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