High School Musical put her name on the global map in the mid-2000s, simultaneously showcasing her skillset as an actress and singer. However, Vanessa Hudgens best movies go beyond the popular franchise. Her performance in the franchise made her a teen idol and ignited mainstream success in her acting career. Hudgens also attracted a recording contract from Hollywood Records, leading to the release of two studio albums.
Hudgens has since focused on churning out more outstanding performances in movies and TV shows. Her most acclaimed film projects include Bandslam (2009), Beastly (2011), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), Frozen Ground (2013), Second Act (2018), Bad Boys for Life (2020), The Princess Switch (2018, 2020, 2021), and The Knight Before Christmas (2019). On the small screen, Hudgens notably played the lead role of Emily Locke on Powerless in 2017 before NBC pulled the plug on the show after one season. This article explores Vanessa Hudgens best movies.
1. High School Musical Trilogy (2006, 2007, 2008)
The best of Vanessa Hudgens movies will always feature the High School Musical film series which shot her to fame. After her film debut in the 2003 drama Thirteen and a lead role in Thunderbirds, a commercial failure, Hudgens hit the jackpot when she partnered with Zac Efron to play one of the lead roles in the High School Musical trilogy. Her performance as Gabriella Montez received praise from audiences and critics.
The first installment of High School Musical was a critical and commercial success, becoming Disney Channel’s most-watched film before The Cheetah Girls 2 dethroned it. Hudgens went on to reprise her role as Gabriella in High School Musical 2 and High School Musical 3: Senior Year which both attained critical and commercial success, exceeding Disney’s expectations.
2. The Princess Switch Trilogy (2018, 2020, 2021)
Hudgens pulled off a stunning performance in the first installment of The Princess Switch, playing the two main characters Stacy De Novo (an American pastry chef) and Lady Margaret Delacourt (a European duchess). In the next installment, The Princess Switch: Switched Again (2020), Hudgens added a third role to her credits as Lady Fiona Pembroke (Margaret’s cousin) and reprised the three in the 2021 film The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star. Hudgens also produced the last two films in The Princess Switch franchise.
3. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
Hudgens played Kailani Laguatan, Josh Hutcherson‘s love interest in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island which also stars Dwayne Johnson. The 2012 science fantasy adventure film is the sequel to the 2008 film Journey to the Center of the Earth led by Brendan Fraser. The second installment received mixed reviews, but Hudgens’ performance stood out, earning her a Teen Choice Awards nomination for Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Kids’ Choice Awards in the Favorite Movie Actress category.
4. Bad Boys For Life (2020)
Vanessa Hudgens earned two People’s Choice Awards for her debut in the Bad Boys franchise. Though she didn’t play the main role, Hudgens’ depiction of a weapons expert named Kelly garnered critical praise. The buddy cop action comedy film takes viewers on a ride through the dangerous adventures of two best friends who double as partners in the police force. Will Smith (Mike Lowrey) and Martin Lawrence (Marcus Burnett) headline the Bad Boys film series.
5. Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)
Hudgens reprised her role as Kelly in the fourth entry in the Bad Boys film series, starring alongside franchise greats Smith and Lawrence. This entry also features Tasha Smith as a replacement for Theresa Randle who played Theresa Burnett in the previous films. Bad Boys: Ride or Die focuses on Mike and Marcus’s attempt to clear Captain Conrad Howard’s name following a conspiracy against him. The film performed critically and commercially, hauling $404 million in box office earnings.
6. Spring Breakers (2012)
Spring Breakers is one of the films that established Vanessa Hudgens as a leading lady after her breakthrough in her first High School Musical entry. In Spring Breakers, Hudgens played Candy, one of the four college girls who get entangled in a world of crime during their spring break in Florida. The film also stars industry stars Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, James Franco, and Gucci Mane.
7. The Frozen Ground (2013)
The Frozen Ground digs into the case of real-life Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen (John Cusack) who raped and killed at least 17 women. Hudgens portrayed Cindy Paulson, Hansen’s only survivor who collaborates with an Alaskan State Trooper to bring the serial killer to justice. Nicolas Cage led the cast as Jack Halcombe with 50 Cent, Radha Mitchell, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, and Dean Norris in supporting roles.
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