Engaged! That’s the latest plot twist for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series stars Frankie Rodriguez and Joe Serafini, whose on-screen romance as Seb and Carlos eventually spilled into real life after walking the halls of East High.
When Joe Serafini and Frankie Rodriguez met on the set of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, they were playing Seb Matthew-Smith and Carlos Rodriguez. Now, years later, they have taken their love story very much off-screen and just announced that they are engaged.
Honestly, could this be any cuter?
Seb and Carlos Found Their Happy Ending
Serafini, 28, and Rodriguez, 27, announced their engagement on Instagram on August 7, giving fans of the Disney+ series exactly the kind of real-life plot twist nobody could have written better.
The actors first connected while starring as Seb and Carlos, whose relationship became one of the show’s sweetest LGBTQ+ romances. Their characters went from school production chaos to an adorable relationship, giving viewers plenty of reasons to root for them.
Behind the scenes, however, something else was happening.
The pair’s real-life relationship eventually became public, transforming a beloved on-screen pairing into something even more special for fans who had watched their story unfold.
And now there is a ring.
READ: Disney Couldn’t Say Ryan Evans Was Queer, So Kenny Ortega Got Creative
Their Co-Stars Are Losing It
If the engagement announcement itself wasn’t enough to make fans reach for the tissues, the reaction from their former co-stars certainly was.
Matt Cornett, who played E.J., delivered perhaps the most enthusiastic response possible: “YES YES YES YES YES. GREATEST COUPLE OF ALL TIME.”
Dara Reneé was equally emotional, writing, “I’VE BEEN PRAYING FOR THIS MOMENT!! LOVE YALL SO MUCH!!!!”
Then there was Joshua Bassett, who apparently decided words were insufficient and simply responded with an extremely long “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.”
Honestly, same.
The love continued pouring in from beyond the original HSMTMTS cast, too. Glenn Powell, who appeared alongside Rodriguez in Chad Powers, wrote, “I love your love!!!! So damn happy for you!!”
And Julia Lester, another HSMTMTS favorite who recently got engaged herself, summed up the collective feeling rather perfectly, calling them her favorite people on the planet.
From High School Romance to Real-Life Fiancés
There is something particularly delightful about this engagement because Seb and Carlos were never just a random pairing thrown into the background. Their relationship became an important part of the show’s LGBTQ+ representation, giving younger viewers a queer romance that was allowed to be joyful, messy, romantic and completely unapologetic.
Neste #DiaDoOrgulho, um dueto de “A Whole New World” por Joe Serafini e Frankie Rodriguez — o Seb e Carlos em #HSMTMTS
— BM (@BwayMeme) June 28, 2021
Now the actors who brought that relationship to life are preparing to take another step together in the real world.
Of course, fans are already going to want to know everything. Who proposed? Will there be a giant musical number at the wedding? And, most importantly, will the HSMTMTS gang reunite for the occasion?
We don’t have those answers yet.
But we do know one thing: Seb and Carlos may have graduated from East High, but their love story clearly wasn’t ready for the final curtain.
They’ve gone from playing boyfriends to becoming engaged in real life, and if that isn’t the most adorable High School Musical plot twist ever, we don’t know what is.