Vanessa Anne Hudgens (born December 14, 1988) is an American actress and singer. After making her feature film debut in Thirteen (2003), Hudgens rose to fame portraying Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series (2006–2008), which brought her significant mainstream media success. The success of the first film led Hudgens to acquire a recording contract with Hollywood Records, with whom she released two studio albums, V (2006) and Identified (2008).
Since the release of her studio albums and the High School Musical franchise, Hudgens has focused on her acting career. She appeared in the films Bandslam (2009), Beastly, Sucker Punch (both 2011), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Spring Breakers (both 2012), Second Act (2018), Bad Boys for Life (2020), and Tick, Tick...Boom! (2021). She starred in the Netflix Christmas movies The Princess Switch (2018) and its sequels (2020 and 2021) and The Knight Before Christmas (2019), and co-produced the latter three.
Hudgens played the role of Emily Locke in the NBC series Powerless (2017). She also played the title role in the Broadway musical Gigi (2015) and had roles in two of Fox's live musical productions: Rizzo in Grease: Live (2016) and Maureen Johnson in Rent: Live (2019). In 2022, Hudgens co-hosted the Met Gala in Manhattan.
Known For
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Kelly
2024
French Girl
Ruby Collins
2024
Downtown Owl
Naomi
2023
Dead Hot
Self
2023
Haunted House: Trick-VR-Treat
The Fairy / Doll Woman
2022
Entergalactic
Karina (voice)
2022
Asking For It
Beatrice
2022
Honoring a Broadway Legacy: Behind the Scenes of tick, tick...Boom!
Self
2022
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star
Fiona Pembroke / Lady Margaret / Stacy
2021
tick, tick... BOOM!
Karessa Johnson
2021
Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3
Self
2021
The Princess Switch: Switched Again
Stacy De Novo / Lady Margaret Delacourt / Fiona Pembroke
2020
Bad Boys for Life
Kelly
2020
The Knight Before Christmas
Brooke
2019
Rent
Maureen Johnson
2019
Polar
Camille
2019
Second Act
Zoe
2018
The Princess Switch
Stacy De Novo/Lady Margaret
2018
Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash
Self - Host
2018
Dog Days
Tara
2018
Grease Live
Betty Rizzo
2016
High School Musical: 10th Anniversary
2016
Freaks of Nature
Lorelei
2015
Choose You
Ex-Girlfriend
2013
Gimme Shelter
Agnes 'Apple' Bailey
2013
Machete Kills
Cereza Desdemona
2013
The Frozen Ground
Cindy Paulson
2013
Spring Breakers
Candy
2013
WWE Royal Rumble 2013
Herself (voice)
2013
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Kailani Laguatan
2012
Sucker Punch
Blondie
2011
Beastly
Lindy Taylor
2011
Bandslam
Sa5m
2009
Zac Efron's Pool Party
Self
2009
High School Musical 3: Making Of A Musical
Self
2008
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Gabriella Montez
2008
High School Musical 2
Gabriella Montez
2007
High School Musical: The Concert
Herself
2007
High School Musical
Gabriella Montez
2006
Thunderbirds
Tintin
2004
Thirteen
Noel
2003
The Awakening
Self
The Black Kaiser
Road To High School Musical 2
Self
2007
No Strings Attached: The Making of Thunderbirds
Self
2004
Big Rig
Bertie
Full Moon Retreat
Bad Boys: Legacy
Self
2024
Fright Krewe
Madison (voice) · (2 episodes)
2023
My Little Pony: A New Generation
Sunny Starscout (voice)
2021
Drugs, Skate & Violence: Filmmaker Harmony Korine
Self - Archive Footage
2017
Quiet Storm
Rennervations
Self · (1 episode)
2023
Earth to Ned
Herself · (1 episode)
2020
Thanks a Million
Self · (1 episode)
2020
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self · (1 episode)
2019
Busy Tonight
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2018
Eli Roth's History of Horror
Self · (1 episode)
2018
Drop the Mic
Self · (1 episode)
2017
Powerless
Emily Locke · (9 episodes)
2017
The Boulet Brothers' Dragula
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2016
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Hot Ones
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
Self · (1 episode)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (3 episodes)
2014
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2012
OK! TV
(1 episode)
2011
Conan
Self · (1 episode)
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
High School Musical: Get in the Picture
Gabriella Montez · (11 episodes)
2008
El hormiguero
Ella misma · (1 episode)
2006
Disney Channel Games
Self · (9 episodes)
2006
The Tyra Banks Show
(1 episode)
2005
So You Think You Can Dance
Self - Judge · (15 episodes)
2005
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
Corrie · (4 episodes)
2005
Quintuplets
(1 episode)
2004
Drake & Josh
Rebecca · (1 episode)
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Punk'd
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Still Standing
Tiffany · (1 episode)
2002
Robbery Homicide Division
Nicole · (13 episodes)
2002
The Brothers García
Lindsey · (1 episode)
2000
Teen Choice Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1999
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1997
The View
(1 episode)
1997
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1992
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
(1 episode)
1992
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (6 episodes)
1988
Kids' Choice Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1987
MTV Video Music Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1984
Christmas in Washington
Self · (1 episode)
1982
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953