Vanessa Hudgens was born on December 14, 1988, in Salinas, California. She is the daughter of Greg Hudgens and Gina Guangco and is the older sister to Stella Hudgens. Growing up, Vanessa showed an interest in performing arts and began participating in local musical productions in her hometown.
Vanessa's big break came when she landed the role of Gabriella Montez in Disney's television movie, High School Musical. The film became a massive success and catapulted her to stardom. Following the success of High School Musical, Vanessa released her debut album, V, in 2006, which was certified Gold.
Vanessa continued to showcase her talent in both acting and singing, taking on various projects such as portraying Rizzo in the 2016 Fox broadcast of Grease Live! and starring in NBC's Powerless. In 2017, she joined the judging panel on the reality show So You Think You Can Dance.
Vanessa's personal life has also garnered attention, particularly her relationships. She famously dated her High School Musical co-star Zac Efron from 2005 to 2010, and later actor Austin Butler from 2011 to 2020. In late 2020, she began dating baseball player Cole Tucker, and the couple got engaged in February 2023, tying the knot in December of the same year. Vanessa announced her pregnancy in March 2024.
Outside of her acting and singing career, Vanessa has also ventured into other projects. She appeared in the film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island alongside Dwayne Johnson in 2012. Additionally, she starred in the movie Thirteen with Evan Rachel Wood.
Vanessa Hudgens continues to captivate audiences with her versatile talents and remains a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.