Vanessa Hudgens Biography

Feb 28, 2008 02:59:09

Blessed with exotic looks and oodles of charisma, this over-achieving triple threat sang and danced her way to fame as a brainy beauty in Disney's smash 2006 TV-movie High School Musical. Although the multiethnic Hudgens only had a handful of TV guest spots and film appearances under her belt, she was already a veteran hoofer, having performed in myriad stage musicals since childhood. Under Disney's tutelage, Hudgens became a formidable starlet, guest-starring on the station's popular teen series (Drake & Josh, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) and headlining HSM. After the film's success, she released her own album, V, which promptly landed in the top 30 on the Billboard 200 album chart.Vanessa Hudgens Fast Facts:

• Mother is of Filipino, Chinese and Spanish descent; father is American Indian and Irish.
• Began acting in musical theater at age 8 and appeared in numerous local productions, including Carousel, Damn Yankees, The King & I and The Wizard of Oz.
• Was home-schooled from seventh grade on.
• Her first two films, 2003's indie drama Thirteen and 2004's sci-fi bomb Thunderbirds, both costarred Brady Corbet.
• Debut album V, released September 26, 2006, sold 34,000 copies during its first week and debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 album chart.