Vanessa Hudgens Biography 2024: Age, Relationship, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Family, Education, Personal Life, Music and Movie Career, Awards and Nomination

Vanessa Hudgens, born on December 14, 1988, is an actress and singer from America. She gained recognition after her debut in the film Thirteen (2003) and further rose to fame by playing Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series (2006–2008).

This role brought her substantial success in the mainstream media. Following the success of the first film, Hudgens signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records and released two studio albums, V (2006) and Identified (2008).

Following the release of her studio albums and the success of the High School Musical franchise, Hudgens has primarily focused on her acting career.

She has appeared in various films such as Bandslam (2009), Beastly, Sucker Punch (both in 2011), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Spring Breakers (both in 2012), Second Act (2018), Bad Boys for Life (2020), and Tick, Tick…Boom! (2021).

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Additionally, she has taken on leading roles in Netflix Christmas movies including The Princess Switch (2018) and its sequels (2020 and 2021), as well as The Knight Before Christmas (2019), where she also served as a co-producer.

In terms of television, Hudgens portrayed the character of Emily Locke in the NBC series Powerless (2017).

She also made her Broadway debut as the titular character in the musical revival of Gigi (2015) and showcased her talent in two of Fox’s live musical productions: as Rizzo in Grease Live!

(2016) and as Maureen Johnson in Rent: Live (2019). Notably, in 2022, Hudgens had the honor of co-hosting the prestigious Met Gala in Manhattan.

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Early Life

Vanessa Anne Hudgens was born in Salinas, California, and grew up along the West Coast, from Oregon to Southern California.

Her mother, Gina (née Guangco), worked in various office positions, while her father, Gregory Hudgens, served as a firefighter. She has a younger sister named Stella, who is also involved in acting.

Vanessa was brought up in the Catholic faith. Her father, who passed away from cancer in February 2016, had predominantly English roots, while her mother is Filipina and hails from Mindanao. Interestingly, all of her grandparents had a musical background.

Career

Hudgens began her career in musical theater in 1998, showcasing her talents as a singer in various local productions such as Carousel, The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, The Music Man, and Cinderella.

Two years later, she transitioned to auditioning for commercials and television shows, leading her family to relocate to Los Angeles after she landed a role in a television commercial.

At the age of 15, she embarked on her acting journey, briefly attending Orange County High School of the Arts before continuing her education through homeschooling with tutors.

In 2002, Hudgens made her acting debut in an episode of the sitcom Still Standing, playing the character Tiffany.

She also guest-starred in an episode of Robbery Homicide Division the same year. Her theatrical debut came in the 2003 drama film Thirteen, where she portrayed the supporting role of Noel.

Despite being a modest commercial success, the film received positive reviews, with USA Today hailing it as the most “powerful of all recent wayward-youth sagas.”

Following this, she appeared in the 2004 science fiction-adventure film Thunderbirds as the character Tin-tin, although the film was met with criticism for straying from the original concepts.

In 2018, Hudgens appeared in the romantic comedy movie Dog Days, sharing the screen with Finn Wolfhard and Nina Dobrev.

She collaborated with the electronic dance music duo Phantoms on the song “Lay With Me”, which was released in September 2018.

Hudgens also played dual roles in the Netflix film The Princess Switch in November 2018, portraying both a European duchess and a pastry chef from Chicago who temporarily switch identities.

Additionally, she co-starred alongside Jennifer Lopez in the comedy film Second Act, directed by Peter Segal, which was released in December 2018.

Hudgens returned as one of the permanent judges for the 15th season of So You Think You Can Dance.

In the same year, she took on the role of Vanessa Morales in the Kennedy Center production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original musical In the Heights.

In January 2019, Hudgens played the character Maureen Johnson in another live musical presentation on Fox, Rent: Live.

She also starred alongside Mads Mikkelsen in the Netflix film adaptation of Víctor Santos’s 2013 graphic novel Polar: Came From the Cold. Then, in November 2019, she not only starred in but also served as a producer for the Netflix film The Knight Before Christmas.

In 2022, Vanessa Hudgens appeared in the action thriller film, Asking for It, alongside Alexandra Shipp, Kiersey Clemons, and Ezra Miller.

The movie was released in theaters, digitally, and on Blu-ray on March 4. Following this, she co-hosted the red carpet pre-show of the 94th Academy Awards with Terrence J, Sofia Carson, and Brandon Maxwell.

In May, Hudgens co-hosted the Met Gala red carpet livestream for Vogue with La La Anthony and Hamish Bowles. In June, she co-hosted the 30th MTV Movie & TV Awards with Tayshia Adams, hosting the first half of the ceremony for film and scripted television.

Regarding upcoming projects, Hudgens will voice the character of Willow in the Netflix 3D anime-style series Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, a prequel to the 2021 film Army of the Dead.

She will also star in the film Downtown Owl, alongside Lily Rabe, Ed Harris, Finn Wittrock, Jack Dylan Grazer, and August Blanco Rosenstein.

Additionally, she is set to lead and executive produce the trucker adventure-drama film Big Rig, with principal photography scheduled to begin later in 2022.

Personal Life

In 2005, Hudgens commenced a romantic relationship with her High School Musical co-star Zac Efron. Their relationship garnered significant media attention until they parted ways in 2010. From 2011 to 2019, Hudgens was romantically involved with actor Austin Butler.

By 2021, Hudgens had entered into a relationship with Major League Baseball shortstop Cole Tucker. The couple became engaged in February 2023 and exchanged vows on December 2, 2023, in Tulum, Mexico. In March 2024, Hudgens announced that she and Tucker were expecting their first child.

Hudgens was brought up in the Catholic faith but currently identifies as a non-denominational Christian. She is a member of the Los Angeles branch of Hillsong Church.

In May 2016, Hudgens paid $1,000 in restitution for defacing U.S. Forest Service property by carving initials into a rock in the Coconino National Forest and sharing it on her personal Instagram account.

In March 2020, Hudgens faced backlash after posting an Instagram video where she suggested that deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic were inevitable. Critics accused her of downplaying the severity of the situation and the importance of preventive measures. She later apologized for her comments.

As of October 2021, Hudgens resides in the “Little DeMille” house, originally constructed by director Cecil B. DeMille for his mistress. Prior to Hudgens, the property was owned by actor Gary Oldman.

Leaked images

On September 6, 2007, images reportedly obtained without authorization from Hudgens were shared online, with one depicting her in lingerie and another in the nude.

A statement from her spokesperson mentioned that the photos were taken in private and expressed regret that they were made public. Hudgens later expressed remorse, stating that she felt “embarrassed by the situation” and wished she had not taken those photos.

In January 2008, Hudgens released a statement indicating that she would not be making any further comments on the matter.

In October 2007, OK! magazine speculated that Hudgens might be removed from High School Musical 3 due to the explicit images, but The Walt Disney Company refuted this, saying, “Vanessa has apologized for what was clearly a lapse in judgment. We hope she has learned a valuable lesson.”

In August 2009, another series of images showing Hudgens topless surfaced on the Internet. Hudgens’ representatives chose not to comment, although her legal team requested the removal of the images.

Towards the end of 2009, Hudgens filed a lawsuit against www.moejackson.com for sharing nude “self-portrait photographs” taken of her with a mobile phone in a private residence.

Hudgens later reflected on the impact of the photos on her career in the October edition of Allure, stating, “Whenever someone asks me if I would do nudity in a film, and I respond that it’s not something I’m comfortable with, they say, ‘Nonsense, you’ve already done it.’ If anything, it’s even more embarrassing because that was a private matter. It’s upsetting that someone betrayed my trust like that. Hopefully, some people are learning from my mistake.”

According to Us Weekly, additional nude images were released on the Internet on March 15, 2011.

Public Image

Hudgens was initially represented by the William Morris Agency, but she later joined the Creative Artists Agency in 2011.

In 2006, her earnings were estimated to be $2 million. She was included in Forbes’ richest list in early 2007, and the Forbes article highlighted her inclusion in Young Hollywood’s Top Earning-Stars.

On December 12, 2008, Hudgens was ranked No. 20 in Forbes’ “High Earners Under 30” list, reporting an estimated earnings of $3 million in 2008.

She was listed as number 62 in FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women 2008 and number 42 in the 2009 list. Hudgens has also been featured in Maxim’s lists.

She was included in People’s annual “100 Most Beautiful People” lists for 2008 and 2009.

Hudgens serves as a promoter for Neutrogena and was the featured celebrity for Sears’ back-to-school campaign in 2008.

In 2007, she became a spokesperson for Marc Eckō products but ended the contract after two years. Hudgens actively volunteers for charitable activities, including those for Best Buddies International, Lollipop Theater Network, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

She is also featured in A Very Special Christmas Vol.7 disc, which benefits the Special Olympics. Additionally, Hudgens is part of the “Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C): Change The Odds” campaign, alongside other Hollywood stars such as Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Kristen Bell, and others.

Hudgens is a frequent attendee of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She has been unofficially called the “Queen of Coachella”. She is known for her boho-chic fashion style, occasionally going barefoot at the festival as well.

In March 2023, Hudgens was named as a global tourism ambassador by the Philippine government

Filmography

Television

Stage