LimeFile: Vanessa Hudgens
The Short Story: Vanessa Hudgens
Birthday: December 14, 1988
Hometown: Salinas, California
Famous For: Playing Gabrielle in Disney's High School Musical series; scandalous photos on the internet
Quick Scoop: Dates High School Musical co-star Zac Efron; was ranked #12 on Maxim Magazine Hot 100 of 2008 list; ranked #20 in the list of Forbes "High Earners Under 30"
Awards: 2006 Teen Choice Awards: TV - Choice Chemistry, High School Musical. 2009 Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite Movie Actress, High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
Biography
Vanessa Anne Hudgens was born in Salinas, California on December 14, 1988 to Gregory and Gina Hudgens. She has one sibling, a sister named Stella Hudgens. The Hudgens family lived all around the West Coast including California and Oregon.
Hudgens showed her acting and musical promise at the early age of 8. She began in music theater performing in The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, The King and I, and Cinderella. Once she landed her first commercial, her family relocated to Los Angeles so she could focus on her blossoming career. It wasn't long before she began to break into Hollywood.
Hudgens guest-starred on several TV shows including Still Standing, Quintuplets, The Brothers Garcia, Drake & Josh, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She also landed roles in the feature films Thirteen starring Evan Rachel Wood and Thunderbirds starring Bill Paxton and Ben Kingsley.
In 2006, the Disney Channel debuted a new movie series, High School Musical. Disney cast unknowns in the starring roles including Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, and Hudgens. Hudgens played good girl Gabrielle Montez opposite Zac Efron's jock character. The movie and the soundtrack, including five songs featuring Hudgens, became huge successes.
This same year, Hudgens was signed to Hollywood Records and released her first solo record titled V. The record entered the Billboard 200 the week it was released at #24 and the first single was Come Back to Me. Hudgens won Female Breakout Singer of the Year at the Teen Choice Awards in 2007 for her effort. She went on two tours that year: she opened for the Cheetah Girls on The Party's Just Begun Tour and along with her cast mates, performed in the High School Musical: The Concert Tour. In 2007, Hudgens reprised her role as Gabrielle in High School Musical 2 for the Disney Channel.
2008 was a busy year for the actress/singer. She starred in High School Musical 3: Senior Year. Unlike the other two films, it was released to theaters prior to running on The Disney Channel. The film made over $250 million worldwide. She also released her second album, Identified. This album entered the Billboard 200 at spot #23.
In addition to her acting and singing, Hudgens' personal life made headlines too. She's had two different scandals involving racy images hitting the internet over the past few years. While some anticipated her getting dropped from the High School Musical franchise, she was cast for the third film, post-scandal.
Hudgens has also been featured in several magazine rankings: 2008 and 2009's People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People issue, Forbes Magazine Young Hollywood's Top Earners Under 30(#20), Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 0f 2009 (#27), and FHM's Sexiest Women in the World (#42 in 2009 and #62 in 2008) among others.
The actress is currently starring in upcoming film Bandslam and is attached to the future films Beastly and Sucker Punch.
Latest Stories Featuring Vanessa Hudgens
- Vanessa Hudgens: New Character is Dark
- Dane Cook Will Not Apologize To Vanessa Hudgens
- Vanessa Hudgens Embarrased By Joke at Teen Choice Awards
- Vanessa Hudgens Not Into Hollywood Club Scene
- Gaelan Connell Nervous Kissing Vanessa Hudgens
- Vanessa Hudgens Won't Apologize for New Nude Pic Scandal
- Vanessa Hudgens Not Ready for Kids
