Vanessa Anne Hudgens is an American actress and singer who rose to fame portraying Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series.
She was born on December 14, 1988 in Salinas, California to a Filipina mother and an American father of mostly English descent.
After making her feature film debut in Thirteen, Hudgens has appeared in numerous films including Bandslam, Beastly, Sucker Punch, Spring Breakers and the Netflix Christmas movies The Princess Switch and its sequels.
In addition to acting, Hudgens has released two studio albums, V and Identified through Hollywood Records.
She made her Broadway debut in 2015 playing the title role in the musical revival of Gigi and has had roles in Fox’s live musical productions of Grease Live! and Rent: Live.
Siblings
Vanessa has one younger sister, Stella Hudgens.
Stella is also an actress and model, and the two sisters have a close relationship. Vanessa has said that Stella is “the kindest, most supportive and loving woman”.
The Hudgens sisters were raised very conservatively by their mother Gina, who emigrated from the Philippines.
Vanessa and Stella have appeared in each other’s music videos and often express their admiration for one another on social media.
Career
Hudgens has had a successful career spanning acting, singing and musical theater.
She rose to fame portraying Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series (2006-2008), which brought her significant mainstream success.
Hudgens has since appeared in numerous other films such as Bandslam, Beastly, Sucker Punch, Spring Breakers, and the Netflix Christmas movies The Princess Switch and its sequels.
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She has also had roles in TV shows like Powerless and live musical productions like Grease Live! and Rent: Live.
In addition to her acting work, Hudgens has released two studio albums, V and Identified, through Hollywood Records.
She has also performed songs on the High School Musical soundtracks.
Hudgens made her Broadway debut in 2015 playing the title role in the musical revival of Gigi. She has also had roles in Fox’s live musical productions.
In 2022, she co-hosted the prestigious Met Gala in Manhattan. She married professional baseball player Cole Tucker in 2023 and the couple welcomed their first child in 2024.
Awards and accolades
Hudgens has received numerous awards and accolades over the course of her career.
She has won 12 awards and received 24 nominations, including awards from the Heartland International Film Festival, Imagen Foundation Awards, Kids’ Choice Awards, MTV Movie + TV Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards and Young Hollywood Awards.
Some of her major awards include the 2014 Pioneering Spirit Award from the Heartland International Film Festival, the 2009 Blimp Award for Favorite Movie Actress from the Kids’ Choice Awards, the 2017 Teen Choice Award for the #SeeHer Award, the 2014 Young Hollywood Award for Trendsetter Of The Year.and the 2019 Honorable Mention: Actress award from the Napa Valley Film Festival.
She has been nominated for awards such as the Young Artist Award, MTV Movie Award, People’s Choice Award and Kids’ Choice Award on multiple occasions.
While she has not yet been nominated for an Academy Award, Hudgens has expressed a desire to take on more dramatic roles that could potentially earn her that recognition.
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