This iconic scene from High School Musical was improvised!

Zac Efron revealed that “Bet on It” was completely spontaneous.

Before experiencing a rejuvenation in 2019 in the form of a series, thus launching the career of singer Olivia Rodrigo, High School Musical was one of Disney's most lucrative franchises. A legendary triptych broadcast at the time on the Disney Channel launched in 2006, choreographed and directed by Kenny Ortega, these films marked the youth of many viewers, forging for some an idealized vision of high school years, and quickly achieving cult status.

Featuring a basketball team led by Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), a young intellectual with a talent for singing, Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) and two siblings destined for Broadway, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel), High School Musical allows the public to discover Efron in the role of leader of the Wildcats, hesitant to pursue a career on the stage or on a basketball court.

Since then, the actor has come a long way, returning to musical comedy with The Greatest Showman and brilliant in drama Iron Claw. Now starring in a comedy “family” Alongside Joey King and Nicole Kidman, the actor, who is currently promoting himself, couldn't help but reveal a few secrets about the franchise that made him famous. Interviewed by Entertainment Tonightthe actor confirmed that one of the cult scenes of High School Musical 2 was actually completely improvised:

“It was totally improvised. We shot that scene, the whole song, I think, in three hours.”

In High School Musical 2, released in 2007, it's vacation time for our high school students. Sharpay is jealous of Gabriella and wants to get her away from Troy so she can get her hands on him. She offers him a summer job at her parents' country club, but he manages to get Gabriella and her entire basketball team, the Wildcats, hired. Troubles go hand in hand with this twist.

For the first time, Zac Efron sings all of his songs in full. In the first part, his voice was mixed with that of another singer, because the production was not sure if the young man could sing. He proved otherwise and also showed his dancing and improvisational skills on the song “Bet on It”. In this sequence, Gabriella has left him and his friends are thinking about leaving while Troy gets closer to Sharpay and covets a scholarship to the University of Albuquerque. Caught between the two camps and angry with himself, the young man tries to rectify the situation and this song is the expression of his internal rage.

“When we shot this sequence. We had no idea what to do. The director was like this: 'Dude, we don't really have a concept for this song. What do you want to do?' And I answered: “I don't know, we're on a golf course.”

Result: A rhythmic dance on a green, a reflection in the water erased with the back of the hand, a symbol of self-questioning. Simple but very effective.

A scene and a song so iconic that her co-star, Joey King, who was present during the interview, admitted that when she was in middle school, she had a High School Musical locker and a matching pencil case that, once a few buttons were pressed, sang with the voice of Zac Efron!

Joey King and Zac Efron are now starring in a comedy available on Netflix: The Underside of the Family.

Joey King, Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron Wash Their Dirty Laundry on Netflix [bande-annonce]