Having been trained in piano, dance, and opera, how couldn't Vanessa Hudgens be the successful star she is today? Hudgens was born on December 14, 1988, in Salinas, California.
The entertainment DNA ran through her blood - all of her grandparents were musicians! She began her start in acting at the young age of 10 years old, where she appeared in local productions of The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella, Carousal, and more.
Vanessa Hudgens: The beginnings
After a variety of her stage performances, Hudgens finally got the kick-starts she needed for a TV commercial at the age of 15. Despite having been in one of the most prosperous Disney Channel Original Movies to date, Hudgens never actually attended a physical high school. For about a month or two, she attended the Orange County High School of the Arts, but shortly after, she left to be home-schooled.
She would then receive a couple of minor roles in a few different television series, such as Still Standing and Robbery Homicide Division in 2002. The following year, she made her first film debut in the 2003 drama, Thirteen, which received positive critical reviews.
Vanessa Hudgens: Her High School Musical days
For being home-schooled, Hudgens portrayed the perfect role of the shy yet smart "Gabriella Montez". She famously starred alongside former boyfriend Zac Efron, and one of her current BFF's, Ashley Tisdale. Each film surpassed the other in becoming the highest-grossing Disney Channel Original Films of all time.
Hudgens also began her professional music career around this time, too. Her debut album, V, was released on September 26, 2006, and sold 34,000 copies in its first week. The next year, it was certified gold with its 500,000 copies being sold in the U.S. Her second album, Identified, was released in 2008, but unfortunately didn't match up to her first album.
Vanessa Hudgens' Film Career
After her solo albums, Hudgens shifted her focus onto acting. From 2010-2012, she played in leading roles in films, like Beastly, Sucker Punch, and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. One of her bigger films during this time was the 2011 party-film, Spring Breakers, where she starred alongside James Franco and Selena Gomez.
More recently, Vanessa Hudgens starred with the famed Jennifer Lopez in 2018's rom-com, Second Act. She also won our hearts in the Netflix original Christmas movie, The Princess Switch that same year, where she impressively plays two different characters. This film has gone on to have second and third versions!
One of her newest films was in 2020, where she starred with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys for Life, the third installment of the Bad Boys film series. She also starred in the 2021 musical film tick, tick... BOOM!
Whether it's on the silver screen or with a microphone, Hudgens will always be one of the most stylish and prominent performers in our eyes!
The 76-year-old singer looks AMAZING!
She starred as "Andie Walsh"!
Test your knowledge!
Who sings the song "Hakuna Mata" in 'The Lion King'?
