Interview: Julia Lester on Returning to HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL Following Her INTO THE WOODS Tony Nomination

The final season of high school musical, the musical, the series

How are you feeling that it's all wrapping up? Oh, very nostalgic, very tender, very emotional, but very fulfilled and grateful

It's been such a great run of the show and bigger and better than anything we ever dreamed

it would be when we started out during season one. So it's a really beautiful feeling and we're all just holding each other very close during this time

and being grateful for all the memories that we made. Yes, all the memories

Well, you have just had like a whirlwind year. Congratulations on your Tony nomination

That is amazing. You were doing into the woods and then you left to come film this new season

Going into the new season, how did you feel after just like having that amazing moment on Broadway and then coming back to the series

Oh, so special. I mean you know Into the Woods was like the most you know I thought high school musical would be a life experience And then I got to experience into the woods And then I got to go back to my family which was like the most incredible feeling And like you know basically everybody in the cast and Tim like they all traveled to New York to see me So it just was like we just love each other so much And I was so grateful that I could have a little New York moment and then you know go back to my people So that was That was just really special And they remained such you know such cheerleaders for me and that journey that I had or whatever

But it just, yeah, it was just really, really lovely. And high school news school is always sort of

like my central and my home. So it was great to go back to them. It was a little more than New York

moment. You were there for weeks taking over the city. I was obsessed. Yeah. Oh, thank you

Yeah. Thanks. It was, it was very, very special. And, uh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean

going into this new season and then looking back on everything, we did high school musical

Beauty and the Beast Frozen and now High School Musical 3. Out of all of those, I know this might

be a hard question, but which would you say is like your favorite out of those

Oh, well, I'm a little biased because of Ashland's little, you know, bell moment in season two

So I think for Ashland, I think Beauty and the Beast was sort of like the beginning of her journey

where she was given an opportunity to step outside of herself and look at herself from other people's

perspectives and grow into who she ultimately is and will end up being. I mean, she's still growing

She's like, you know, barely 16. And so she's just beginning this, like, amazing journey of

self-discovery. And I think that getting the part of Belle was like the very beginning of

of her coming into herself So I think I would say Beauty the Beast because it was very special Yeah I mean and we got to hear you sing home So it was like a win for everyone It was so good Quickly before we wrap up later this summer you going to be and I can get it for you wholesale

Playing the role that Barbara Streisand played, no big deal. What are you most looking forward to at that experience

Oh, my gosh. Getting to do a show that people haven't seen done in decades

this will be my first sort of step into like a real classical musical

musical theater piece, which I think is going to be so cool and such a learning experience

And yeah, I'm just, I'm so excited to go back to New York and, you know, fall right back

into the New York theater scene, which is just like the most welcoming and lovely place to be

where I feel so, you know, authentically myself and so championed there. And so it'll just be

super fun and a lot of pressure, but I'm very, very excited and very grateful for the opportunity

After years of buildup. We're finally here. Senior. I'm a junior. And you're going to stay a junior

with that attitude, Carlos. Senior year. Me and Gina together, musical's going to be the best

Here's a sneak preview of our show. High school musical three. Many of you know me is

coach Bolton from the high school musical franchise. Folks, we're getting the whole

whole gang back together to make high school musical four right here at East Time Wait we still gonna do high school musical three right Why wouldn we This movie has nothing to do with us I told we have a special visitor

meeting us in the rehearsal room. Corbin's on the clock. Mr. Bluh

And some friends. Hey, Walcott! We want the fourth movie to feel authentic

So, we need you to be featured extras. It all comes down to right now

It's up to us. I don't want to hear everyone's opinion about us

So what if we kind of stay a secret? A secret relationship

The musical and a movie, it's gonna be a lot. Where is everybody

It appears the movie sucked up all other potential drama kids. Well, we need all the bodies we can get

We are barely filling out the cast as it is. We have to save the show

This is the last time to get you... Where every end up is going to be the right place

We gotta show what we're all about. We're together. This is the last time

chance to make our mom. I don't know if I'm ready for this. You're a star. Action

Or never. W-I-L-D Wildcats. You know you're on W-I-D. Wildcast. Come on, come

This is the last chance to make our mind. No one really believed in me for you guys

Now, or this is the best thing that's ever happened to me

Wildcats, this is your five-minute call. Woo! You guys don't do the lights thing