Before the global stardom of “High School Musical,” Lucas Grabeel was a struggling actor just trying to survive in Los Angeles — with a bank account that once contained only $3.
Grabeel, now 40, recently opened up on the “Ned’s Declassified Podcast Survival Guide” about the tough journey that led to his breakout role as Ryan Evans in the Disney Channel franchise that defined a generation.
Broke No More
“I had $3 in my account. I got rear-ended, and my car was held together with bungee cords and duct tape,” he recalled on the June 4 episode. “It was really rough.”
After a promising early role in “Halloweentown High” (2004), he found himself back at a day job — working at Blockbuster. “That was a real amazing dose of humility because the movie came out. It was on the shelf. I was literally renting out my own face,” he said. When a young customer recognized him, Grabeel told him, “Let this be a lesson, kid. Not every actor’s a millionaire.”
Still, he didn’t give up. When in 2006 he was called in to audition for “High School Musical,” he originally read for the role of Troy Bolton. Director Kenny Ortega redirected him: “You’re great, but you’re no Troy. You’re a Ryan. Go outside and learn these new sides and come back in.” What followed was an intense eight-hour audition day of dancing, singing, and acting.
After weeks of waiting, the phone call finally came — Grabeel was heading to Utah. “I was like, oh, thank God. I don’t have to sell my car and walk everywhere,” he said.
He quit his job at Blockbuster and didn’t look back, even though his manager had tried to promote him. “I was like, ‘I’m really kind of focusing on the acting thing.’” He added with a laugh, “I might have to go back and get another job after ‘High School Musical’ ends shooting, but it’s not going to be at Blockbuster.”
Today, his net worth is estimated to be $800,000.
The “High School Musical” franchise went on to become a cultural phenomenon, spawning sequels, tours, and a spin-off film. And Grabeel, once broke and holding his car together with duct tape, is now a household face.