Vanessa Hudgens reflected on how past projects — including High School Musical — helped prepare her for The Masked Singer.
“I grew up doing musical theater. I’ve been performing since I was literally, like, 4 years old and singing professionally since I was, like, 7, so I’ve been doing it almost my entire life,” Hudgens, 35, told E! News on Wednesday, May 22, following her big win. “All those hours don’t go and disappear. I got to bring that with me into the work I constantly do. And this was a really beautiful and fun place to be able to share that.”
Hudgens was asked specifically about how playing Gabriella in High School Musical played a part in her musical success.
“I feel like everything gives you better understanding and knowledge to then move forward through space with a bit more wisdom,” she added. “It’s like the 10,000-hour rule, you just keep going and it amounts to something.”
‘The Masked Singer’ Winners Through the Years: Where Are They Now?
The 10,000 hours resulted in Hudgens coming out on top after performing as Goldfish on season 11 of The Masked Singer. Hudgens discussed how her upbringing shaped her success after being unmasked on Wednesday’s episode.
“I have loved being able to swim into new territories as the golden girl on this stage,” she shared. “As a little girl I was never really great at expressing myself. It’s not really something I grew up around. But lately, I have been on a journey of self-discovery and being here I’ve been able to express myself so freely.”
Hudgens continued: “I come from a working-class family that has no connection to Hollywood whatsoever, so there’s no reason I should have made it. But I’m proof that with enough love, hard work and dedication, you can truly do anything.”
The actress rose to stardom after appearing in the hit Disney franchise High School Musical, which ran from 2006 to 2008. The movies followed Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Hudgens), two teenagers from completely different cliques, who bond over their love of music. Their love story is the backdrop for the film series as their friends take part in the school musical.
The Cast of ‘High School Musical’: Where Are They Now?
Hudgens went on to star in films such as Beastly, Sucker Punch, Spring Breakers and Netflix’s The Princess Switch movies. On the small screen, Hudgens appeared in Fox’s live musical productions of Grease Live! and Rent: Live. She also branched out into music with two studio albums: 2006’s V and 2008’s Identified.
In her personal life, Hudgens found love with Cole Tucker after previously dating Efron, 36, and Austin Butler. Hudgens, who got married in December 2023, announced earlier this year that she’s expecting her first baby with Tucker, 27.
“Cole hasn’t left Vanessa’s side throughout her pregnancy,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in April. “It’s only making her fall even more in love with him.”
The insider said Hudgens has “never been so happy” since revealing she is pregnant, adding, “She knows Cole will make an amazing father.”
