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Kenny Ortega

Kenny Ortega

Director and producer, also writer · Born April 18, 1950 (76) · Palo Alto, California, USA

Kenneth John 'Kenny' Ortega (born April 18, 1950) is an American producer, director, and choreographer. He is known for directing the High School Musical trilogy and Michael Jackson's This Is It concert tour. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kenny Ortega, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 18, 1950 (76)
From
Palo Alto, California, USA
Works as
Director and producer, also writer
Titles
36 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Down 9% in 30 days

What are Kenny Ortega's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
33%
Self
30%
Society
14%
Morality
12%
Ideas
6%
Power
5%
Friendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 15 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 6

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 8 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 13 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 14 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
12
Hopeful
9
Warm
4
Romantic
3
Thrilling
4
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Kenny Ortega's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 36 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kenny Ortega's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 36 with a MovieCove page; 14 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Julie and the Phantoms(2020)

    Show 9 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Disney Family Singalong(2020)

    Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Descendants 3(2019)

    Director · Choreographer · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Descendants 2(2017)

    Director · Choreographer · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Andi Mack(2017)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • A Change of Heart(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again(2016)

    Director · Choreographer · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Crazy Ex-Girlfriend(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Descendants(2015)

    Director · Choreographer · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Bunheads(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • This Is It(2009)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Michael Jackson Memorial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director · as Self

  • High School Musical 3: Senior Year(2008)

    Director · Choreographer · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert(2008)

    Producer · as Self - Tour Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Going Back to Xanadu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • High School Musical 2(2007)

    Director · Choreographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Phineas and Ferb(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Kenny Ortega (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • High School Musical: The Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Choreographer · Producer

  • The Cheetah Girls 2(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • High School Musical(2006)

    Director · Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Opening Ceremony: Light the Fire Within (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Producer

  • Timeless: Live in Concert(2001)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Grounded for Life(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Way She Moves(2001)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Gilmore Girls(2000)

    Show 12 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • MJ & Friends: Live in Seoul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Quest for Camelot(1998)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Fame L.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Ally McBeal(1997)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Michael Jackson: HIStory World Tour - Live in Munich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Art Direction

  • Second Noah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar(1995)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · as Ellston McCool

  • Hocus Pocus(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Newsies(1992)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Hull High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · Producer

  • Shag(1988)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Mickey's 60th Birthday(1988)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Dirty Dancing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Salsa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Associate Producer

  • The Great Outdoors(1988)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • And God Created Woman(1988)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Totally Minnie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Choreographer

  • Dirty Dancing(1987)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Ferris Bueller's Day Off(1986)

    Choreographer · Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Pretty in Pink(1986)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • St. Elmo's Fire(1985)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Red Hot Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • One from the Heart(1981)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Xanadu(1980)

    Choreographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • LEGO Friends: Heartlake The Musical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

  • Phantom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Untitled Descendants Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Weslandia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 52 titles, 48 of them dated from 1980 to 2020.

Biggest box office

This Is It (2009)

$268M worldwide

Highest rated

This Is It (2009)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 52: 3 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting32 of 52: 19 only directing, 13 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stWriting2 of 52: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing14 of 52: 3 only producing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stOther crew21 of 52: 13 only other crew, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score64th

52 titles, 14 with more than one role — directing and other crew overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

1980s14 · 1 acting · 13 crew1990s11 · 1 acting · 11 crew2000s13 · 2 acting · 11 crew2010s8 · crew2020s2 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Kenny Ortega's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 28; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

92ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 36 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 36 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor, producer

Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008)

96th percentile spread · 71% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, producer

Julie and the Phantoms (2020)

Midcredits 97th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 59/100 and the pacing 47/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Kenny Ortega's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles17–33 · median 23 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles18–26 · median 22 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles5–31 · median 18 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles8–35 · median 19 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles22–34 · median 29 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Kenny Ortega work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kenny Ortega's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Lawrence shares the most, 7.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers