It’s been nearly 20 years since Vanessa Hudgens stole our hearts and infected our ears with the catchiest songs found in a DCOM as Gabriella Montez in High School Musical. In the years since, she’s established herself as a multi-talented performer by releasing two studio albums (am I the only one who wants to see the return of Baby V?), appearing in films like Sucker Punch and Tick, Tick…Boom!, and starring in musicals like Grease Live!
Hudgens has proven to be a career chameleon, expertly switching between creative mediums like some people switch between TV channels. She credits her parents for encouraging her to pursue her passions from a young age: “If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am,” she told GMA News in 2008. “They’ve always let me do what I wanted to do with acting, singing, and dancing.” Landing the part of Gabriella was a dream come true for Hudgens and her family, even though the role continues to sow confusion over the multi-hyphenate’s ethnicity.
“I am doing everything that I can to let people know because I am proud”
While her character in High School Musical is Latina, Hudgens is Filipino and is outspoken about her heritage. Born to a Filipino mother and a white father, Hudgens has often faced queries about her ethnicity during her rise to fame. “Everyone automatically assumed that I was Latina, and most people still do,” she told Allure in 2023. “And when I tell them I’m Filipino, they’re like, ’What?!’ You haven’t met my mother.” She understands the confusion: “I think that I’m quite ambiguous so people don’t really know. But I am doing everything that I can to let people know because I am proud.”
In a different interview for Wired, Hudgens admits she has a bit of Spanish blood on her mother’s side as her mother’s dad was from Castillo, Spain. Her mother Gina moved from the Philippines to the United States after meeting Hudgens’ father Greg. In a 2011 interview with Collider, Hudgens shares that her parents were pen pals before they fell in love (which might be the most adorable story we’ve heard).
While Hudgens has never shied away from talking about her Filipino roots — peep this interview from 2008 where she talks about introducing Zac Efron to halo-halo — she’s become even more outspoken in recent years. She visited the Philippines with her mother and sister for the first time in 2023 and was named a Global Tourism Ambassador the same year. The move was met with criticism as it was her first time in the country. Hudgens defended her decision to wait before visiting, explaining to Allure that she wanted to visit with her mother who had not been to the Philippines since moving to the U.S. sans a sudden visit in 2019 when a family member passed away.
Hudgens says the visit helped her feel more connected to her roots. “It felt so empowering to know where you’re from, and be able to represent your heritage.” She’s glad to see more Filipino representation in entertainment, specifically shouting out fellow High School Musical star Olivia Rodrigo. Hudgens describes having the ability to represent her culture as “beautiful.” “The most incredible thing is when I have these girls come up to me, and they’re like, ‘you were the first person that I saw that looks like me on TV.’”
Published: Oct 11, 2024 03:10 am