This actress and singer first became a fan-favorite for her role in the High School Musical movie hit of the early 2000s. Gabriella Montez, her character, was Hispanic in the film, so is it possible that the star herself is, too? This star also found her love of acting in the theater and has starred in plays since she was 10 years old. Then, using her acting talent and her powerful voice, she went on to film with unique viewers everywhere. So what is this celebrity’s background?
Vanessa Hudgens a Filipino. Her dad was of French, Irish, and Native American descent, while her mother was from Manila, Philippines. Vanessa Hudgens was born in California, Salinas, United States, and grew up along the West Coast. Her mother is Filipino, making her a Filipino American.
Filipinos are always proud of their fellow Filipinos. They are also very supportive of whatever their endeavors are. If you are a fan of Vanessa Hudgens for a very long time or if you might just be curious whether she has Filipino blood, then this article is for you. Feel free to check more details below.
Career (Early Roles)
Starting in the year 1998, Hudgens performed in musical theater as a singer and appeared in local productions of The Wizard of Oz, Carousel, The Music Man, The King and I, and Cinderella, among others. Two years after her career in musicals and stage plays, she auditioned for television shows and commercials. Her family moved to LA after she won a role in a tv commercial. She then started her acting career at age 15, and she casually attended Orange County High School of the Arts.
Vanessa had her 1st acting role in an episode of the sitcom Still Standing, airing on CBS in the year 2002, in which she portrayed Tiffany. Later that year, she guest-starred in an episode of the series Robbery Homicide Division. So, she made her theatrical debut in the year 2003 drama film Thirteen in the supporting role of Noel. The film, which twirled around teenager Tracy striving to fit in and getting caught up in the wrong crowd, was somewhat of commercial success, grossing $10 million worldwide.
Family Background of Vanessa Hudgens
Performing and music are in this celebrity’s blood. Her mother, Gina Hudgens, held office jobs. At the same time, Gregory Hudgens, her father, was a firefighter, and both sides of her grandparents were actually musicians. When interviewed about her Filipino heritage way back in 2007 interview, the celebrity said, “I am very proud of my heritage. I love being Filipina. There are not many Filipina girls in this industry, so being able to stand up and be that girl makes me really proud.” She and her younger sister Stella Hudgens grew up with Filipino culture thanks to their mother.
Vanessa Hudgens has spoken many times about how her mother is a big part of her life, particularly when it comes to performing. The celebrity went on to say that her mother has shown her a lot about her heritage. She even said, “She told me a lot of stories about where she used to live. She has 11 sisters and brothers, so she has a huge family. I love Filipino food. I love adobo, pancit, and halo-halo. She also added, “I am such a Filipino–I eat rice every day.”
Is Vanessa Hudgens Has A Twin?
In The Princess Switch, a 2018 American Christmas romantic comedy film directed by Mike Rohl, sheens played 2 identical women who are not twins. However, in real life, Vanessa Hudg has a younger sister named Stella Teodora Chanel Guangco Hudgens, who is an actress as well.
Vanessa Hudgens and Their Parents
This family had always had a close relationship, especially since Vanessa Hudgens and her sister Stella entered the show business and were homeschooled when they were young. She talked about how her mother continuously supported her career, particularly her singing. “My mother was the one who was continuously there for me… She’s always the one who kept me going whenever it comes to singing.” She also added, “Mom, thank you. I can really say thank you for all the stuff that you did for me. It paid off–everything she taught me about everything. She is an inspiration. She actually tells me how proud she is of m… always… It’s really touching.”
Vanessa and her father were also very close, but in the year 2016, the night before Vanessa was performing Live (Grease), he actually passed away from cancer. She tweeted the news on Twitter before going on to say that she would really do the show in his honor, as he would always be proud of her whole career. Her performance was terrific, praised by fans and celebrities alike. Despite the difficult circumstances, many were impressed by her fantastic performance, which proved her talent and professionalism as an actress. Today, Vannesa, Stella, and their mother remain very close.
The Filipino-Americans
Filipino Americans have often been confused with other races or ethnic groups such as Pacific Islanders or Latinos. They also struggled to be correctly categorized due to their history. The Philippines was actually colonized by the Spanish and was a colony of the Spanish East Indies for approximately 350 years. Later, after the Spanish-American War in which the United States colonized the Philippines and the consequent Philippine-American War, both American and Spanish claims on the Philippines ended with their independence in the year 1946.
Until they gained independence, Filipinos were told that they were Americans and faced racism and discrimination from other Americans, leading to discussions about their identity. Filipino Americans are the 2nd largest group among Asian Americans, but they are not recognized by the American public. Hudgens said she was “kind of” Latina because of this story of identity change in the Philippines. Her mom is Filipina, meaning that she is of Chinese and Spanish descent. Vanessa Hudgens is “a little bit” Latina because she is somewhat Spanish, but it’s part of her more extensive Filipina heritage, so she’s not a Hispanic.
The High School Musical (HSM) Legacy
Hudgen’s Filipino background may have had an impact on the latest version of HSM called High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The name itself is quite a piece, but the series is about students of East High School, where the High School Musical was initially being filmed, putting on HSM: The Musical.
Vanessa Hudgens was a Filipina cast as Gabriella Montez, a Latina woman, which the series pays allegiance to by casting Olivia Rodrigo, a Filipina actress as well, as Nini Salzaar-Roberts, a Filipina high schooler who is ultimately cast as Gabriella Montez in their play. Thus, Vanessa Hudgens’ legacy is actually carried on in the series by Olivia Rodrigo, opening up more opportunities and changes for every Filipina actress.
Takeaways
Vanessa Hudgens is of Filipino blood on her mother’s side. Her mother was a Filipino who was born in the Philippines. Filipinos love Vanessa Hudgens not on for her skills in the show business industry but also because they are supportive of her being their fellow Filipino.