Gina Porter is one of the main characters in the Disney+ Original Series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. She is the daughter of Terri Porter. She is Jamie Porter's younger sister. She is Ashlyn Caswell's best friend. She was a sophomore at East High School in Season 1 and Season 2. She is a junior at East High School in Season 4. In Season 1, she was casted as Taylor McKessie and Gabriella Montez's understudy in East High School's fall production of High School Musical. In Season 2, she was casted as Babette in East High School's spring production of Beauty and the Beast. In Season 3, she was casted as Anna in Camp Shallow Lake's production of Frozen. In Season 4, she was casted as Gabriella Montez in East High School's fall production of High School Musical 3: Senior Year. In Season 4, she replaces Dani after she gets fired and plays Bailey Johnson in High School Musical 4: The Reunion.
Background[]
Gina is a polished pro with an Equity card and the unwavering belief that the drama teacher made a HUGE mistake not casting her as a lead. Gina is an entitled princess, but her ambition pales in comparison with her stage mother’s. Gina worries that she peaked in 6th grade, when she starred in a Canadian tour of ANNIE. Posts Instagram videos of her singing that go viral — and makes Nini seriously start to doubt her own talent. Voted “Most likely to push you down a flight of stairs.”[1]
Personality[]
Gina Porter in the series is seen as a passionate student and, in general, person. This is especially emphasized for the most part of Season One's beginning half, when she is set upon claiming the role of Gabriella Montez. Gina is ambitious, brave, caring, competitive, creative, daring, kind, smart and talented. She radiates an aura of absolute confidence in both herself and her abilities, as seen in the manner in which she dances during the musical auditions. Other than that, she is charismatic, competitive and ambitious; furthermore, she seeks and strives for excellence. Although her character is commonly misinterpreted and misunderstood, Gina Porter is more than meets the eye. Later in the series, she is revealed to have layers in her personality, that being so because of her past. Gina's mom is an employee for F.E.M.A., which means she is forced to move multiple times, and she has been for the past six years. Because of this, she is emotionally reserved and does not allow just anyone in. However, it is seen that Ricky Bowen has become the first (known) exception thus far in the series. Concerning her hobbies that do not include the performing arts, Gina bakes, knits, and does many more, thanks to her constant use of YouTube. Towards the end of Season One, she is seen as being more accepting — of her role as Taylor — and is portrayed as having built a firm relationship/friendship with the drama club. Overall, Gina Porter can be described through the famous saying, "Do not judge a book by its cover." In Most Likely To, her friend E.J. Caswell tells her that she is one of the bravest people he knows.
Physical appearance[]
Gina has brown eyes, naturally curly black hair and medium tan skin. In Season 1, Gina almost always had her hair up in either a ponytail or a bun. In Season 2, Gina started having her hair down more often.
Powers and abilities[]
Biography[]
Early life[]
Gina Porter was born sometime in 2004 to Terri Porter. Gina has an older brother named Jamie Porter. At some point when Gina was young her older brother Jamie left the family and later became a famous Music Producer. Gina moved around a lot growing up due to her mother Terri being a FEMA employee before she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah the summer before her sophomore year of high school.
Season One[]
The Auditions[]
Gina is introduced as an extremely good dancer who intimidates Nini as she thinks Gina will get the lead instead of her. Gina ends up with the role of Taylor and understudies Nini as Gabriella.
The Read-Through[]
Gina makes a plan to play Gabriella by convicting Ricky to stay in the drama club. She then meets Ricky at the skate park and tells him that the drama club needs him because of how cool he is. She later takes Nini's phone and gives it to EJ.
The Wonderstudies[]
She helps Carlos to choregraph a dance number that Nini can't do. She also suggests to the costume designers that they should give Gabriella a more colorful outfit so she stands out more since Nini tends to blend in.
Blocking[]
Gina gets EJ to agree to take her to Homecoming so they can both get what they want
Homecoming[]
She goes to homecoming with EJ and they fight over her not telling him her plan because she doesn't have one. She gets Ricky to take her home and they bond.
What Team?[]
Gina decides that she doesn't want the part of Gabriella anymore and that she just felt like she had to get it. She later asks Ricky to show her a solo acoustic version of the song "When There Was Me and You" they were practicing. At the end, she text Ricky saying that his dad is amazing because he defended Miss Jenn.
Thanksgiving[]
Gina begins to finally feel at home with the cast and starts to really enjoy herself in their company. She then receives a call from her mother revealing that she has to move away again, this saddens Gina immensely as she has never had friends like the friends she has at East High.
The Tech Rehearsal[]
Gina and her mother moved to Washington, 10 days after Thanksgiving because it was emergency.
Opening Night[]
She shows up in the middle of the episode to save Kourtney from having to perform "Stick to the Status Quo."
Act Two[]
Gina comforts Nini in her worry about the Dean of YAC coming to their opening night. She also comforts Ricky and they go to watch the second half of the performance together. Gina watches Ricky and Nini performing "Breaking Free" and E.J. comes over to stand next to her and tells her "Some wonderstudies we are." Then Gina thanks E.J. for buying her the plane ticket so she wouldn't missed the show. After the show, Ashlyn offers to let Gina stay at her house for the next semester so she doesn't have to leave Salt Lake.
Season Two[]
New Year's Eve[]
Gina starts to live with Ashlyn in her guest room and they have become extremely close. She is seen looking at Ricky while he is with Nini with sadness in her eyes, hinting she still has strong feelings towards him. Even though Ricky is dating Nini, he seems to reciprocate some of those feelings as well but it is unclear.
Typecasting[]
Ashlyn asks Gina to audition with her and Kourtney but Gina declines. Carlos also asks her to be the co-choreographer and she declines saying that she want to make her mark not co-make her co-mark. later, Lily insults Kourtney and Ashlyn and Gina goes up to the stage last minute to audition with them. She gets cast as Babette the French Feather Duster.
Valentine's Day[]
Gina talks to Ashlyn about her expecting to get a valentines from her mother but when it sounds like she won't this year she goes to Ricky's house for comfort. He then gets a call from Nini in the middle of their conversation and Gina leaves. That night when she finds chocolates at her door she sends a text to Ricky thanking him but finds out that it was actually her mom who sent her the chocolates.
The Storm[]
A snow storm hits and she tells everyone to split up and search for food water and flashlights. She finds Ricky and Big Red who ask her for advice with Nini. Later, she finds Carlos and they get into a fight about the choreography of the show, they end up both talking about how they feel out of place at East High and need each other as friends.
The Quinceañero[]
Gina and Seb organize a quinceañero for Carlos. Gina talks to Kourtney who is making her outfit and hints to her that she is leaving. Ricky tries to ask Gina for advice about Nini again but she tells him that he shouldn't ask her for advice anymore. After performing A Dancer's Heart for Carlos at his birthday party, EJ surprises Gina by asking her how she feels. E.J. realizes he has feelings for her when he stares at Gina across the room when he sees her talking to Carlos and Seb.
Yes, And...[]
Gina decides to wait for a sign before going back home but is distracted during rehearsals. Ricky asks to do an exercise with her but she declines and instead chooses EJ. Later she talks to Ashlyn and tells her that she wants to leave because at the end of the first season she confessed her love to Ricky who hasn't talked to her about that ever since. Ashlyn then sings "Home" to her and convinces her to stay.
The Field Trip[]
Gina and EJ talk about Nini's rose song on the East High Morning show because they are co-anchors. When they go to North High Gina decides to be their lookout and when a boy approaches her and hits on her EJ pretends to be her boyfriend to drive him away.
Most Likely To[]
Gina gives tips to EJ on Gaston's song and later jokes with him about the career day speech. When EJ feels uncertain about going to Duke she comforts him saying that he is a good person because he always tries to do the right thing.
Spring Break[]
Gina's plane to her mother's house gets delayed and she runs into Jack. He makes a plan to get her into the first class lounge after she forgets her granola bar. She opens up to him and tells him about her brother who isn't in her life. She also choreographs a dance for the song that Ashlyn and Nini wrote. Later when her flight is canceled EJ picks her up from the airport and brings her a granola bar.
The Transformation[]
Nini asks Gina about her feeling towards EJ and she says that she likes him. Later Nini finds out that Gina thought that Ricky sent her chocolates and she gets upset and leaves. EJ asks Gina to get risotto with him sometime, at first she is worried that Ashlyn told him to but he tells her that Ashlyn didn't and she agrees to.
Showtime[]
Gina and EJ decide not to go to the after party and instead get Risotto together. After her performance in "Be Our Guest" EJ complements her. Jamie shows up when Terri can't come and they talk but he has to leave before the end of the second act.
Second Chances[]
After the show Gina shows off her "date outfit" to EJ and is tells him that she is ready to go on their date. Then EJ cancels their risotto date. Nini then finds Gina crying and comforts her saying that they are all lucky to know her, Gina then offers to suggest Nini to contact her brother who is a music producer. At the after party Ashlyn talks to Gina and tells her that EJ thinks she thinks of him as a brother figure. She then goes outside to chase after EJ in the Parking Lot at Salt Lake Slices when he is heading out to his car. She tells him that he got "bad intel" and asks him if he will be her first kiss.
Season Three[]
TBA
Season Four[]
TBA
Relationships[]
Family[]
Terri Porter (Mother)
Terri pushes Gina to be the best at everything she does. She is a single mother and works for FEMA which causes them to move around a lot. In Yes, And..., she tells Gina to wait for a sign before coming back home.
Jamie Porter (older brother)
He is much older than Gina and left the family when she was young. He doesn't seem to know Gina very well since he thought that she thought of EJ as an older brother. He will most likely work with Nini in Season 3 to take Nini's songwriting to the next level. Their relationship is very similar to Anna and Elsa's relationship in the beginning of Frozen.
Friends[]
Nini Salazar-Roberts (Friend)
Nini and Gina have a complicated relationship. They both try out for the role of Gabriella in The Auditions, and Nini gets the part. Gina does not dislike Nini, but just sees her as an obstacle to get what she wants. Gina does what she can to get Nini out of the show. However, Nini makes it clear that she will not be a doormat for Gina when Nini starts to take things from Gina. The two ultimately become friends in Thanksgiving and Gina helps Nini get over her nerves in Act 2. In Second Chances Nini comforts Gina after her date gets cancelled, and their interaction hints at a closer relationship between the two in the next season.
Gina asks Nini if she wants to take her songwriting level to the next level and tells her that there is someone she wants her to meet. She gives Nini her older brother Jamie Porter's phone number who is a famous music producer so she can take her songwriting to the next level.
E.J. Caswell (Best Friend/Ex-Boyfriend/Former Frenemy)
Gina first meets E.J. at auditions for High School Musical in The Auditions. Their more prominent interactions begin when Gina approaches E.J. with a proposition that will help in them getting their desired roles. Of course, E.J. rejects the offer at first, but soon succumbs and pushes through with the plan Gina has devised. Although he has no idea about the details, E.J. is sure about one thing: he is to be her date to their upcoming homecoming dance. In Homecoming, they both attend it together, where they have their photos taken. Later in that same episode, Gina pours her punch on him after they are seen in a heated argument. She ends up leaving alongside Ricky Bowen. Again, E.J. does not know, but Gina has abandoned their plans, which the former confronts her about. Due to Terri's (Gina's mom) job as a F.E.M.A. employee, she moves away from Salt Lake City and East High School. But she returns for the season finale and the musical when a "friend" (E.J.) purchases her a plane ticket back. In Act 2, Gina looking at E.J. in an almost longing look. Last but not least, Ashlyn Caswell — who is E.J.'s cousin — offers her a place at her home, so that she does not have to return and remains at East High School.
In the beginning of Season 2, Gina is still not over Ricky and pining, but in the later half she gets over him and starts to fall in love with EJ. They become closer over time and eventually they both start realized their feelings for one another. In The Quinceañero, E.J. films a video at Carlos Birthday Party and interviews Gina asking her how she is feeling. Later that night at the Party Mr. Mazzara asks E.J. a question which he ignores and finds himself staring at Gina. In Yes, And..., during Miss Jenn's improv class E.J. asks Gina if she wants to partner her up with him by saying "May I have this exercise?" which Gina gladly accepts. In The Field Trip when the East High Drama Club go to North High School to get back their Beast's mask that North High stole a guy hits on Gina asking her for her Snapchat E.J. pretends to be Gina's fake boyfriend so the guy can leave Gina alone. In Second Chances they both plan to go on a date that EJ ends up calling off due to a misunderstanding from Gina's older brother Jamie Porter who tells E.J. that he is glad that Gina has him as a big brother figure in her life which makes him second guessing everything. E.J. distanced himself from Gina at the afterparty at Salt Lake Slices by sitting across the room from Gina next to Ricky Bowen. Right before E.J. heads out his cousin Ashlyn comforts E.J. and he tells her that he thinks Gina sees him as a big brother figure due to what Gina's older brother Jamie Porter told him. Then Ashlyn goes up to Gina and tells her about her most recent conversation with E.J. before he left the after party. Gina looks at Ashlyn very confused why E.J. would think that she sees him as a older brother figure. Gina chases after E.J. as he is heading out to his car and tells him that he got "bad intel" which causes E.J. to turn around. Gina asks E.J. if he would be her first kiss which causes E.J. to drop his backpack and smiles at her. They both run into each other arms and share their first kiss (offscreen).
Ashlyn Caswell (best Friend/former roommate)
Gina first met Ashlyn at auditions for High School Musical. Ashlyn and Gina's friendship slowly develops over the course of season 1 as Gina starts to feel more comfortable. In Act Two, Ashlyn asks Gina if she wants to live with her next semester so, she can still go to East High School with her friends without having to move around with her mother. They become extremely close in season 2 when Ashlyn invites Gina to live with her. In New Year's Eve, Ashlyn refers to Gina as her, "number one confidant" and Gina seems extremely happy to be living with Ashlyn and very comfortable around her. In Typecasting, Ashlyn says that Gina is like a sister that she never had.
Ricky Bowen (boyfriend/friend)
Ricky and Gina started off with a rocky relationship, but after the Homecoming, Gina kissed Ricky on the cheek leading to a friendship between the two. This friendship was halted by the jealousy of Nini, who got back together with Ricky during Act 2. In the begging of Season 2 the Ricky and Gina's relationship was quite awkward, with Gina still having a crush on him. In the later half when Ricky breaks up with his girlfriend they barley interact. Ricky doesn't even mention trying to reach out to Gina showing that he has no interest in her. But it could be because of their conversation during The Quinceañero and how she ignored him in Yes, And.... It was later revealed that during the season 1 finale Gina told Ricky she “wouldn’t give up on them if she weren’t moving away."
Kourtney Greene (cabin-mate/friend)
They are mostly friends because of their mutual friends. In season 1, Kourtney helps Nini to steal some of Gina's things but Gina never finds out that Kourtney helped. Kourtney also steps in as Taylor in the begging of Opening Night but Gina saves her from having to perform "Stick to The Status Quo". In season 2 Kourtney makes Gina an outfit for Carlos' Quinceañero.
Big Red (Friend)
In season 1, Big Red tries to guess what Gina is saying to EJ at Homecoming and when Ricky shows him a song assumes Ricky wrote it for Gina. In Typecasting Gina asks Big Red about his dance moves.
Carlos Rodriguez (Friend)
In Season 1 ,they bond over their shared love of dance with Gina helping to choreograph parts of High School Musical: The Musical. In season 2, Carlos asks Gina to be his co-choreographer and at first they fight over the choreography for "Be Our Guest" but Gina ends up helping to set up and preforming at his Quinceañero.
Seb Matthew-Smith (Friend)
Jack (Friend)
Gina first met Jack at the Airport in Spring Break when she was going to her mom's house over Spring Break but, got stuck at the Airport.
Maddox (former bunk-mate/friend)
Emmy (friend/honorary little sister)
Mack Alana (childhood celebrity crush/friend)
Appearances[]
Season 1[]
- The Auditions
- The Read-Through
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Tim Federle the creator of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series named Gina after Billy Porter.[2]
- In "The Auditions", she reveals that she has never been to a summer camp before.
- In Season 3, she ends up going to her first summer camp with her boyfriend E.J. Caswell and her friends at Camp Shallow Lake.
- She moves around a lot due to her mother's job. (F.E.M.A.)
- In Act Two it was revealed that E.J. Caswell bought her plane ticket, so she wouldn't miss the show.
- Ashlyn Caswell offers Gina to stay with her at her house so she can still go to East High School with her friends in the Season 1 finale.
- She is a performing arts prodigy.
- She has an older brother.
- In Spring Break, she reveals that she has an older brother who left the family.
- In Showtime, her older brother Jamie Porter makes his first appearance when he surprises her on Opening Night to support his sister.
- In Second Chances, Gina shares her first kiss with E.J. Caswell after making it clear that she doesn't see him as a brother figure.
- Her first boyfriend is E.J. Caswell.
- In Happy Campers, she refers to E.J. Caswell as her first boyfriend.
- Not only her first boyfriend is E.J. Caswell but he is also her first kiss.
- In No Drama, she says she hates liars despite the fact that in The Wonderstudies she lies about having stolen Nini's phone
- In Color War, Gina reveals she is not good at sports.
- Her childhood dancer hero was Corbin Bleu.
- Her childhood celebrity crush was Mack Alana.
References[]
External links[]
- Gina Porter | High School Musical Wiki | Fandom
- Gina Porter | High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Wiki | Fandom
- Gina Porter | HSMTMTS Wiki | Fandom
