Actress and singer Julia Lester announced her engagement to longtime girlfriend Ilana Wolpert on June 9, sharing the happy news in a joint Instagram post featuring a series of romantic photos.
“I love you Ilana Lee Wolpert and I can’t wait to marry you 🤍🌸,” Lester wrote alongside the images.
The photos showed the couple posing in front of a blooming rose bush, smiling, embracing, and showing off their engagement rings in a close-up shot. The sweet announcement quickly drew hundreds of congratulatory messages from friends, co-stars, and fans.
Among the first to celebrate were Lester’s fellow East High Wildcats. Her High School Musical: The Musical: The Series castmates Joshua Bassett, Larry Saperstein, Dara Reneé, Joe Serafini, and Matt Cornett all shared their excitement, while series creator Tim Federle also joined in on the celebration.
The love extended to the wider High School Musical family as well. Original franchise stars KayCee Stroh and Monique Coleman congratulated the couple on the milestone.
Outside the Disney universe, Lester received well-wishes from friends, including Anna Cathcart, AnnaSophia Robb, and Broadway star Beanie Feldstein.
Meanwhile, bestselling author Casey McQuiston delivered one of the funniest reactions in the comments section, writing, “i genuinely thought u guys were already married! CONGRATSSSSS.”
Their Love Story
Lester and Wolpert have been together since 2022 and have never been shy about sharing their affection for one another online. Last year, Lester celebrated their third anniversary with a heartfelt post, writing, “3 years of ilana on my miiiiind ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 I’m so lucky to love you.”
Just days before announcing their engagement, Lester honored Wolpert’s birthday with a collection of photos from their adventures together and a caption declaring, “happy birthday to my 🎶perrrrrfect angellll🎶.”
The engagement comes during an exciting period in both of their careers.
Lester first gained widespread recognition as Ashlyn Caswell on HSMTMTS before making her Broadway debut in the revival of Into the Woods. Her performance earned her a Tony Award nomination in 2023 for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.
She has also become a familiar face in LGBTQ+ projects, starring opposite Antonia Gentry in the queer coming-of-age comedy Prom Dates. Most recently, she appeared in Netflix’s The Four Seasons alongside Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte.
Wolpert, meanwhile, has built an impressive career behind the scenes. The writer worked on several episodes of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and was part of the writing team behind the hit romantic comedy Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell.
Now, after three years together, the couple is preparing for their next chapter — one that comes with a wedding and plenty of support from the community of friends, collaborators, and fans who have watched their love story unfold.
