Matt Cornett

Matt Cornett is an American actor and singer best known for playing E.J. Caswell on the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–2023) and Sam Florek in the Amazon Prime Video series Every Year After (2026). He has built a career in family-friendly television and film, with a natural charm that resonates with young audiences. Cornett also contributed vocals to the HSMTMTS soundtrack, showcasing his musical talents. As of 2026, he continues to take on leading roles, balancing acting with a growing social media presence of over 1.3 million Instagram followers. [edit]

Matt Cornett grew up in Rogers, Arkansas, a small town where he first discovered acting through school plays. He played both a farmer and a flying monkey king in a stage production of The Wizard of Oz at the Benton County School of the Arts. Realizing that Arkansas offered limited opportunities, he moved to Los Angeles in 2012 at age 14 to pursue acting full time. He began training at acting studios and booked national commercials and print campaigns. His first on-screen role came in 2012 with a part in the horror film Nightmare U, followed by a guest spot on the crime drama Southland in 2013, which earned him a Young Artist Award. [edit]

Cornett’s breakthrough came with a recurring role as Zach Barnes on Nickelodeon’s Bella and the Bulldogs (2015–2016), for which he won a second Young Artist Award. In 2018, he starred as Logan Willis in the family film Alex & Me. He landed his biggest role in 2019 when he was cast as E.J. Caswell on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, a main cast member across all four seasons until the show ended in 2023. In 2022, he played A-Lan, an extraterrestrial, in the Disney Channel movie Zombies 3. He later appeared in the 2025 comedy Summer of 69. In 2026, he took the lead role of Sam Florek in Every Year After, an eight-episode Amazon Prime Video adaptation of Carley Fortune’s novel Every Summer After, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival. [edit]

Matt Cornett is known for his boy-next-door charm and wholesome Disney image. Media often describes him as a talented young actor with a strong singing voice. His social media content mixes professional updates, behind-the-scenes photos, and glimpses of his personal interests like football and guitar. Fans of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Every Year After actively support his projects, though there is no official fandom name. [edit]

Matt Cornett commands a global audience defined by his sustained presence in youth-oriented streaming and the digital ecosystems that surround them. His career trajectory places him firmly within the upper echelons of Disney talent, where he is currently ranked as the 22nd most famous person in Disney, a standing documented in the iFANN Global Fame Rankings for August 2026. This placement reflects a steady accumulation of visibility across television, film, and social platforms rather than a sudden spike in notoriety. The scope of this attention extends beyond simple viewership numbers to include deep engagement with the specific cultural moments he has helped define, from the conclusion of a major franchise to the launch of new adaptations driven by online book communities.

The structure of his fanbase remains distinctively organic, lacking a formal or official designation despite the intense loyalty displayed by supporters of his work. While enthusiasts of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Every Year After actively champion his projects, no collective moniker such as "Cornetts" or "Legends" has been adopted by the community at large. Instead, fans identify primarily through his characters, E.J. Caswell and Sam Florek, engaging with content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok without the need for a branded label. This decentralized organization allows the audience to remain fluid, focusing on the authenticity of Cornett's performances and his personal interactions with co-stars rather than rigid group identity.[edit]

Before securing prominent television roles, Matt Cornett built a foundation working extensively in national commercials and print campaigns. His early theatrical experiences included a memorable dual performance as both a farmer and the flying monkey king in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. During his time with Disney Channel, he hosted segments for the program Movie Surfers, showcasing his on-camera versatility. Musically, he contributed vocals to the HSMTMTS soundtrack, delivering standout performances on tracks such as "What I've Been Looking For" and "Breaking Free." Outside of professional obligations, his favorite hobbies include football, playing guitar, and video games.

A central piece of modern lore surrounding Cornett involves his enduring friendship with co-star Olivia Rodrigo. A verified event confirmed in June 2026 revealed that the two still text regularly nearly three years after the series concluded, a fact Cornett shared in an exclusive interview. This anecdote has become a staple of his public mythology, highlighting the genuine bond formed during production. Another significant chapter in his recent career involves his casting as Sam Florek in Prime Video's Every Year After. In June 2026, Cornett revealed how he utilized fan edits and the original novel's reception on BookTok to inform his character development, bridging the gap between source material culture and his performance. Additionally, stories about his first celebrity crush, Madison Iseman, and embarrassing crush anecdotes with Sadie Soverall have circulated in entertainment news, adding a layer of relatable folklore to his persona.[edit]

Matt Cornett is the youngest son of Art and Rhonda Cornett. He has an older brother and an older sister. The family lived in Rogers, Arkansas, before Matt moved to Los Angeles at age 14. He has not publicly shared details about his current household or pets. [edit]

Cornett co-starred with Buddy Handleson on Bella and the Bulldogs and with Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. He also worked with author Carley Fortune on the adaptation of her novel Every Summer After for Every Year After. [edit]

Matt Cornett dated Instagram star Brookelynn Elizabeth, though the start and end dates of that relationship are not publicly known. As of 2026, he is not known to be in a relationship and is presumed single. [edit]

iFANN currently estimates Matt Cornett's net worth at around $1 million as of 2026. His primary income streams are derived from his extensive television roles, specifically his four-season run on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and his lead position in Every Year After. Additional earnings have accumulated from film appearances including Zombies 3 and Summer of 69, alongside contributions to various soundtracks. No details regarding endorsements, real estate holdings, or private investments are publicly available.[edit]

Matt Cornett has won two Young Artist Awards: in 2014 for Best Performance in a TV Series – Guest Starring Young Actor for Southland, and in 2016 for Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actor for Bella and the Bulldogs. [edit]