High School Musical‘s director officially addresses whether Zac Efron actually sings in the movies. Released in 2006, the Disney Channel original movie follows basketball captain Troy Bolton (Efron) and academically gifted Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) as they audition for the school musical together, challenging school stereotypes. High School Musical was met with much success, spawning a beloved franchise.

However, longtime fans of High School Musical know that Zac Efron did not sing for High School Musical, reportedly lip-syncing to Drew Seeley, who provides Troy’s real vocals. As Efron does sing in the sequels, as well as in 2007’s Hairspray, this piece of trivia has always been rather strange. However, the franchise’s director, Kenny Ortega, has now addressed this misconception.

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Kenny Ortega explains how Efron’s vocals were mixed with Seeley’s to create Troy’s singing voice. He says: “The songs were written before Zac got the role. So although he could sing, and he had a lovely voice, it wasn’t the voice that the songs were written for.” Check out the video below:

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In 2007, following the release of the first High School Musical, Efron told Orlando Sentinel that he “was not really given an explanation,” referring to his vocals’ omission from the film. However, his voice does appear in subsequent films, with Efron stating: “I had to put my foot down and fight to get my voice on these tracks.”

What Kenny Ortega’s Comments Mean For High School Musical

According to previous reports, Drew Seeley’s voice was used because he is a tenor, which is what they had written for Troy, whereas Zac Efron is a baritone. This is why Ortega states that “it wasn’t the voice that the songs were written for.” As a result, they had to dub parts of it, “so that it had greater vocal strength.”

That being said, Ortega does express that it’s “important that people know that Zac Efron did sing.” Efron’s vocals were not completely omitted from the movie, but were mixed into Seeley’s. Furthermore, the High School Musical actor went on to sing for the rest of the franchise, without any need for dubbing, proving himself a talented vocalist as Troy.

Our Take On Zac Efron’s Vocals In High School Musical

Efron was a brilliant inclusion in High School Musical back in 2006. His natural energy and boyish charm certainly made his character iconic, as the first movie broke records by becoming the most commercially successful Disney Channel television film. Therefore, when it came out that he didn’t sing all of Troy’s songs, many fans were disappointed.

High School Musical is one of those classic film series from childhood that stays with you, so it always felt off that Efron’s vocals supposedly weren’t in the first film, especially as he sang later fan-favorite tracks such as “Bet On It.” However, Ortega’s comments are reᴀssuring, as it means Efron did actually sing as Troy, and we weren’t all lied to.

Sources: Entertainment Tonight, Orlando Sentinel