Vanessa Hudgens is a singer and actress who is most known for her role in the High School Musical series. She was born December 14th, 1988 in Salinas, California. Her younger sister Stella Hudgens is an actress also. When Vanessa got a part in a TV commercial, the Hudgens family moved to Los Angeles.

From eight years old, Hudgens acted in theatre and tried out for roles in commercials and TV shows. In 2003, Hudgens got a small role in the film "Thirteen" which was about reckless teenagers. Despite being a low-budget independent film, the movie was a success and received good reviews. As a result, Hudgens got roles in TV shows like "The Suit Life of Zack & Cody" and "Quintuplets". It was in 2005 that Vanessa Hudgens really got her big break. She was cast in the role of Gabriella Montez in the series "High School Musical". Her character was shy and humble. Hudgens received several awards and nominations for her performance and was offered a recording deal with Hollywood Records.

In 2006, Vanessa Hudgens released her debut album. The album, titled "V", was a success and went Gold in February 2007. Hudgens won the Teen Choice Award for Female Breakout Singer in 2007. Forbes magazine listed Vanessa Hudgens as one of the "High Earners Under 30" after reporting that she earned about $3 million in just 2008.

In 2007, Vanessa Hudgens received a different type of publicity for nude pictures which appeared online. One of the pictures showed Hudgens in lingerie and the other was of her completely nude. Vanessa Hudgens publically apologized for the scandal and later sued the site which posted the pictures which were stolen from her mobile phone. In 2007, Hudgens was also in a legal battle when she was sued for a breach of contract.