'HSMTMTS' Stars Frankie Rodriguez, Joe Serafini Dating Timeline

These High School Musical: The Musical: The Series stars have taken their relationship from East High into the real world. After months of speculation from fans, Frankie A. Rodriguez and Joe Serafini confirmed that they are a couple when the cameras stop rolling!

“We haven’t been really secretive about it, but we are dating in real life,” Frankie shared during a May 2021 interview with Hollywire.

As fans know, the duo made headlines after HSMTMTS premiered in November 2019 and they became the first openly gay couple in the High School Musical franchise’s history. In season 1, episode 5, Frankie and Joe’s characters, Carlos and Seb, shared their first ever #Seblos moment when they went to East High’s homecoming dance together.

“[The series is] really shedding light as to what high school life is like right now and making sure that those kids that have never seen themselves onscreen have, finally, someone to connect to,” Frankie told the Los Angeles Times in December 2019 about his onscreen romance.

During a separate interview with POPSUGAR from May 2021, Joe also gushed over bringing Seb and Carlos’ story to love. “They’re both such innocent, wholesome characters at the end of the day,” the actor said. “I mean, they’re drama kids. It’s just really fun to see them navigating how to let each other know that they care about each other, but of course that comes with questions and being so unsure of yourself and second-guessing everything.”

Since the show first premiered, the fictional couple has continued to break barriers on TV for the LGBTQ+ community. In June 2021, Frankie and Joe reacted to making “Disney history” with their characters’ kiss during an episode titled “The Quinceañero.”

“[The kiss] was something that our creator, Tim Federle, pulled us aside and was like, ‘We earned it,’” Frankie told J-14 exclusively, explaining that it “wasn’t” a scripted moment. “Of course, we were game and so excited to take part in Disney history, which is crazy to say.”

Viewers of the show were also quick to point out on social media that the iconic #Seblos kiss took place during Pride Month, but that wasn’t planned! “We thought the show was supposed to air, you know, a year ago,” Frankie told J-14, noting how it was pushed back due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “The fact that how it kind of just happened to be during this month, I mean, that you can’t make that up.”

Scroll through our gallery to see Joe and Frankie’s love story from the start!

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January 2020

Frankie celebrated Joe’s birthday with an adorable Instagram post. “Tisdale walked so Serafini could run. HBD lil Jojo,” the actor captioned his snap. Fans of the show know that Joe’s character played Sharpay Evans in the HSMTMTS production of High School Musical.

Joe also chatted with Theatre Art Life and gushed over his onscreen romance. “I realized how special Carlos and Seb’s relationship was [when filming ‘Homecoming’] ,” the actor shared. “Truthfully, it is such an honor to be able to tell their story with Frankie. I honestly wish I had a story like this to watch growing up, and I can’t believe that I get to be the one to do it now.”

May 2021

The couple made their red carpet debut at the Cruella movie premiere. The duo also discussed their onscreen romance with HuffPost.

“It’s their first real relationship with another boy and that takes some navigating,” Joe told the publication. “There are highs and lows to that, but it’s all part of the journey and it really is worth it. Everyone is so valid and beautiful in their own way.”

June 2021

The Disney+ stars shared their love story.

“I think on the first day I worked with Joe, they put him on the piano. And he was playing some musical theater stuff when the cameras weren’t rolling,” Frankie told TooFab. “And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s it. I’m done. I’m in trouble.’ I just knew I was going to have a crush on him. I was like, ‘Ah, this can’t happen!’ I mean, he’s so sweet and nice. We kind of just started off as friends and then, you know, here we are.”

Joe added, “He’s so confident and funny. If he’s in the room, everyone’s just laughing and having a good time. So I was just sort of intimidated at first, but then we got to know each other — like he said — and it was like, ‘Oh, okay. I think we have a good relationship here.'”

July 2021

During the July 16 episode of HSMTMTS, Frankie and Joe sang Disney’s first-ever LGBTQ+ love song. The couple chatted with Entertainment Weekly about the song and their real-life relationship.

“We started as good friends and just slowly realized, hmm, maybe we should go on a date or something!” Joe recalled. “We very much enjoy each other and we just have such a blast, both on the show and making our own relationship outside of it.”