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 prominence portraying Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series (2006–08), which brought her significant mainstream success. The success of the first film led to Hudgens\' acquiring a recording contract with Hollywood Records, with whom she released two studio albums, V (2006) and Identified (2008). In addition to High School Musical, Hudgens has also appeared in various films and television series for the Disney Channel.\n', '

Since the release of her studio albums and the High School Musical franchise, Hudgens has focused on her acting career. She has appeared in the films Bandslam (2009), Beastly (2011), Sucker Punch (2011), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), Spring Breakers (2013), and Machete Kills (2013). She has also played the title role in the Broadway musical Gigi in 2015, and the role of Rizzo in Grease: Live in 2016.\n', '

Hudgens was born in Salinas, California, and lived with her parents along the West Coast, from Oregon to Southern California. Her mother, Gina (née Guangco), held a succession of office jobs, and her father, Gregory Hudgens, was a firefighter. She has a younger sister, Stella Hudgens, who is also an actress. She was raised as a Roman Catholic. Her father, Greg, was of Irish and Native American descent, and her mother, a native of Manila, Philippines, is of Filipino descent. All of her grandparents were musicians.\n', '

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