Corbin Bleu's rise from High School Musical to Olivier nominee

He is known to many for starring as Troy Bolton's (Zac Efron) best pal Chad Danforth in the High School Musical trilogy.

Yet Corbin Bleu has since transitioned into a successful West End and Broadway star, with the actor hoping to take home an Olivier Award this Sunday.

The American actor, 37, is among the hopefuls up for a Best Actor In A Supporting Role for his appearance in The Great Gatsby - A New Musical at the London Coliseum.

Two decades after he rose to fame on Disney Channel in his teens, Corbin is regularly seen performing on stage.

At just two-years-old Corbin began his career in commercials and modelling, working for brands such as Gap and Tommy Hilfiger.

He quickly followed in his father David Reivers' acting footsteps, who appeared as Corbin's real-life dad in High School Musical, Jump In! and Free Style.  

After joining theatre school, Corbin made his Broadway debut at 20-years-old as Usnavi de la Vega in In The Heights.

Corbin only made his West End debut last year as Nick Carraway alongside Amber Davies, who starred as Jordan Baker.

After transferring to London for The Great Gatsby, Corbin has returned to Broadway to reprise his role as Nick.

His other stage credits include Ted Hanover in Holiday Inn, Seaweed J. Stubbs in Hairspray and Jesus Christ in Godspell.

Corbin also appeared as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio in Kiss Me, Kate, where he gained a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor.

Speaking on Amber's Call To Stage podcast, Corbin explained: 'I had my sights set on Broadway from a very early age.

'My mum kept so many of our school work papers and reports and there was one that I had written in my second grade and I talk about being on Broadway, it was so cool.'

'I know that will always be the major symbol on my flag and I am grateful for that. It is the gift that keeps on giving', he touched on High School Musical.

'I have things, projects and actors that I grew up with that shaped who I am and inspired me to do what I do.

'It's surreal to me that I'm apart of that, in a way I feel moved from it because there is no way that's me.

'But there is of course that we are 20 years out from it and I've had an entire career since then and there are people that it's all they can see.'

Corbin still remains very good friends with his onscreen High School Musical sweetheart Monique Coleman, who played Taylor.

Aside from being stage royalty, Corbin was the runner-up on season 17 of ABC's Dancing With The Stars and has released two albums. 

The pair even starred A Christmas Dance Reunion together back in 2021.

Corbin now resides in the US with his long-time wife and fellow actress, Sasha Clements. 

The Olivier Awards 2026 returns to the magnificent Royal Albert Hall to mark the 50th anniversary on April 12.

The frontrunners for London's biggest theatre awards are Paddington: The Musical and Into The Woods, which each received 11 nominations.