To most, Vanessa Hudgens broke onto the scene with the Disney smash, High School Musical. The California native played Gabriella Montez, opposite future boyfriend, Zac Efron and quickly graced the covers of all the hottest teen magazines. Now the star returns to the headlines starring in the Fox Television event, Rent: Live.

Since High School Musical, Hudgens has accumulated numerous appearances in movies and TV. So what has the star been up to since her High School days and what is her net worth?

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Hudgens got her start as a Disney star

No one could have imagined how big of a hit High School Musical would be when it was released in 2006. But the movie became an instant hit, making  Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, and Vanessa Hudgens household names. The success of the movie prompted two follow-ups, High School Musical 2 and High School Musical 3: Senior Year. In 2016, Disney announced there would be a fourth installment of the franchise. Sadly, Hudgens and the original will not be appearing in the movie.

Instant stardom isn’t the only thing Hudgens got from her musical days. Hudgens met fellow Disney star Zac Efron when auditioning for the movie. The two began dating almost immediately and stayed together for five years, calling it quits in 2010. Though many fans hoped they would last forever, Efron seemed to foreshadow the couples end when he told Nightline, “We’ve got a great thing going. It’s serving me right now, we’re having a lot of fun. So, it’s not over yet, you know? I’m not going to speak too far down the road, because I don’t know what’s going to happen. But right now, I’m very happy.”

Disney success has been a hard act to follow

After High School Musical, Hudgens struggled to find the same level of success. In 2009 she appeared in Bandslam and in 2011 she starred in Beastly. Other film credits include Sucker Punch, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, and Spring Breakers. In 2017, Hudgens starred in the short-lived NBC series, Powerless. Most recently, Hudgens appeared opposite Jennifer Lopez in Second Act and as Camille in the Netflix film Polar.

The stage has always been home

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The stage has always had a hold on Hudgens. She told Jimmy Fallon in 2015, that she has loved doing theater since she was young. She has come a long way since playing the Hunchback of Notre Dame. In 2015 Hudgens made her Broadway debut with a starring role in Gigi. In 2016, Hudgens played Rizzo in Grease Live!

With her Broadway experience and High School Musical past, Hudgens was a natural choice for the lead in Rent: Live. Though the show suffered a pretty big logistical nightmare with one of its stars breaking his foot, Hudgens’ performance was a bright spot. Entertainment Weekly praised her performance, saying that she was so good in Grease Live! and Rent: Live that “Vanessa Hudgens should be in every live TV musical…”

Other credits

Given Hudgen’s resume, it’s not surprising that she has released a studio album. V was released in 2006 to positive reviews. Hudgens can also add judging to her list of talents. In 2014 she appeared as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance.

What is Vanessa Hudgens’ net worth?

Since her first role in 2002, Hudgens has appeared in numerous movies and television shows in addition to her appearance on Broadway and her singing ventures. She has also been a spokeswoman for Neutrogena, Candies, and EcoTools. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Hudgens has a net worth of $14 million.

Hudgins is currently filming Bad Boys for Life, starring Will Smith. It is scheduled to be released in 2020.