Biography

Vanessa Anne Hudgens (born December 14, 1988) is an American film and television actress. Making her screen debut in 2003, Hudgens appeared in the Hollywood films Thirteen and Thunderbirds, before coming to fame in the 2006 hit made-for-television film, High School Musical. Hudgens is also a singer, having signed a record deal, with her first album scheduled for release later in 2006. Hudgens was born in Salinas, California and grew up in San Diego; she has a younger sister, Stella Hudgens, who is also an actress. Her father, Greg Hudgens, is of Irish and Native American descent and her mother, Gina Guangco, was born in the Philippines and is of Filipino, Chinese and Spanish descent. All of her grandparents were musicians during the Big band period. Starting at the age of eight, Hudgens performed in musical theatre as a singer and dancer, and appeared in local productions of Evita, Carousel, The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, The Music Man, Cinderella and Damn Yankees, among others. Hudgens successfully auditioned for a commercial and subsequently moved to Los Angeles with her family.


Hudgens made her feature debut in Thirteen and appeared in the 2004 summer film, Thunderbirds. Her television appearances include guest roles on Quintuplets, Still Standing, Cover Me, Robbery Homicide Division, Brothers Garcia and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, as a classmate of Ashley Tisdale and Brenda Song's characters. Hudgens came to fame among teenage audiences after starring opposite Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel in the Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical, which premiered on January 20, 2006 and received some of the channel's highest ratings. Hudgens participated in the Disney Channel Games 2006, which were filmed in April of 2006 and aired two months later. She is on the Blue Team, along with Brenda Song, Corbin Bleu, Cole Sprouse, Monique Coleman and Jason Earles. In June of 2006, Hudgens signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records, and is currently working on an album scheduled for a September 26, 2006 release date. The record company described Hudgens as "talented" and "tireless in her work ethic" in press releases for the announcement. Hudgens will appear in High School Musical 2.


High School Musical 2--Gabriella Montez
High School Musical--Gabriella Montez
The Thunderbirds--Tintin
Thirteen--Noel


High School Musical Soundtrack
Solo Album "V"