-out tour this summer, visiting venues in the US, Europe and the UK and is planning Sour’s follow-up. It’s no wonder that the teen star has had to take a small step back from her TV role.
In related news, three new cast members will be joining High School Musical: The Musical: The Series for its summer camp-themed third season.
Ben Stillwell, Aria Brooks and newcomer Liamani Segura will be recurring guest stars and join High School Musical star Corbin Bleu and Hannah Montana actor Jason Earles as the new members of the ensemble.
We can't wait to see what happens to Nini this season!