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Vanessa Hudgens Graduates to Serious Role in ‘Sucker Punch’

For Fil-American star Vanessa Hudgens, who became famous overnight with Disney Channel's “High School Musical” five years ago, self-confidence is the key.

“I used to be very shy,” the actress, 22, says. “Hiding behind a character allowed me a certain freedom that I didn’t have.”

Today when doing an interview, she no longer needs to pretend she is an actress doing an interview. “It may have been easier in the past to do that, to put on a face and hide behind it. Now I’m growing into a confident young woman, and I’m proud to show that.”

Her roles in two upcoming films reflect that growth. Hudgens stars as the street-smart Blondie, an action heroine trapped in a mental asylum in Zack Snyder‘s epic action fantasy “Sucker Punch” opening worldwide (including the Philippines) on March 25. And on September, she can be seen opposite Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson in the 3D adventure “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,” the sequel to 2008’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”

Sitting in a West Hollywood hotel and wearing a white jumpsuit that she describes as “part of my Bianca Jagger-inspired phase,” Hudgens reveals she knows how to be inconspicuous. “Long hair is very easy to hide behind,” she says. “Going out on the street, I can put my hair in front of my face and duck around because I’m really small (5-foot-3).”

But even that desire to blend in has changed. “I cut off about a foot of my hair, so it’s harder now. With two movies coming out, I want to give people the opportunity to truly see me differently. Now I have a new sense of confidence. I don’t have a mane to hide behind.”

As for making the transition from her Disney image, the actress speaks from experience. “I think it’s about surrounding yourself with the right people,” she says. “A lot of people may get lost in the lights and glamour of it all. It should be about the work first and everything else later.”

Hudgens insists she never got lost in celebrity. “I had my family to keep me grounded. I’m so close to my mom (an office worker) and dad (a firefighter). Their world doesn’t revolve around Hollywood.”

She credits her pals, too. “I also had (HSM co-stars) to grow with, like Ashley (Tisdale) and Zac. We all went on this journey together and had each other to fall back on. You’ve got to have your friends to keep your head on straight.”

Looking back on her years as a Disney star, she says: “There were ups and downs. I look at it as my childhood. After I finished the last `High School Musical,’ I was like, ‘Time to grow up.’ ”

Hudgens, who grew up on the West Coast, has been performing most of her life. When she was 8, she began appearing in community theater. Two years later, she moved into commercials and TV shows, and in 2003, she made her feature film debut in Catherine Hardwicke‘s “Thirteen.”

Luckily for Hudgens, who is of Filipino, Chinese, Spanish, Irish and Native American descent, her interest in acting coincided with Hollywood’s awakening to America as a multicultural society. “It used to always be about the big blond hair and the big blue eyes. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the idea of the classic beauty is changing. I’m blessed to have so many different ethnicities. I’m a chameleon, and that’s given me great opportunities.”

19 Comments on Vanessa Hudgens Graduates to Serious Role in ‘Sucker Punch’

  1. Rafael Vieira // March 14, 2011 at 5:08 am //

    The blog owner. Please contact me or send the guy who posted a comment on Rafael Vieira above.
    My documents were stolen and he put something under my name. I ask please leave.

    Andreia Says:
    March 8th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
    [-]
    rafael cantanhede vieira robo tanto dineiro de eu qui to ateh agora mi recuperano trabalhandu duro

    Please remove it from the air and send the email from Andrea

  2. Anonymous // March 14, 2011 at 5:07 am //

    The blog owner. Please contact me or send the guy who posted a comment on Rafael Vieira above.
    My documents were stolen and he put something under my name. I ask please leave.

    Andreia Says:
    March 8th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
    [-]
    rafael cantanhede vieira robo tanto dineiro de eu qui to ateh agora mi recuperano trabalhandu duro

    Please remove it from the air and send the email from Andrea

  3. tiki/says // March 11, 2011 at 10:33 am //

    she is hot but I think she went to far miley is hot but selena is sexy she can dress to susses.

  4. Dos_pooR_doss // March 9, 2011 at 11:09 am //

    hayy naku halatang bayarang bading na walang pinag aralan ang nag cocomment na taga dos poor dos itng si alex g…puro copy paste ang alam…paturo ka ng values sa dos poor dos ha…wag lang pera galing ng dos kamkamin…wala ka bang ibang comment? pabalik balik..at nagiisa ka lang….sabagay nararapat lang sa dos ka pulutin…same ugali…kadiri..as in..ewww….bulok ang ugali like dos pipol..ewwwww…

  5. Dos_pooR_doss // March 9, 2011 at 11:04 am //

    alam nyo naman ang utak ng mga taga dos pipol….anyway nawawala ang cinderella brothers ninyo..at manoood kayo ng black rose, the price i swrong..happpy sad lugi..baka bigla rin ito maglaho ha…

  6. ALEX G: BOBO/ TANGA! // March 9, 2011 at 10:11 am //

    ALAEX G BOBO TANGA- YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY INAPPROPRIATE TO THIS POST! STUPID BASTARD!

  7. sexy!!! cant wait

  8. IMORTAL 7 teleserye ang pinabagsak, nilampaso at kinagat for only 5 months // March 8, 2011 at 7:52 pm //

    Marami ng programa ang nilampaso ng IMORTAL for five months only:
    1.Endless Love
    2.) Ilumina
    3.) Gracilda
    4.)Beauty Queen
    5.) I heart you pare
    6.)baker king
    7.) Machete

    Ang tapang ni machete makipag laban ba sa imortal nakaka loka ha!!!

    bongga talaga si angel locsin she is really a superstar matulungin kasi kaypa pinag pala she is really a good role model to everyone…##dfdfere

  9. common/ // March 8, 2011 at 7:45 pm //

    the article is about vanessa hudgens..why dont you focus on the topic?

  10. IMORTAL 7 teleserye ang pinabagsak, nilampaso at kinagat for only 5 months // March 8, 2011 at 7:05 pm //

    Marami ng programa ang nilampaso ng IMORTAL for five months only:
    1.Endless Love
    2.) Ilumina
    3.) Gracilda
    4.)Beauty Queen
    5.) I heart you pare
    6.)baker king
    7.) Machete

    Ang tapang ni machete makipag laban ba sa imortal nakaka loka ha!!!

    bongga talaga si angel locsin she is really a superstar matulungin kasi kaypa pinag pala she is really a good role model to everyone…##!!

  11. imortal the best parin kahit subra ng gabi mag 11:30 na ng gabi but still 25% parin ang rating the best talaga // March 8, 2011 at 6:47 pm //

    imortal the best talaga hindi kami bibitiw sa imortal pang world class kasi the best talaga walang tatalo hindi ako naniniwala sa rating for me quality matters most and imortal is the best..!

  12. Andreia // March 8, 2011 at 3:33 pm //

    rafael cantanhede vieira robo tanto dineiro de eu qui to ateh agora mi recuperano trabalhandu duro

  13. alex g: How would you equate a Decline in Ads, Cheap Awards, Flop Movie Gross & Poor Artists' Endorsements, from a high ratings (daw!?) claimed by gozon? // March 8, 2011 at 3:24 pm //

    Cheating & Data Tampering, Desperate Publicity, Mind Conditioning, Rating Manipulations, etc.
    (w/ AGB & PEP).

    😎

  14. alex g: Did you know that gma7 was always the first channel that SIGNS-OFF the tv? Did you also know that AGB Nielsen Media Research has a pending case here & abroad? // March 8, 2011 at 3:24 pm //

    Early Signing-Off, Cost Cutting, Debt Increase & Financial Crisis.
    Words that best describes gma.

    😎

  15. alex g: Kapit-Tuko tlga si gozon sa ratings. TALUNAN kasi sa Ads, Awards, Movies at Endorsements, "FOREVER". // March 8, 2011 at 3:23 pm //

    Boboserye, Hubadserye, Flopserye, Peryaserye.
    Trademark ng gma.

    😎

  16. alex g: gma, known for "Cheating & Data Tampering, Desperate Publicity, Mind Conditioning & Rating Manipulations" (w/ AGB & PEP). Konti na lang, sisingilin na kayo ng KARMA. // March 8, 2011 at 3:23 pm //

    Weakness tlga ng gma ang lumaban ng patas.
    😎

  17. alex g: PANIC na masyado si gozon, SELF-PROCLAIM EFFECT ang drama. TALUNAN na nga sa lahat ng bagay, Tinanggal pa sa KBP. Nagka-baon-baon tuloy sa lumolobong UTANG. // March 8, 2011 at 3:22 pm //

    “Self-Proclaim Effect”, heto ang paraan ng gma para i-promote ang sarili, aside from Rating Manipulations.

    😎

  18. alex g: "Walang kinikilingan, walang pinoproteksyonan, walang kasinungalingan, walang bahid pulitika, serbisyong totoo lang", Dahil d natutulog ang balita, BAYARAN niyo kami para gumawa ng commercials 24 oras". // March 8, 2011 at 3:22 pm //

    Dahil sa PERA, nawala tuloy prinsipiyo.
    Baka naman maliit ang sahod? (how stupid).

    😎

  19. alex g: Valentines Box Office King pala ah, ni wala nga kasabay na Filipino movie eh, 44.26M in 3 weeks lang!? (as compared to BULONG with 67.27M). May "Divine Intervention" pa raw, sabi ni mother lily (how stupid). // March 8, 2011 at 3:22 pm //

    “Napakahirap na ng buhay ngayon, kaya for a movie to make over P135 million in 3 days is a miracle. Divine intervention ito”.

    -lily monteverde (baliw).

    😎

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