Vanessa Hudgens Biography

Birth Name: Vanessa Anne Hudgens

Birth Place: Salinas, CA

Date of Birth / Zodiac Sign: 12/14/1988, Sagittarius

Profession: Actor; singer

Nickname : Nessa, V, Van, Baby V, Vanney

Height : 5' 1" (1.55 m)

Trade Mark : Long dark hair

Vanessa Anne Hudgens, who was born on Dec. 14, 1988 in Salinas, CA, lived all over the West Coast - from Oregon to Southern California with her parents and younger sister Stella. Hudgens came from a very ethnically diverse background, with her father Greg being of Irish and Native American descent, while her mother Gina was a mix of Filipino, Chinese and Spanish. When she was eight, Hudgens started performing in local theater productions of "Carousel," "The Wizard of Oz" and "Cinderella." After a successful commercial audition, the young actress moved to Los Angeles with her family to pursue a full time acting career. She made her feature film debut with a small role in "Thirteen" (2003) - the brutal look at modern-day teenage lives starring Holly Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood - which was enough to get the ambitious teen's foot in the door.

Vanessa Hudgens is known as an American actress and singer, who is best known for her portrayal of the character Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series. She also earned vital recognition for her role in the 2009 film Bandslam.

Her acting career begun at the ages of 15, and she briefly attended Orange County High School of the Arts, followed by homeschooling with tutors

Being an actress, Vanessa Hudgens has appeared in many TV programs of the CBS including Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh, Quintuplets and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody before landing in the R-rated coming-of-age drama Thirteen. She made her screen debut in the 2003 drama film Thirteen as Noel, a pig-tailed, good-girl classmate of Wood’s out-of-control character. She got her first starring role in the 2004 science-fiction-adventure film Thunderbirds as Tin tin.

Tapped to star as brainy good girl Gabriella Montez in High School Musical, a new, made-for-TV Disney film, Hudgens meets and eventually begins secretly dating costar Zac Efron (right). Efron, also a relative unknown, will soon become a world class teen heartthrob. “We kind of hit it off in the very beginning,” Hudgens tells CBS’s The Early Show in 2007. “He’s not a hard guy to get along with, so it’s fun.”

High School Musical becomes the top rated program in Disney Channel history with 7.7 million viewers in its first United States broadcast. The soundtrack, on which Hudgens sings lead vocals in lots of songs, becomes the top-selling album of 2006. 9 original songs make the Billboard Hot 100, including Hudgens’ “When There Was Me and You.”

Vanessa Hudgens reprised her role as Gabriella Montez in High School Musical 3: Senior Year. Her acting in the film made her win favorite movie actress in the Kids Choice Awards 2009.

In October 2010, it was announced that Hudgens will be joining the sequel to the 2008 film Journey to the Center of the Earth alongside Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson, playing Hutcherson’s love interest. The film is set to release in 2011.

Hudgens’ debut album V was launched on September 26, 2006. Her music album entered the Billboard 200 at number 24, and was later certified Gold.

In August 2007 Hudgens was named the Choice Breakout Singer – Female at the Teen Choice Awards. She won against some famous American Idol contestants namely Katharine McPhee, Amy Winehouse, Corrine Bailey Rae and Lily Allen.

Vanessa Hudgens released her 2nd album, Identified, on July 1, 2008 in U.S.

Since 2007, Vanessa Hudgens became the spokes person for Neutrogena products. Hudgens is the chosen face of Neutrogena appearing both in film and print ads. Hudgens is also promoting the brand Ecko Boys & Girls in Brazil. She is also a part of the Disney Channel Games 2006 which aired two months later.

Milestones

2002 Made television debut in an episode of Still Standing (CBS)

2003 Made feature debut in Thirteen

2004 Appeared in the film, Thunderbirds

2006 Cast as Gabriella Montez in the Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical

2006 Released her debut album, V

2007 Reprised her role in the Disney TV movie, High School Musical 2

2008 Appeared in third and final Disney Channel movie High School Musical 3: Senior Year

2009 Co-starred in the musical-romantic comedy, Bandslam

2010 Cast in the role of Mimi in the Hollywood Bowl production of the musical Rent, directed by Neil Patrick Harris

2011 Co-starred in Sucker Punch, an action-fantasy film written and directed by Zack Snyder

2011 Starred in Beastly, a retelling of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast

Appeared in local productions of The Wizard of Oz and The Music Man

Began performing in musical theater at the age of eight

Moved to Los Angeles after winning an audition for a commercial