Joshua Bassett has risen to fame quickly. He plays one of the lead characters, Ricky, on the Disney Plus series, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which was just renewed for a second season. It follows students at East High, who have never put on a production of "High School Musical". The new drama teacher changes that.
Bassett started acting at 16 years of age and had minor roles in Grey's Anatomy, Dirty John, the short film, Limbo, and a few other projects.
At just 20 years old, Bassett has already gained over one million followers on Instagram and his fan base is growing every day.
He was born on December 22, 2000, in Oceanside, California. Bassett spent most of his life there. It's where he was raised (and homeschooled) by his parents, Taylor and Laura Bassett.
Here are 15 little known facts about Joshua Bassett.
15 He Has Five Sisters And Loves His Family
He is the middle child in the family, between all the sisters. Being part of a big family keeps him in check. His sisters have also done musical theater with him...the video of their performance is on his Twitter page! They taught him how to dance when he had to for "HSMTMTS."
It is great that they all have something in common. Musical theater brings them closer together and gives them something to bond over when they are together.
14 Bassett Started Acting At The Age of 16
His acting appeals to ages 12 to 22, with an emphasis on tweens and younger teens. Seeing as he's in the new generation of 'Disney Kids', it is no surprise he started out in showbiz young, at seven years old.
His first theater role was JV Jock #2 in a stage production of "High School Musical." Since then, he has been in over thirty musicals. His career has come full circle! Bassett has developed skills that any casting director would be impressed by.
13 He Is Left-Handed
When he holds a microphone, he holds it in his left hand. When he plays guitar, he holds it like a southpaw. He even writes with his left hand. You can see that he's a leftie when he writes in some videos on Youtube. Left-handed people only represent 10 percent of the population, so he is unique.
12 Before Acting, He Starred In Commercials
He was everyone's dream prom date and looked dapper in a tux. Bassett has appeared in quite a lot of commercials. Just Google "Joshua Bassett commercials" and they will pop right up. He has played a teen who sneaks out and gets caught, a prom date, and so much more. Bassett has also starred in some short films.
11 He Is Best Friends With The "Andi Mack" Cast
While filming HSMTMTS, Bassett got to know the cast of Andi Mack. One reason he may be so close to that cast is that one of his co-stars, Sofia Wylie, played a recurring character, Buffy, on Andi Mack.
You can see pictures on social media of him hanging with the cast. The studios are near each other and they get to hang out often. They are the new generation of Disney kids and it makes our heart happy.
10 He Was In A Few Episodes Of "Stuck In The Middle"
He was Aidan Peters, a recurring character, who played Harley's boyfriend and Ellie Peters' cousin. This was his first appearance in a Disney production. The main character was one of six siblings and she was stuck in the middle of them. She comes up with creative ways to get out of the madness.
9 He Is A Phenomenal Singer
He has talked a lot about releasing original music this year; he would love to open for Harry Styles on tour. Kasey Musgraves is one of his favorite singers. Bassett posts many covers on social media and has even posted snippets of original songs he has written.
Some fans have compared him to Shawn Mendes. Also, in addition to his singing, he plays the guitar and piano.
8 He Is A Huge Fan of Hilary Duff
The actor has talked about Duff in multiple interviews. When he picked a DCOM to watch for the rest of his life, he picked Cadet Kelly. In an interview with BriefTake, he said he has loved the actress/singer since he was 8 years old. The whole cast knows he is in love with her. They even had a brief meeting at D23 and she told him she was a big fan.
7 He Is Almost 6 Feet Tall
At 5 feet, 11 inches, Bassett is just one inch short of six feet. Although he doesn't appear that tall on screen, he is actually on the taller side. At 19 years old, he may not get any taller, but his career will definitely get bigger.
6 His Dad Is A Big Inspiration
He has a great deal of admiration and respect for his father, Taylor. Bassett said in an interview once that one of his goals in life is to be the kind of man his dad is. He is fortunate to have had a good home life...and to have someone to look up to back home Some of his peers don't have strong role models to lean on.
5 He Is A Huge Fan Of The Original "High School Musical"
After growing up in the musical theater world and getting cast in HSMTMTS, Bassett is obviously a huge fan of the original High School Musical...and knows all of the songs. Meeting Lucas Grabeel and KayCee Stroh (two former HSM castmates) on the set must have been a dream for him. He watched the movies all the time growing up.
4 He Has Become The New Heartthrob And Has Already Garnered Attention From Female Fans
Twitter has many pages dedicated to him - any time he smiles or posts a cover, the Internet goes crazy. This must be the perk of playing Troy Bolton. You get a lot of female fans and turn from an adorable teen to a grown-up heartthrob. His talent, wit, and looks make him a triple threat and a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.
3 He Wrote Songs For HSMTMTS
He wrote "Just for a Moment" with co-star, Olivia Rodrigo, who plays Nini. It is heard just before the cast is about to take the stage for opening night. This is his first credit as a professional singer.
Having a songwriting credit is not something a lot of people have...to have it at such a young age is an accomplishment. It was chosen from multiple entries.
2 He Is A Fashion Icon
Bassett did an interview with Flaunt Magazine and a photoshoot. He wore a bunch of 90s-inspired clothes. In a lot of interviews, he wears suits and other really nice clothes. For someone who's not even in his 20s yet, he dresses so well. We can't wait for his first red carpet appearance, to see what he wears (*insert heart eyes*)!
1 He Has Appeared on Ellentube a Few Times
Bassett had to make songs from a random phrase and he did really well. Who else could sing a song about a grocery store and make it into a bop? He's really funny and talented in the Ellentube videos. We hope he, and the rest of the HSMTMTS cast, appear on Ellen's show again soon!
Hopefully, you've learned a lot about the rising star as he navigates his way through Hollywood.