Published April 10, 2026
Joshua Bassett is releasing a memoir, Rookie: My Public, Private, and Secret Life, which is a vulnerable account of his life for the past few years as he navigated a public breakup with Olivia Rodrigo, and faced online hatred.
The 25-year-old actor and the pop superstar, 23, dated after they met on the set of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and their split inspired Rodrigo's song drivers license, and more from her SOUR album.
Bassett dated Sabrina Carpenter soon after their breakup, and Rodrigo sang about feeling insecure and jealous after he moved on soon after their relationship ended, and the public nature of the drama caused much hurt for all three of the public figures involved.
When Bassett announced the memoir, many social media users began speculating if he was going to discuss his side of the story.
Replying to one such post, the Grey's Anatomy star wrote, "let's just say it's essentially a diary entry."
The comment garnered much attention as fans began debating whether he should be telling his side of the story years after the drama happened, or if it's bad timing considering Rodrigo's third album, you seem too sad for a girl so in love, is about to be released.
While the debate goes on, Rookie is scheduled to be released on May 5, and Bassett has previously shared that the book is the "most vulnerable" he has ever been.