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5 Shocking Ways Joshua Bassett And Sabrina Carpenter Moved On From The 'Drivers License' Drama In 2025

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The infamous love triangle involving Joshua Bassett, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo remains one of pop culture’s most analyzed and speculated-upon celebrity sagas, but the narrative has shifted dramatically in the years since its 2021 peak. As of December 20, 2025, both Bassett and Carpenter have entered new phases of their careers and personal lives, finally offering candid reflections on the intense media scrutiny and the resulting musical feud that defined their early twenties. The latest updates reveal a story of maturity, public reconciliation, and a complete move away from the Disney Channel drama, with new interviews and public appearances providing a definitive sense of closure.

The core of the controversy—the alleged relationship between *High School Musical: The Musical: The Series* star Joshua Bassett and *Girl Meets World* alum Sabrina Carpenter following his rumored split from co-star Olivia Rodrigo—fueled a record-breaking string of hit songs. However, the current reality is far removed from the high-stakes drama of the "drivers license" era, with both artists embracing new relationships and artistic directions that prove the past is firmly behind them, even as the songs continue to dominate streaming charts.

Joshua Bassett & Sabrina Carpenter: Full Biographical Profiles

The intense public interest in their personal lives often overshadows their established careers as successful actors and musicians. Here is a complete profile for both stars:

  • JOSHUA BASSETT (The Alleged Muse)
    • Birth Name: Joshua Taylor Bassett
    • Born: December 22, 2000 (Age 24 as of late 2025)
    • Birthplace: Oceanside, California, U.S.
    • Occupation: Actor, Singer-Songwriter, Musician
    • Known For: Ricky Bowen in *High School Musical: The Musical: The Series* (HSMTMTS)
    • Key Filmography: *Stuck in the Middle*, *High School Musical: The Musical: The Series*
    • Notable Music: "Lie Lie Lie," "Only a Matter of Time," "Crisis," "Doppelgänger"
    • Current Status: Publicly came out as gay in 2021; has focused on his solo music career and acting roles outside of Disney.
  • SABRINA CARPENTER (The Alleged "Other Woman")
    • Birth Name: Sabrina Annlynn Carpenter
    • Born: May 11, 1999 (Age 26 as of 2025)
    • Birthplace: Quakertown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
    • Occupation: Singer-Songwriter, Actress
    • Known For: Maya Hart in *Girl Meets World*, Pop Music Career
    • Key Filmography: *Girl Meets World*, *Adventures in Babysitting*, *Work It*
    • Notable Music: "Skin," "because i liked a boy," "Nonsense," "Feather," "Espresso"
    • Current Status: Experiencing massive global success with her recent music releases and high-profile relationship with actor Barry Keoghan.

The Five Definitive Steps Away From the Drama

The public narrative surrounding Bassett and Carpenter has undergone a seismic shift, moving from a bitter love triangle to a story of individual growth. These five key moments and revelations demonstrate how both artists have definitively closed the chapter on the 2021 drama.

1. Sabrina Carpenter's Candid 2025 Reflection on Scrutiny

In a highly publicized June 2025 cover story interview with *Rolling Stone*, Sabrina Carpenter offered her most candid and mature reflection on the entire debacle. She discussed the intense public backlash she faced after the release of Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license," where fans immediately cast her as the villain—the "blonde girl" mentioned in the lyrics. Carpenter stated that she is "not losing sleep" over the past drama, emphasizing that she has moved past the need to defend herself against the internet's narrative. This statement, delivered years later from a position of immense professional success, serves as a powerful signal that the emotional weight of the situation has lifted for her. Her subsequent music, particularly the massive hit "Espresso" and the upcoming "Short n' Sweet" album, has cemented her status as a global pop star, overshadowing the Disney-era controversy.

2. Joshua Bassett's Public Coming Out

Perhaps the most significant and unexpected development that recontextualized the entire love triangle was Joshua Bassett's public coming out in 2021, an event that has continued to shape his public persona. While he did not explicitly label his sexuality, he made comments that were widely interpreted as him coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, stating, "I’m happy to be a part of the alphabet mafia." This revelation fundamentally altered the framework of the alleged love triangle, suggesting that the intense romantic drama the public projected onto him may have been misaligned with his personal journey and identity. This shift provided a fresh, unique perspective on his role in the saga and built topical authority around his personal growth, allowing him to focus on his own music and mental health advocacy.

3. The Public Reconciliation Between Sabrina and Olivia Rodrigo

The clearest sign of true closure came not from a song, but from a public, in-person interaction. In 2024, Sabrina Carpenter was seen publicly supporting Olivia Rodrigo at her BST Hyde Park concert in London. Furthermore, at the 2025 Grammys, the two singers were photographed hugging and interacting warmly, putting years of persistent feud rumors to rest. This long-awaited reunion, captured by the media, signaled a definitive end to the fan-fueled "feud" narrative. The visual evidence of their mutual respect and support proved that, regardless of the past drama allegedly involving Bassett, the women had moved on and were supportive of each other's success in the pop music landscape.

4. The Definitive Songs That Told Their Sides

The love triangle's legacy is immortalized in music, and the songs themselves represent the artists' final public statements on the matter. Understanding these tracks is crucial for grasping the full scope of the narrative:

  • Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license" (2021): The catalyst. It references a "blonde girl" and a boy who moved on quickly, launching the entire speculation.
  • Sabrina Carpenter's "Skin" (2021): Her immediate, direct response. The lyrics, "Maybe you didn't mean it / Maybe 'blonde' was the only rhyme," directly addressed the "drivers license" line and the media's reaction.
  • Sabrina Carpenter's "because i liked a boy" (2022): A later, more reflective track that details the agony of being publicly shamed and labeled a "h*e" and "home wrecker" simply "because I liked a boy."
  • Joshua Bassett's "Lie Lie Lie" (2021): Released shortly after "drivers license," this song was widely interpreted as his response to the situation, with lyrics about someone spreading lies.

These songs, along with other speculated tracks from Olivia Rodrigo's *Sour* album, form the topical authority of the controversy, but the fact that all three have since released new music focused on other topics (like Sabrina's "Espresso" and Olivia's *Guts* album) shows a clear thematic progression past the drama.

5. Their High-Profile New Relationships

Both Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter have publicly moved on to new romantic relationships, effectively ending any lingering speculation about a possible future between them. In 2024, Joshua Bassett was linked to influencer Amelie Zilber, demonstrating his focus on new connections. Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter is currently in a highly publicized, supportive, and seemingly serious relationship with Irish actor Barry Keoghan, known for his roles in *Saltburn* and *The Banshees of Inisherin*. The visibility and success of these new pairings serve as the ultimate confirmation that the chapter on the 2020/2021 love triangle is definitively closed for both stars, allowing them to be recognized for their current work rather than their past romantic entanglements.

joshua bassett sabrina carpenter
joshua bassett sabrina carpenter

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