Vanessa Anne Hudgens, best known for her role as Gabriella Montez in the Disney Channel movie High School Musical, was born in Salinas, California and raised in San Diego. She began performing at a young age and moved to Los Angeles after winning a commercial audition. Hudgens studied drama and music in England before returning to L.A. and landing roles in various TV shows and films, including Thirteen and Thunderbirds.
Following the success of High School Musical in 2006, Hudgens signed a recording deal and released her debut album, V. She also toured with the Cheetah Girls and won the Choice Breakout Singer Female award at the Teen Choice Awards in 2007. Subsequent projects included the release of her second album, Identified, in 2008, and her appearance in High School Musical 3: Senior Year later that year.
