Joshua Bassett, star of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and of speculation about the lyrics of his co-star Olivia Rodrigo’s very successful new album, has confirmed in an interview with GQ that he identifies as queer, or at least as a part of the whole LGBTQ+ alphabet. Speculation about how Bassett identifies started when Bassett talked about he thinks Harry Styles is hot in a video interview and then seemingly joked, or maybe didn’t, that “this is also my coming out video.†He followed it up with a statement where he said that “my entire life, people have told me my sexuality,†but resisted defining his sexuality further. Well, he’s followed it up by telling GQ that, in the case of the Harry Styles video, “it wasn’t a joke.†Asked to expand further, he added that “there are plenty of letters in the alphabet … Why bother rushing to a conclusion? Sometimes your letter changes, sometimes you try a different one, other times you realize you’re not what you thought you were, or maybe you always knew. All of these can be true. I’m happy to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community because they embrace all. Don’t let anyone tell you love isn’t love. They’re the ones who probably need it the most.â€
In the GQ profile, Bassett also notes that he’s “anti-coming out that there’s no need to,†but that “people are welcome to have boxes if they want them.†He got a flurry of responses when the video of him talking about Styles went viral, and insists that “I stood behind every word that I said†in his follow-up post. “Even if there are consequences, I would much rather deal with consequences and live my truth than live in fear.†He also said that he’s “very at peace. I’m celebrating Pride all month long.†So now that Bassett’s elaborated further, which exclusively gay moment will Disney inevitably slot him into in an upcoming release? Can Rachel Zegler’s Snow White meet a prince who’s part of the alphabet? Is Marvel looking to keep things inside the Disney+ family casting its Wiccan? He already plays Beast on HSM:TM:TS; can we give him a backstory where he goes to 18th-century Paris Pride? (Would have to exist in a fantasy version of 18th-century Paris with very different ideas about Catholicism, but anyway.)