Chad Danforth

Chad Danforth is Troy Bolton's best friend and a dedicated member of the East High basketball team. He's also involved in baseball, as well as track and field. Worried that Troy's involvement with both Gabriella and the musical auditions will hurt the team's chances of winning the championship game, Chad and the Wildcats work with Taylor McKessie and the smart kids to split them up. However, after seeing how much this hurts Troy, Chad realizes that friendship is more important than winning.

In High School Musical's sequel, Chad happily begins the summer as a waiter/golf caddy at Lava Springs Country Club with Troy, Taylor, and the rest of his friends. Things start to go downhill, however, when Troy starts being taken in by the "good life," leaving his friends behind. Though frustrated and angry with the guy who is supposed to be his best friend, Chad decides to expand his horizons and work with Ryan Evans and the rest of the Wildcats to put on a spectacular staff talent show act.

Taylor McKessie

Taylor McKessie is the president of East High's chemistry club and the leader of the Wildcats' intellectual elite. Upon learning of Gabriella Montez's academic prowess, she becomes determined to recruit her for the scholastic decathlon team, no matter what the cost. While she initially harbors an extreme dislike of the school's athletes, she works with them to convince Troy Bolton and Gabriella to abandon their musical aspirations and focus on their respective teams. After realizing that her bias in unfair and is hurting rather than helping, Taylor works to right her own wrongs and help her new friend.

In High School Musical's sequel, Taylor has grown quite a bit. She is now dating basketball played Chad Danforth. Along with the rest of her friends, she gets a job at Lava Springs Country Club, where she puts her excellent organizational skills to use co-coordinating events for the members (and her best friend skills to use by keeping an eye on Troy and the scheming Sharpay Evans.)