untung99.art: Is Olivia Rodrigo in High School Musical The Musical The Series Season 4

Editor’s note: The following contains minor spoilers for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season 4

The final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series has brought the story of the second generation of Wildcats to an end, forcing the characters to say goodbye to high school as some of them embark towards their futures. But with everyone focusing on where they’ll go to college or what they’ll be working on the following semester, one question remained. Would Nini Salazar-Roberts (Olivia Rodrigo) have time to visit her former classmates during their final bow? Or would one of the most important characters of the series be absent during its grand conclusion?

Does Nini Come Back for ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ Season 4?

After four seasons of introducing new stars and filling the halls of East High with music once again, it was time for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series to allow its characters to move toward a new chapter in their lives. And unfortunately, no — Olivia Rodrigo did not return for this final chapter. The Wildcats give their final hugs to each other without their first leading lady being present for the final curtain call. Instead, the series focuses on other characters who were present from the very beginning.

There were plenty of opportunities for Rodrigo to drop by for a quick cameo during the final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. With the show’s modern setting, a simple video call would’ve been enough to make the story come full circle, allowing Nini to see her friends as they begin to walk the path that will bring them closer to their dreams. Nevertheless, the former protagonist of the series doesn’t appear in any of the eight episodes that make up the final installment of the musical comedy. One of Miss Jenn’s (Kate Reinders) brightest students couldn’t make it to class this time.

According to showrunner Tim Federle, Rodrigo’s busy schedule was the main reason for Nini’s absence in Season 4. However, this allowed more room for the final season to explore new relationships. The main characters this time around were the ones with the most interesting storyline during Season 3 of the show, when the Wildcats had a surprising summer ahead of them. Ricky (Joshua Bassett) and Gina (Sofia Wylie) had feelings for each other for quite some time, but neither of them dared to make the first move. After all, Gina was busy dating E.J. (Matt Cornett), and Ricky knew better than to stand between what his friends were sharing. But at the end of the previous season, they confessed their love for each other, with them becoming an official couple by the time the final season started.

Why Did Olivia Rodrigo Leave ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’?

During the first two installments of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Nini was the main star of the East High drama club. Her previous experience with musical theater thanks to summer camp allowed her to show the talent she had to offer when she auditioned for her school’s production of High School Musical. Added to that, her romance with Ricky would create thrilling tension throughout the debut season of the musical comedy, leaving audiences wondering if they would get back together or not. Even if they made up their minds by the time the credits rolled on the first season, they would eventually break up when the series returned a year and a half later.

Regardless of what happened with Nini’s love life, Rodrigo launched her debut solo album in the summer of 2021, quickly becoming one of the biggest pop artists in the world. With Sour, the young actress rapidly reached the top of the charts, achieving an amount of success that would change her life forever. With her hit songs being played on the radio all the time, and a concert tour that would take her all around the planet in the works, it would be hard for her to have enough time in her schedule to continue playing a leading role in the Disney+ series.

Since Rodrigo wasn’t a successful musician in the world of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, the writers came up with a simple solution to explain Nini’s absence going forward. The character got a big opportunity to develop her career in music, but she had to move to Los Angeles in order to start working. Taking Salt Lake City and her East High friends in her heart, Nini made the tough decision of moving far away to pursue her dreams. During the final episodes of the third season, Nini let Miss Jenn know that she made up her mind, and that she was grateful for the time she spent with the Wildcats.

Nini’s Presence Is Still Felt in ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ Final Season

Even if Nini wasn’t physically present during the final season of the musical comedy, she was constantly mentioned by other characters in several episodes. She was an important part of the group’s history, especially for Ricky, and while she lived far away from everyone else, she still held a special place in people’s hearts. Nini wrote songs that included lyrics that came from the bottom of her heart, and she tried to cheer up anyone who needed support. But she couldn’t let the love she felt for her friends stand in the way of her dreams, taking her to the sunny weather of California.

During the final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, there’s an episode focused on several flashbacks the main characters have about their journey in East High. It’s a clever way to go back to that time period without having to actually bring Olivia Rodrigo back. It gives the audience the feeling that Nini is right around the corner, even if she couldn’t appear on the screen this time around. But if someone is once a Wildcat, they remain one for the rest of their lives.

When the spinoff program got its first taste of success, Olivia Rodrigo was right at the center of the marketing for the series, including the posters and the trailers for the anticipated release. It’s easy to understand why scheduling conflicts would prevent her from appearing in the final season of the show, but she was surely missed by the friends that were part of her journey a few years ago. As High School Musical: The Musical: The Series comes to an end, Nini’s legacy lives on, as one of the most courageous and emotional Wildcats East high has ever seen.

All 8 episodes of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season 4 are now streaming on Disney+.