Explore

Blog

Hollywood Insight

Email Updates

Latest entertainment articles and reviews. Subscribe

Weekly CBN.com top stories and videos. Subscribe

LIsten In... to the High School Musical 3 Interviews

Vanessa, how was your character's high school experience different or similar to your own? (28 sec.)

What happened when the director said, "That's a wrap"? (1:28 min.)

Zac and Corbin, were you guys really crying when the shooting was finished?
(57 sec.)

What did Kenny Ortega, the director, say to you all that lead to a flow of tears?
(1:23 min.)

*Audio Courtesy of Disney™

MOVIES

HSM3: Takin' a Chance on Me

By Hannah Goodwyn
CBN.com Producer

CBN.com - A big part of the High School Musical 3 story is Troy Bolton’s journey of self-discovery. This conflicted teenager is trying to figure out who he wants to be after high school. At one point in the new film, Troy solos into a rock ballad of personal frustration in the song, “Scream”. Should he heed the advice from family and friends or take a risk and do something that he feels might be right for him?

I don't know, where to go, what's the right team?
I want my own thing. So bad I'm gonna scream!
I can't choose, so confused! What's it all mean?
I want my own dream. So bad I'm gonna scream!

I'm kickin' down the walls.
I gotta make 'em fall!
Just break through them all!
I'm pushin', crashin', I'm gonna
Fight to find myself,
Me and no one else!

Eventually, Troy realizes something that all teens should understand. He must decide his future and not focus on what everyone thinks is best for him. Sound, wise input is helpful, but you’re the one who’s ultimately responsible for what road you take in life.

High School Decisions in the Real World

Monique Coleman, who plays East High’s studious Taylor McKessie, agrees wholeheartedly with the movie’s message.

“Ultimately, the only thing that is important is that you do make a choice and that the choice is yours. That’s it’s not your parents or your teachers or your friends’ decision about your future, but that it is your decision,” Coleman says.

You may not have your future planned out and that’s all right. In fact, Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu from the HSM movies didn’t either at first.

“I had no idea I wanted to be an actor,” Efron says. “I went through high school just like all the other guys. I didn’t really have any plans for my future. This was kind of my extracurricular and my hobby. Various doors opened and I went through them and I ended up here today.”

Growing up, his cast mate Corbin Bleu had a few ideas about who he wanted to become. But, like his friend, he didn’t have it all figured out.

“When you’re a kid you have grand ideas to become a lot of different things,” Bleu says. “I wanted to be a marine biologist. I wanted to be a plastic surgeon. Eventually, it came down to two directions and it was pediatrician or an actor. I figured now I can at least play a doctor on TV. But you know, I grew up in it and I always knew that I wanted the Arts in my life it was just whether it would be full on career or not. The time came that I had to make the decision and actually I just decided to go with what I love doing.”

When it comes time to make life decisions in your life, include God in them. He knows your future and will give you peace about what you were born to do.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

Your Risky Business Plan

The bigger the decision, the harder the fall. That kind of fear-based thinking can keep you from taking a risk and lacks faith. Take some advice from Olesya Rulin, who plays East High School’s piano girl and composing talent Kelsi.

“Anything is possible. If you have that courage and inspiration in yourself you can accomplish anything,” Olesya says.

Her life is a perfect example of this. Growing up in a small Russian town in a house with no indoor plumbing, Rulin never could have guessed that some day she’d be working for Mickey Mouse.

When fear creeps in and you feel like giving up, Rulin says just look at it as an opportunity to learn.

“I think failing something is so beautiful. You know what? Be crazy. Try something different. Yeah, you might fail. But, you can say you did something new. That’s how you develop and that’s how you grow into the person you are. You grow your own personal character by making mistakes, by going out there, by experimenting as much as you can. That’s life and there’s no way you should stop yourself from experiencing,” Rulin says.

If you don’t go for it, you will regret your lack of faith in yourself and God down the road. Take courage and that first step.

Hannah Goodwyn serves as a producer for LivingTheLife.com and CBN.com. She also writes regularly for these sites. For more articles and information, visit Hannah's bio page.