Vanessa Hudgens Picture and Songs

Vanessa Hudgens Perfected Rock Songs in New Film with Computer Games

2009-11-15T22:51:00.000-08:00

Twenty-year-old actress Vanessa Hudgens -- who plays a teenage rocker in Bandslam -- has revealed she and her co-stars practiced before their scenes by using a Nintendo Wii interactive games console.

The brunette beauty is quoted as saying:
We would not stop playing Rock Band! It was ridiculous. When we had lunch breaks we would go into the trailers and play Rock Band and I sucked at the drums.

Ryan Donowho, who is the drummer in the movie, was incredible. He could play it on expert and not miss a single beat so I was intimidated by that and everybody else was good at guitar so I usually got stuck with vocals.
This is not the first time Vanessa has been intimidated by a co-star. She recently revealed she was "freaked out" by Beastly actor Alex Pettyfer's scary costume. She said:
It was crazy, I saw the picture of his "Beast" make-up for like a millisecond and then I was like, 'Oh no, I can't look!'

I waited until I got to see him in person and it moved me in a really weird and peculiar way. It's so mind-blowing the prosthetics they've done on him. He changes as a complete person. I was freaked out, honestly.

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Hudgens In New Nude Snaps Scandal

2009-10-28T22:48:00.000-07:00

Lawyers acting on behalf of "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens are battling to remove a series of pictures from the Internet which allegedly showing the actress posing nude, because they were reportedly taken when she was underage.

Gossip Web sites were sent into a frenzy on Wednesday, when pictures appearing to show Hudgens naked leaked online.

It was unclear whether the blurry shots were of Hudgens, but celebrity blogger Perez Hilton claims they are.

Hilton alleges lawyers for Hudgens, 20, contacted him and asked him to remove the snaps from his site because the star was underage when they were taken.

This isn't the first time Hudgens has found herself at the center of a naked photo scandal.

In 2007, pictures taken of Hudgens posing provocatively both nude and in lingerie appeared online, forcing the Disney star to issue a public apology.

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'Bandslam' Vanessa Hudgens talks about John Hughes, not nude photos

2009-10-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

The Dish Rag talks to "Bandslam" stars Vanessa Hudgens and Gaelan Connell (who looks he could be the new Shia LaBeouf) about high school movies, John Hughes' influences on "Bandslam" and their favorite John Hughes high school fllm.

Yes, it's "Breakfast Club."

Vanessa also talks about her "edgier" "Beastly" movie and about that three foot gun she totes in "Sucker Punch."

And no, no, we didn't ask her about those photos.

More Bandslam and Vanessa Dish:

Bandslam's Scott Porter on Caprica secrets!

More nude photos? Someone hide Vanessa's Blackberry!

Vanessa Hudgens has a massive gun in "Sucker Punch."

Bruno versus Vanessa Hudgens. Who has the Best Behind?

Vanessa Hudgens Carrie Prejean moment at MTV!

Vanessa Hudgens talks about her strip scene in "Sucker Punch."

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Rock Out With Vanessa Hudgens In A 'Bandslam' Sneak Peek Clip

2009-09-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

August means back to school for many American teens, but they won't be returning to the hallowed halls of academia alone. Former Wildcat Vanessa Hudgens is hitting the books, rocking out in her high school battle-of-the-bands flick "Bandslam" which opens next Friday (and includes an exclusive "New Moon" trailer).

In the flick, Vanessa plays loner Sa5m ("the five is silent") who befriends new kid in town, music buff Will Burton (Gaelan Connell). The pair, along with popular former cheerleader Charlotte Banks (Aly Michalka) cross clique lines to form a band to vie for the coveted recording contract prize. In the clip below, things get a little uncomfortable when Sa5m and Charlotte cross paths for the first (or 100th) time. Click through the rest of our sneak peeks to see Will in the shower (!!!), Sa5m taking center stage and more. And don't forget to check back with Hollywood Crush all next week because we'll be rolling out exclusive Bandslam content every day!

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Vanessa poses fully clothed

2009-09-15T22:17:00.000-07:00

However she looked cool as a cucumber as she turned out fully clothed at the world premiere of her new flick Bandslam in Hollywood.

Lawyers for the actress - currently dating her High School Musical co-star ZAC EFRON - say the shots, which appeared to be taken in her bedroom on a mobile phone, were a few years old.

But Vanessa took the incident in her stride, admitting she finds the attention "weird".

"Reading gossip about myself is so weird," she said.

"Sometimes I'll laugh because it will be a hysterical picture. There's nothing you can do to control it, it's out of my hands so I might as well just giggle about it."

Bandslam - which also stars former Friends actress LISA KUDROW - hits cinemas later this month.

Vanessa was involved in another naked scandal two years ago when a different set of nude pictures appeared online, forcing the Disney star to issue a public apology.

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Vanessa Hudgens Rocks Computer Game

2009-08-22T22:55:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Hudgens perfected the rock songs in her new film by playing computer games.

The 20-year-old actress - who plays a teenage rocker in 'Bandslam' - has revealed she and her co-stars practised before their scenes by using a Nintendo Wii interactive games console.

The brunette beauty is quoted as saying: "We would not stop playing Rock Band! It was ridiculous. When we had lunch breaks we would go into the trailers and play Rock Band and I sucked at the drums.

"Ryan Donowho, who is the drummer in the movie, was incredible. He could play it on expert and not miss a single beat so I was intimidated by that and everybody else was good at guitar so I usually got stuck with vocals."

Rock Band is an interactive music game that allows users to play a variety of instruments or sing along to popular songs.

This is not the first time Vanessa has been intimidated by a co-star.

She recently revealed she was "freaked out" by 'Beastly' actor Alex Pettyfer's scary costume.

She said: "It was crazy, I saw the picture of his 'Beast' make-up for like a millisecond and then I was like, 'Oh no, I can't look!'

"I waited until I got to see him in person and it moved me in a really weird and peculiar way. It's so mind-blowing the prosthetics they've done on him. He changes as a complete person. I was freaked out, honestly."

Source

Vanessa Hudgens Used Rock Band For Her Rock Band

2009-08-21T22:55:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Hudgens perfected the rock songs in her new film by playing with her Wii. The 20-year-old actress - who plays a teenage rocker in "Bandslam" - has revealed she and her co-stars practiced before their scenes by using a Nintendo Wii interactive games console.
See Vanessa's photos
The brunette beauty is quoted as saying: "We would not stop playing Rock Band! It was ridiculous. When we had lunch breaks we would go into the trailers and play Rock Band and I sucked at the drums."
Find out about Vanessa's embarrassing sex confession!
"Ryan Donowho, who is the drummer in the movie, was incredible. He could play it on expert and not miss a single beat so I was intimidated by that and everybody else was good at guitar so I usually got stuck with vocals."
Rock Band is an interactive music game that allows users to play a variety of instruments or sing along to popular songs.
Did you know Vanessa had a stalker!
This is not the first time Vanessa has been intimidated by a co-star.
She recently revealed she was "freaked out" by "Beastly" actor Alex Pettyfer's scary costume.
See Vanessa's guilty pleasure!
She said: "It was crazy, I saw the picture of his 'Beast' make-up for like a millisecond and then I was like, 'Oh no, I can't look!'"
"I waited until I got to see him in person and it moved me in a really weird and peculiar way. It's so mind-blowing the prosthetics they've done on him. He changes as a complete person. I was freaked out, honestly."

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Vanessa Hudgens says goodbye to her good-girl 'High School Musical' image

2009-08-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

Goodbye, "High School Musical." Hello, edgier roles. That’s the path that Vanessa Hudgens wants to take in her acting career, as she makes a conscious effort to move on from her squeaky-clean Disney image. In "Bandslam," Hudgens is Sa5m (pronounced Sam, because the "5" is silent), a brooding loner who befriends and falls for dorky Will Burton (played by Gaelan Connell), a new student who has recently transferred to her New Jersey high school.

Will is recruited by popular student Charlotte Banks (played by Aly Michalka) to manage her rock group called I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On, which is preparing to enter a local battle-of-the-bands contest called Bandslam. (The contest winner gets a record deal.) Naturally, Sa5m finds that she has to compete with Charlotte for Will’s time, and lots of teenage angst ensues. The Sa5m character is quite a change of pace for Hudgens, who became famous for playing the brainy student Gabriella Montez in Disney’s first three "High School Musical" movies. Hudgens is also starring in the action movie "Sucker Punch" (due out in 2011) and the teen romance "Beastly," which arrives in theaters in 2010 and is a contemporary reimagining of the "Beauty and the Beast" story.

But that’s not the only reason why actress/singer Hudgens is leaving her wholesome Disney image behind. Her romance with "High-School Musical" co-star Zac Efron is frequently the topic of media gossip. Then there have been the scandals over her self-portrait nude photos that were leaked over the Internet. The first time was in 2007 (she made a public apology for the photos back then), and the latest incident occurred a few weeks after I interviewed Hudgens at the "Bandslam" New York City press junket. So although you won’t see any comments from Hudgens in this article about her latest naked-picture scandal, she did talk about taking a break from making music; why she doesn’t want to be on Facebook or Twitter; and the possibility of working with Efron again.

What’s the best part of performing onstage?

It’s the adrenaline rush you get from it. It’s this high you can’t capture from anything else except from being on that stage with all the people watching you and cheering you on. It’s such a thrill and so much fun. For me, I’ve always felt I’m at home when I’m onstage.

What aspects of Sa5m can you identify with the most?

Growing up when I was in elementary school, I had no friends. I was the biggest loser. So I related to her in that sense. I just kind of did my own thing. I was fine with it. I kept myself occupied. But aside from that, I don’t know. I’m a lot cheerier and bubblier than she is.

You had to learn to play the guitar for you role in "Bandslam." Can you talk about that?

When I came into music rehearsals, I was surrounded by the most incredible musicians. Everybody was so good, and I was so intimidated, because I had no idea what I was doing. I learned the song in about a week, surely but slowly. How else to you learn [to play] a guitar? I guess I didn’t really have to play, but you have to make it look real. I think for our own sake as an actor, you should want to learn.

The music on the "Bandslam" soundtrack spans over multiple generations. How much of the music were you familiar with before doing this movie?

I’m such a big fan of Cheap Trick, so I was really excited when I heard that ["I Want You to Want Me"] was in the movie.

Did you want to be in "Bandslam" because your character in the movie is so different from your Gabriella Montez character in the "High School Musical" movies?

In a sense, somewhat. I love Gabriella. I think it’s a great character, but I am Vanessa. Part of being an actress is being able to play different characters, so for my own peace of mind, I wanted find something different. And yeah, because it was so different, I guess I was drawn to it.

If you could put together you own band, who would you want to be in it? And who would you want to tour with?

There’s a wide range of people. I would tour with …. I love Cheap Trick. They’re great; they’re so much fun. I don’t know who I would have in my band.

Is it true you originally wanted Aly Michalka’s part in "Bandslam"?

Yeah. I read the script and I feel like it was a fun character. But then I thought about it more, and Sa5m would be more different and something different for me to play and something different for people to see, so I think it makes sense.

Is that why you’re also doing the action flick "Sucker Punch"?

Honestly, what I’m doing is for me. I just get bored really easily. I love acting, because I get to play different characters, and I want to try and play as many different characters and do as many different genres as I can. And when "Sucker Punch" came up, I thought it was incredible, it was sexy and action-packed. And I love Zack [Snyder, the director of "Sucker Punch"]. I just want to do as many different things as I can, whether it’s rated PG or R.

Do you get to curse and beat people up in "Sucker Punch"?

Yeah. And I get to curse in "Beastly."

Was the humor in "Bandslam" mostly from writer/director Todd Graff or did you have any input?

I think it’s a little bit of both. We would go into a room with Todd, do a scene and read it and then speak our ideas. It did seem like it was extremely choreographed, because it’s all about the timing and what’s going on, but we rehearsed it a few times. I was happy about that.

What was it like working with Gaelan Connell?

We love Gaelan so very much. He’s adork-able. He’s just awesome. I think that he’s perfect to play Will. He came in and owned it from the get-go. He’s just a lot of fun. He doesn’t give himself enough credit, I feel.

Now that you’ve made "Bandslam," do you think it’s affected your musical tastes and what your next album will sound like? And what music do you listen to in your free time that might surprise people?

I think I have a lot more depth when it comes to music than people think [I would]. Recently, I’ve been into Janis Joplin. There’s this artist called Ricki-Lee who I love right now. I love Kings of Leon and Kasabian. I’m just kind of all over the place. I love alternative, indie. And when I’m feeling up for it, I love Kanye [West] and Lil Wayne.

Musically, I’m [taking time] off. Right now, I really feel like I’m focused on films and everything, and I don’t want to do an album just to do it and do it half-assed. I’m waiting until I’m inspired to do another one.

Have you heard Ashley Tisdale’s album "Guilty Pleasure"? And if so, what did you think?

I think it’s great. I think she did such a good job. She’s really passionate about it. She’d come home — [she laughs] it sounds we live together — and play songs. I was stoked for her. I think she’s doing a great job.

Do you think you’ll reinvent yourself on your next album?

That’s why I’m taking a break. I don’t want to do it half-assed. I want to recreate myself and recreate a sound and really have something to say. That’s the fun part about music. You get to really kind of go off a ledge and do whatever you want with yourself speaking. It’s not just a character. It’s going to be a good minute before anything happens [with me releasing a new album].

Do you ever see yourself having to choose acting over music or vice versa?

Sure. I feel like as of now, people only know me for "High School Musical," and because it’s a musical, they know me as both [an actress and a singer]. So in that sense, I guess I got off easy. But I think if you’re extremely focused on whatever one that it is — like I said, if I do music, I’m going to wait until I can put my full heart into it — I think you can [do] both, if you’re really, really passionate about each of them. But if I had to pick, I’d probably pick acting.

Why?

I haven’t gotten to a place in music where I felt fulfilled, where I feel this is my very own creation. I haven’t gotten there yet. Maybe when I do, my answer might change. As of now, I feel like I’ve been working toward acting longer. It’s always been something I’ve strived a little bit harder for.

Do you think you’ll do other musicals?

Yeah, eventually. I feel like I wanted to accomplish a little bit more as an actress first. And once I feel I’ve gotten to a place where I’m happy with then I’ll definitely do musicals [again], because that’s what I grew up doing. I love them.

What do you think abut Aly Michalka?

I met Aly several times before, just in passing at Disney events. We got along fine. I came to the audition and she was sitting in the audition room and I was like, "Hey!" And we became really close. We have so much fun together. I’m kind of a bad influence on her. I kind of turned her into a shopaholic. But hey, I think every girl is a shopaholic. You’re not going to read about us [me and Aly] fighting and pulling hair. It’s just not going to happen.

Can you talk about the experience of filming in Austin, Texas, which has a really vibrant music scene?

I’ve been really lucky. I’ve been able to shoot in a lot of really fun places. Austin was incredible, because South by Southwest was there when we were there. Me and Aly went to see a Willie Nelson concert, which was so much fun. We saw a bunch of artistic movies, which was great. And just the whole vibe of it. Everybody’s there because they want to be and they love music. It was just a lot of fun. I’ve been in Montreal for the past few weeks, and it’s the same there. The jazz festival is there right now. I love anything that has to do with the arts.

So you didn’t have any horror stories with paparazzi following you around in Austin?

No. It was great.

In "Bandslam," Sa5m and Will work on a visual-arts project for school. Did Todd let you shoot your own things?

Yep. It’s my own work. I’ve always loved making movies. I have the stupidest movies on my computer. I made a scary movie with Ashley [Tisdale] and my little sister. But I think I’m more into photography.

Who have you been inspired by in still photography?

I haven’t gotten that far yet. [She laughs.]

Would you want to work your boyfriend Zac Efron again?

Yeah, of course. If the right thing comes along. We’re not looking for anything, but the fact is, we’re growing up and doing our own thing. We’re doing what we’re drawn to. But if something came up that was great, of course.

What advice would you have for Disney stars on the rise, especially if they end up in a project that becomes as huge as "High School Musical"?

Just hang on. There’s nothing that can prepare you for this craziness that comes with it. It’s a whirlwind, you know? You’ve just got to hold on.

The concert scene toward the end of "Bandlsam" is one of the best parts of the movie. Can you describe what it was like to film it?

It was a great time. We were all up there, playing our instruments, and it was awesome! I’m not a rocker. I don’t do rock, so being up there with a Flying V, doing a Bread song ["Everything I Own"], I felt pretty badass. And I had so much fun jumping around like a crazy person. But hey, it’s all good.

Did you get to meet David Bowie, who has a cameo in "Bandslam"?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. It was here in New York. I just went in and I didn’t know what to say, I was somewhat star-struck. I said, "I am such a huge fan of yours." And he said [she says in English accent], "Oh well, thank you, love. How are you?" I said, "I’m fine." We just talked a little bit.

Were you aware that in France, "Bandslam" is called "High School Rock Stars"? How do you feel about that?

I don’t know. I think that once people see the movie, they’ll know that it’s not [like "High School Musical"]. I think the movie is [about] a completely different kind of high school. I think a lot of [movies] set in high school have the words "high school" in [the title].

So much of your audience is into social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter. Can you explain why you’ve decided not to get involved in that kind of social networking?

I feel like movies, through that, people become so close. I feel like through "High School Musical," they feel like know me personally. When it comes to my separate personal life, I’m really private. That’s part of the reason you really don’t hear me talking about my personal life that much.

And when it comes down to it, when I have nothing to do and I’m not in the public eye, I’m going to let that be. I don’t want to tell everybody what I’m doing all the time, even though I don’t personally think it’s that interesting. When I’m doing nothing, I just want to be on my own.

What about anything official you have on the Web?

I have a music account on MySpace.

What’s next for you?

After "Sucker Punch," it’s just chill-out time.

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Vanessa Hudgens Perfected Rock Songs in New Film with Computer Games

2009-08-19T22:47:00.000-07:00

Twenty-year-old actress Vanessa Hudgens -- who plays a teenage rocker in Bandslam -- has revealed she and her co-stars practiced before their scenes by using a Nintendo Wii interactive games console.

The brunette beauty is quoted as saying:
We would not stop playing Rock Band! It was ridiculous. When we had lunch breaks we would go into the trailers and play Rock Band and I sucked at the drums.

Ryan Donowho, who is the drummer in the movie, was incredible. He could play it on expert and not miss a single beat so I was intimidated by that and everybody else was good at guitar so I usually got stuck with vocals. This is not the first time Vanessa has been intimidated by a co-star. She recently revealed she was "freaked out" by Beastly actor Alex Pettyfer's scary costume. She said:
It was crazy, I saw the picture of his "Beast" make-up for like a millisecond and then I was like, 'Oh no, I can't look!'

I waited until I got to see him in person and it moved me in a really weird and peculiar way. It's so mind-blowing the prosthetics they've done on him. He changes as a complete person. I was freaked out, honestly.

Source

Vanessa Hudgens Leaked Photos

2009-08-13T00:50:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Hudgens Leaked Photos have again attacked the internet. For some it may be shocking but for others it’s a well thought out step. She wants publicity that’s all.

Just like 2 year back, the web is banged with Vanessa’s sex-arousing pictures in which she appears topless as well as shortest possible clothes. Animation or duplication of faces along with many available evil-genius techniques, it has become too damn easy either to trap someone or get trapped for some ‘special purposes’ behind the game.

Not favoring the hot & sizzling Vanessa who’s got all the guts to do it all by herself or, I mean would be courageous enough to unveil her body, fine. Yet the question is whether the use of above mentioned techniques can be overlooked? I mean what is authenticity of these pictures?

The 2007 Vanessa Hudgens nude poster shocked the viewers but later on it revealed through a statement that yes, it was Vanessa Hudgens and that it was a Private Picture.

No proof yet that the statement was made by V. Hudgens, her publicist or someone else as there was an apology recorded by the Hudgens that it was her mistake.

She had asked forgiveness from her fans when it happened last time. Now too she is free to fire an apology letter.

The photos come merely a few weeks after infamous and rather much publicized peephole video of ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews.

Vanessa Hudgens nude photographs may not generate the sort of publicity that Erin Andrews photos and video got, nevertheless it may give her more publicity than anything else.

In a recent interview Hudgens talked at length about biting her tongue, getting her mom, Gina fired and how she really fell in love with acting. Check it:

On getting her mom, Gina, fired from one job: “I got her fired once. I was calling her at work way too much, because I missed her. Back then, I was so shy, I did not want to leave her side. I would call her at work nonstop, to the point where she got fired. It was horrible.”

On how she dealt with life after her nude picture surfaced in the year 2007: “That’s why I’m extremely guarded. I really do try to watch everything I say. Because one little tiny slip, and it’s like the world is coming to an end! It is hard. I do always have a wall up. But I feel by doing it, I keep myself safe.

She goes on to say, “I try to live my life, do what I want, and just let everything else follow along. I try not to read the blogs or what people say about me. Because that’s what brings everybody down—no matter what you do, you’re always going to have haters.”

On how she caught the acting bug: “My parents had Grease lying around, and I watched that and fell in love with it. It was interesting to see people moving stories along with songs—it was exciting and different. West Side Story was one of my favorites. [High School Musical] was the best thing that could and possibly will ever happen to me. I got to make lifelong friends. I had the most incredible time of my life.”

The most tragic thing about the photographs is the fact that she seems to be enjoying the way she was being photographed.

Her lawyers too are finding it difficult to contain the further spread of her nude images. Lawyers acting on behalf of the 20-year-old High School Musical star are battling to remove a series of saucy pictures from the interwebs, because they were reportedly taken when she was underage.

Almost two years ago a series of her nude photographs had appeared online. At that time she apologized to her fans, saying “I want to apologize to my fans, whose support and trust means the world to me. I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos.”

However, it is now claimed that the new photos are actually from an old set of pictures, that were reportedly taken before the previous set of image.

Twenty year old Vanessa Anne Hudgens is an emerging American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series.

She pursued a solo music career and released her debut album V on September 26, 2006. The album debuted at number twenty four in the U.S. and was later certified Gold. Hudgens released her second album, Identified in July 1, 2008 in the U.S. She has three upcoming films: Bandslam, in theaters August 14, 2009, Beastly in 2010, and Sucker Punch! in 2011.

Starting at the age of eight, Hudgens performed in musical theater as a singer, and appeared in local productions of Carousel, The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, The Music Man, and Cinderella, among others.

After home school, she went to England and studied drama and music at Kingsbrook Business and Enterprise College and graduated college.[12] She appears in Thirteen as Noel and in Thunderbirds. She guested in television shows such as Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.

Her sophomore album, Identified, was released on July 1, 2008, selling more than 22,000 copies during the first week, debuting at #23 on the Billboard 200. At the same time, she went on the Identified Summer Tour to promote her albums in the U.S. and Mexico. She also performed at the 81st Academy Awards in a musical number with other young actors and singers.

There are people who say that the photos were deliberately leaked to keep her in the limelight.

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Vanessa Hudgens: ’My young fans have put me off having kids!’

2009-08-06T02:22:00.000-07:00

The starlet, 20, on life after high school musical, her mad tweenie fans, boyfriend Zac efron and how she’s an old romantic

Vanessa Hudgens was once just another drama and music student, dreaming of someday wowing Simon Cowell on American Idol. Then, after graduating, she did a little made-for-TV movie called High School Musical and, well, you know the rest.

An overnight sensation, she is now adored by millions of tweenies as the sweeter-than-sweet Gabriella and everyone, including co-star Zac Efron, has fallen for her charms. Celebs was granted an audience with the (very charming) superstar in a suite at swanky W hotel in Los Angeles.

In the flesh, she is even tinier than she looks on film, a mere 5ft 1in, and looks super cute in a purple floaty vintage top and capri jeans (worn as full-length trews, thanks to her minature proportions). We got the lowdown on her shopping obsession, life after High School Musical and how all those crazy kids have put her off having children of her own…

My lifestyle is so crazy, my perfect day would be hanging out at my house, by my pool, doing absolutely nothing, and switching my phone off. In a perfect world I’d wake up, call my girlfriends over like Ashley Tisdale (HSM’s Sharpay) and (Gossip Girl’s) Brittany Snow and we’d all sit by the pool talking and eating. I love making waffles with my new waffle machine because they’re yummy and they’re multi-grain. I‘d rather do that than go partying.

All this exposure to young children does put me off having them. I love kids, don’t get me wrong, because without them I wouldn’t be where I am today, but they do follow me around to the most peculiar places. And they’re very loud! When they start screaming it’s sweet to see how enthusiastic they are, but I’m going to go deaf sooner than most people. It’s impossible to calm them down when they start, I just cover my ears.

High School Musical changed my life in the best way possible. We had such a great time and I made amazing friends. I miss hanging out with them all. We stay in touch and try to reunite, but it’s not the same. It’s sad, but you grow up. And I have great opportunities now that I wouldn’t have had without it.

I’d like to work with Zac again, for sure. Not right now, but it’d be nice to do something in the future. I’m a romantic person. I think every girl has a bit of hopeless romantic in them. I’m all about the cute little things. Just a simple smile is sweet for me. I like Zac to wear just a T-shirt and jeans, it doesn’t have to be designer. I just prefer the California laid-back look, but it depends on the mood.

I’ve had a few fashion disasters. I went through a phase where I liked short skirts, and it was bad. I look back at pictures now, and how on earth did I think I looked good? But everybody has those moments.

Lady GaGa is great, but her outfits are crazy! I think she is amazing, and I don’t want to diss anybody but I would feel so uncomfortable wearing what she wears.

I’m a shopaholic and I think Topshop in London is amazing. It’s a massive treasure chest to look through. I love UK fashion. I remember the first time I was in England. I was like, ‘Wow! I need to dress like everybody here because it’s incredible.’ It’s so much more over-the-top and I feel everyone takes a lot more risks than people do in LA.

My workout combines Pilates and boxing together and it’s amazing. There is only one woman in LA who does it at the moment, so it’s special. I go with Ashley, and Haylie Duff and I love taking a class with my girlfriends because we keep each other going.

I trained in musical theatre, so I’d love to do Broadway. You hear the applause right then and there, and if you mess up, you’re screwed, unlike film. I actually fell once during The Wizard of Oz when I was a kid. There was a bunch of us munchkins running around the stage when I slid. It was disastrous.

Celine Dion is my idol. When I was little I’d steal my parents’ Celine CD, and I would take out the lyric sheet and sing all the songs like The Power of Love just to try to build my range. I was lucky enough to meet her once and when she left she said, ‘Goodbye Vanessa!’ I thought, ‘Wow, she knows my name! My life is complete.’

I’ve just bought my first house and it’s scary because I’ve never lived alone before, but I love that it’s all mine. Sometimes I’ll dress up and walk around the house wearing a fabulous gown, just because I can. It’s my home, I can do whatever I want.

Reading gossip about myself is so weird. Sometimes I’ll laugh because it will be a hysterical picture. There’s nothing you can do to control it, it’s out of my hands so I might as well just giggle about it.

Travel is one of my favourite things to do and I love going anywhere tropical. It’s just nice being able to get in the ocean when it’s warm and I like hiking in the jungle. I know I don’t seem like an outdoor person, but I just love nature and being outside and I’d like to take a trip camping.

Life after High School Musical
I feel like I’m ready to take the next step in my career. I want to learn and grow as an actor, and I’m excited about working with new directors and trying to improve. Right now I’m shooting Beastly, a modern-day grittier version of the Beauty & The Beast love story.

My character in my new film Bandslam is so rock ’n’ roll, it really shows a different side of me. David Bowie is in the film and when I met him I was so starstruck. I just freaked out. I love him.

I have to get in training for my next role in Sucker Punch, a risqué film about girls in a mental institution, who think it’s a brothel and end up fighting or killing people. It’s pretty out-there. But it’s an empowering role, so I’m looking forward to surprising people and really kicking some butt.

What do you always carry in your purse?
Chapstick for dry lips. Water, because it’s good for your skin. It’s not very exciting in there – it’s kind of messy if anything.

What is your beauty tip?
I’m blessed with long, dark eyelashes, but I love Givenchy’s Pheno-men’eyes mascara. It gives you the fullest lashes.

What do you never leave home without?
I’m a jewellery addict. I love it and could load it on all day. I’m Catholic, so that’s why I have two crosses on.

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Vanessa Hudgens is Parade Pretty

2009-07-30T00:24:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Hudgens recently caught up with Parade magazine to chat about her upcoming movie, Bandslam.

The 20-year-old actress dished to the mag about biting her tongue, getting her mom, Gina fired and how she really fell in love with acting. Check it:

On getting her mom, Gina, fired from one job: “I got her fired once. I was calling her at work way too much, because I missed her. Back then, I was so shy, I did not want to leave her side. I would call her at work nonstop, to the point where she got fired. It was horrible.”

On how she dealt with life after her nude picture surfaced: “That’s why I’m extremely guarded. I really do try to watch everything I say. Because one little tiny slip, and it’s like the world is coming to an end! It is hard. I do always have a wall up. But I feel by doing it, I keep myself safe. I try to live my life, do what I want, and just let everything else follow along. I try not to read the blogs or what people say about me. Because that’s what brings everybody down—no matter what you do, you’re always going to have haters.”

On how she caught the acting bug: “My parents had Grease lying around, and I watched that and fell in love with it. It was interesting to see people moving stories along with songs—it was exciting and different. West Side Story was one of my favorites. [High School Musical] was the best thing that could and possibly will ever happen to me. I got to make lifelong friends. I had the most incredible time of my life.”

Vanessa’s Parade cover will be in Sunday’s newspapers nationwide this weekend, July 26. Bandslam hits theaters Friday, August 14.

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Vanessa Hudgens Naked! In The Future! Possibly! (Again!)

2009-05-21T21:39:00.000-07:00

The High School Musical kids have graduated. And what does that mean? For Zac Efron it means becoming a star in his own right.

For the majority of the other High School Musical cast it means getting a supermarket job and spending day after day waiting for a vague recognition from customers that never comes. And for Vanessa Hudgens it means getting naked and slapping her tits and clodge about with wild abandon in every single film she ever makes.

Really. Vanessa Hudgens said so, “if the movie calls for it.” Which it will, because it’ll almost certainly be porn.

Remember when those naked Vanessa Hudgens photos turned up on the internet? Yes, so do we. It was a much simpler time back then - before Miley Cyrus came along with her adult boyfriend and her love of taking her clothes off with such deadening regularity that we’ve all become desensitised to it.

We’re not the only ones who miss the good old days of seeing Vanessa Hudgens naked, either. Vanessa Hudgens seems to miss it just as much. In fact - if you ignore the three films she made where her sole contribution was singing a procession of blank-eyed songs about believing in yourself - getting naked on the internet is the only thing that Vanessa Hudgens has done in her entire life.

And now that her fellow former tweensters are growing up and starring in bad remakes of Big with the crap one from Friends, it’s possibly time for Vanessa Hudgens to revisit her glory days. MSNBC reports:

“I will show nudity in a film when the time is right,” Hudgens, 20, said in an interview with E! Online. “Right now, I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing it. When the time’s right, if it’s an amazing movie that I’m really passionate about and that’s what it calls for, then we’ll see.”

Did you hear that? If, in several years’ time, Vanessa Hudgens is offered a role in a film that’s obviously beyond her artistic capabilities and calls for a fleeting glimpse of sideboob or a blurred shot of a buttock, then there’s a slim chance that Vanessa Hudgens will disrobe for it. SHE’S DEFINITELY GETTING NAKED AGAIN! PARTY TIME!!

Although, to throw water on our own alarmingly horny bonfire, what’s the point? We’ve already seen Vanessa Hudgens naked once, so it’s hardly going to get anyone excited to hear that she’s going to do it again. Not unless she’s decided to shave her pubes into the shape of a dragon or plans to show us a part of her naked body that we haven’t seen before, like the back of one of her knees or the underside of a toenail or something. Because then we’d be there like a shot.

And before you say it - no, Vanessa Hudgens publicly declaring her willingness to be naked on film isn’t a sign of desperation at all. In fact the last person to do anything remotely like this was Jessica Simpson, and she’s one of the most famous women on Earth. Oh, wait, no, it isn’t 2004 any more. Oh God, Hudgens, you’re doomed.

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Vanessa Hudgens: Snapshot

2009-05-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

As the smart, sugary sweet songbird Gabriella Montez on the Disney Channel megahit High School Musical, Vanessa Hudgens became tweens' favorite girl next door. But her pristine image took on some tarnish in September 2007 when a nude photo of the teen (taken prior to her fame) surfaced on the web.

The notoriety hasn't hurt the California native. At 13, she made her TV debut on an episode of Still Standing before landing the role that would make her a teen idol and introduce her to real-life love, heartthrob Zac Efron. Riding on her HSM fame, Hudgens released two solo albums (2006's V and 2008's Identified), endorsed Neutrogena, took her relationship with Efron public, reprised her role in HSM2 and HSM3: Senior Year, and landed on PEOPLE's Most Beautiful list.

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Pre-E3 2009: Disney Sing It: Pop Hits Hands-on

2009-05-16T00:23:00.000-07:00

If you felt the need to read this story, chances are that you know all about the Disney Sing It franchise. Here, songs from your favorite Disney movies and shows are gathered, packaged with their appropriate music videos, and put together as a karaoke videogame. You croon, fill in on-screen phrase bars with your vocals, and bank mad points.

Basically, it's the format of every karaoke videogame out there, but the tunes are all from the House of Mouse -- or at least they were.

Today, I got to rock a mic connected to Disney Sing It: Pop Hits. Set for a fall release on the PlayStation 3 and Wii, Pop Hits adds a number of gameplay modes, but the biggest addition are a number of tracks from folks who aren't part of your regularly scheduled Disney Channel programming. Sure, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Jesse McCartney, and more from Mickey's turf are on this disc, but so are Coldplay, Duffy, OneRepublic, Maroon 5, and Colbie Caillat. Although it might seem odd, the reasoning behind this mix is that Disney is trying to broaden Sing It's reach and these artists are already appearing on Radio Disney, so it's a good fit.

I took the title through its paces with a rendition of "Bubbly" by Miss Caillat, and the Sing It Solo mode remains largely unchanged. The music video played, my voice appeared on the screen as a color, and I used that color to fill in the phrase bars that told be how long to make a syllable or word. Although I didn't get to try it out in this demo, players will be able to create 10-song set lists before they set out on a single-player performance. Also returning this time around is Sing It Pro, a tutorial hosted by a Disney star. This time, Tiffany Thornton from the show Sunny with a Chance is on hand to teach noobs how to play the game as well as how to riff and harmonize.

Making their debut this time around are Sing It Encore and Diva Mode. After you complete a song and scope stats that include the number of spoken words you nailed and the longest note sung, you can kick on Encore and play back your performance (the artist vocals and music video play back as well). In Diva Mode, you square off against a friend and whoever gets the highest score is announced as the diva. When you're singing solo, you can select to rock You're On Your Own. Here, the scoring and words are removed so that you're just singing from memory. In the end, you see how you did. Disney Sing It: Pop Hits is also packing a number of in-game awards, which are likely to have some connection to Trophies on the PS3, that note when you nail certain in-game moments. The game is still open for up to eight-players.

My taste was short (the demo only had a few of the game's 30 tracks, and most of the ones that were there didn't ring any bells) and the company isn't releasing a full track list yet (although I did see a Vanessa Hudgens video running at one point), but Disney Sing It: Pop Hits seems interesting. One of Sing It's biggest flaws in the past has been that it appeals to such a niche audience. It'll be interesting to see if bringing in outside ringers will make the game a bit more rounded. Be on the lookout for Sing It news as we barrel towards E3.

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Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year

2009-05-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

As it is the case for most Disney games, I'm assuming you're here because you're either a fan of HSM and actually want to read about this game or you're someone who smells blood in the water and wants to see me rip this title apart.

Sorry, trolls, this game's OK and the review's going to be more informative than destructive. Still, if you're looking for a cheap shot: why the hell are the guys so set against going to the prom in "A Night to Remember?" Don't they know that this is their best chance to get laid? Be excited, weirdoes.

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Oscars rewind

2009-05-09T22:45:00.000-07:00

Later on, a grand musical number meant to signify the return of the movie-musical began with a solo from Jackman. Soon, however, the stage filled with backup dancers and a few surprise celebrities. First, Beyoncé appeared from underneath the stage and sang a medley of songs with Jackman. They were then joined by the likes of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens ( High School Musical 3) and Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper ( Mamma Mia!), who helped them finish the number with bravado.

The rest of the show continued uphill, entertaining viewers with engaging montages of many films from the past year. I hope the 82nd Academy Awards is just as good next year, if not, the awards show might just lose its appeal.

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Vanessa Hudgens is a Caras Cover Girl

2009-05-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Hudgens takes the June 2009 cover of Brazil magazine, Caras.

Now we know what the 20-year-old actress and boyfriend Zac Efron were really doing in Brazil!

Vanessa dished about her music plans, musicals and what she loves about Brazil. Check it:

On if she’d make another musical in the future: “Without a doubt. But right now, I want something more mature to perhaps shock the fans. I’m only 20 and can’t play a high school student forever. I want other challenges.”

On her next album and musical background: “I started singing because of Celine Dion. I couldn’t stop singing her songs, so I became a singer. Also I adore Christina Aguilera and I listened to her album, Stripped. I thought, ‘She is this insane person,’ but I love her sound. I want to discover my style and when people hear it, I want them to know that it’s me. For the next record, I plan to write songs based on my experiences.”

On what she loves about Brazil: “[It's] incredible. The water is clear and pretty. It’s not cold as Los Angeles (in January). I use these trips to my advantage so I can relax and find a peace of mind. It is good because I come back refreshed. In the States, it’s still a bit cold and I adore heat. I love walking barefoot and having contact with nature here, but I don’t like the ants.”

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year Extended Edition DVD Review

2009-05-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

After having enormous success on the Disney Channel, the High School Musical franchise finally made its debut on the big screen with High School Musical 3: Senior Year. The film follows the Wildcats in their senior year as they deal with moving on from East High and going to college and leaving behind all of the memories that they have made over the past couple of years. The six main actors from the first two films also return along with director and choreographer Kenny Ortega. So, what’s different about this version of High School Musical, besides the fact that it was the first film released on the big screen? Well, it’s bigger, better, and features even more energy and life than the previous two films.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year opens up at half time of the Wildcats’ championship game against The West High Knights. The Wildcats are trailing with only sixteen minutes left in the game and they need a miracle in order to pull off a victory. They are led by Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu). The team also features a young player by the name of Rocket Man, played by Matt Prokop. Troy also has the support of his girlfriend Gabriella, played by the lovely Vanessa Hudgens. Will the Wildcats be able to pull off the victory and cement their legacy as champions once again?

Come on, people, this is High School Musical we’re talking about here. I’m just glad that the film doesn’t end with a big basketball game and the big shot. Then we would really be following the movie clichés.

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8 Reasons Why the Oscars Bombed This Year

2009-04-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

Was it just me, or were the Oscars like the longest episode of "American Idol" ever? First, Ryan Seacrest interviewed all the contestants—oops, make that nominees—on the red carpet. Then, the stage was suspiciously similar to the circular "Idol" platform, and the live show began with a musical number from host Hugh Jackman. The first winner was announced by a panel, though unfortunately Paula Abdul wasn't on it. And at some point in the evening, Jackman appeared with Beyonce, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens to cover a strange assortment of Broadway tunes.
That latter number was awfully schizophrenic, and it only made sense when we learned that it was directed by the king of excess himself, Baz Luhrmann. The flashy, uneven choreography summed up the entire evening. This year was the Academy's biggest push to make the Oscars young and more relevant. Too bad they failed, even worse than when they tapped Jon Stewart as host. Throughout the telecast, my BlackBerry buzzed with messages from friends, all in their 20s, about how un-hip and un-young and unwatchable the Oscars felt.

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Celebrity photos: Drew Barrymore, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, ‘The Office’ cast and more

2009-04-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

Drew Barrymore (AP Photo/Evan Agostini), Jessica Lange and Jeanne Tripplehorn of “Grey Gardens” attend the premiere of the HBO film in New York on Tuesday. Also on hand were actors Justin Long, Sam Shepard and TV personality Jimmy Fallon.

Zac Efron with cast members Michelle Trachtenberg, Leslie Mann and Matthew Perry for the Los Angeles premiere of “17 Again” on Tuesday. They were joined in the celebration by Vanessa Hudgens, the remaining “American Idol” finalists, the Jonas Brothers and more.

“The Office” celebrates the show’s 100th episode Tuesday at the Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, Calif., with cake all around for actors Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, Brian Baumgartner, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Mindy Kaling, and Kate Flannery.

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Album Review: Vanessa Hudgens

2009-04-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

There's something on this album for everyone. Vanessa mixes the slow romantic songs and upbeat tunes that you would have heard her sing in the High School Musical films with fast tempo dance tracks.
The single Identified will definitely be a hit! It's very catchy and you'll be dancing around your bedroom to it non-stop.
Don't Ask Why sounds like something Gabriella should be singing to Troy - a must for fans of the film.
The last song on the album Gone With The Wind really shows how good a singer Vanessa Hudgens is.

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Vanessa Hudgens Gets 'Weird' In 'Bandslam'

2009-04-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

With the release of Zac Efron's "17 Again" on April 17, it's "High School Musical" alumni week. MTV News is going to catch you up on what the future holds for all of your favorite East High Wildcats!

Just when Vanessa Hudgens thought she was leaving the cozy confines of high school musicals behind, she is making her way back into theaters this summer in the teen musical comedy "Bandslam."

Although her new character Sam is nothing like the squeaky-clean Gabriella in the "High School Musical" flicks, Hudgens was surprised to learn that much like "HSM," "Bandslam" would mean that she would once again have to sing for her supper.

"I didn't think it would be this much music when I came here," she told MTV News on the set of "Bandslam" in Austin, Texas, last year. "And they are like, 'We are going to have two weeks of music rehearsals,' and I was like, 'What?' But it was really cool. It's definitely not the kind of music I do normally.

"It's more rock and actually I play guitar in it, and I had to learn and I was really nervous because I didn't want to look stupid," she said about having to learn to play an instrument for the film. "But I think I pulled it off — I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

Luckily for Hudgens, though, she wouldn't have to reprise her role as the nice girl next door. In "Bandslam," she plays a "weird," gritty high school student, an opportunity that Hudgens welcomed.

"Playing Sam was a lot of fun for me because it's so opposite of me," she explained. "And it's just so opposite of the characters that I've been playing. I just kind of get dressed, do my lines and the way I say them and everything — I just kind of get into it. I just get to create a new person and I just kind of get into it."

For the movie — about a group of teens who find love and friendship while preparing for their school's battle of the bands — Hudgens got a chance to cover a bunch of songs, her favorite being "Everything I Own" by Bread. "We kind of make it our own," she said about the song. "It's very ska-esque, so it's all about the up-strum ... it's a lot of fun."

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Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens out of High School Musical 4

2009-04-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

A FOURTH instalment of the teenage hit High School Musical will hit TV screens next year but it won't feature its two stars Zac Efron and his real-life girlfriend, Vanessa Hudgens.

A Disney studio statement last night said High School Musical 4 will feature a love triangle "set against the cross-town rivalry between the East High Wildcats and West High Knights."

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Judge orders 'High School Musical' star Vanessa Hudgens to pay producer $1,500 in lawsuit

2009-04-05T04:04:00.000-07:00

"High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens must answer questions about her endorsement deals from lawyers for a man suing her, claiming she owes him $5 million, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Malcolm Mackey also ordered the 20-year-old singer/actress to pay Johnny Vieira's attorneys $1,500 in attorneys' fees for having to go to court and get the order.

Mackey's directive means Hudgens must answer written questions about endorsement deals she had with Neutrogena beauty products, Ecko clothing and accessories and Revolution Clothing and other companies.

Hudgens' lawyers maintained the questions were not relevant to the current lawsuit.

Vieira is suing the 20-year-old singer/actress for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty, and is also asking that a private settlement they agreed on when they parted be rescinded.

The music producer says that after he filed the lawsuit Aug. 11, he found out that Hudgens allegedly withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars she owes him from contracts to promote companies such as Ecko, Neutrogena and Revolution Clothing.

Vieira is also suing the starlet's father, Greg Hudgens, for defamation, saying he wrote in e-mails that Vieira was a "predator" who preyed upon young artists.

Hudgens and her father maintain Vieira received all the money he is entitled to under the private settlement agreement. They also say Hudgens has instructed a recording company to give him executive producer credit on her albums, so they want Mackey to dismiss the case. He is scheduled to hear their motion April 1.

Hudgens' attorney Melissa B. Bonfiglio has characterized the lawsuit as a contract dispute with no evidence that Hudgens did not live up to her obligations. She also says Vieira was the only one who received Greg Hudgens' e- mails.

But Vieira says in a sworn declaration that he was the one who saw something special in Hudgens when he heard her sing at age 16 with a girl group.

"I did my best to help Vanessa secure a record contract," Vieira states in a declaration opposing dismissal of his case. "I worked with her on her vocals, wrote songs and music for her, scheduled meetings with some of the biggest record labels in town and fulfilled all my obligations."

He says their agreement called for Vieira to equally share in advances, royalties and merchandising from Hudgens' career before she obtained her role in "High School Musical," but that she later turned her back on him.

"As soon as Vanessa landed a lead role in Disney's 'High School Musical,' she attempted to get rid of me," Vieira says. "Although Vanessa had no basis to terminate our agreement, I was pressured into a settlement agreement with her ... with the promise of remaining a member of her team."

Vieira further says that although his financial interest was reduced significantly after the settlement, he wanted to continue assisting Hudgens in her career.

"The main goal of each agreement was to help Vanessa become a pop star, which required both of us to work hard and contribute our creativity and talents to that goal," Vieira states.

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Back to Junior Varsity for Disney’s “High School Musical” Franchise

2009-04-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

The Walt Disney Company has cut the “High School Musical” franchise from its varsity line-up, announcing that a fourth installment – with all new lead actors - will premiere on television instead of the big screen. “High School Musical 4,” set for a 2010 premiere, will feature a storyline built around a rivalry with a cross-town school, said Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for Disney Channels Worldwide.
Unclear at this early stage is whether Kenny Ortega, the director of the first three movies, will return. What is clear is that Zak Efron and Vanessa Hudgens will not reprise their starring roles, although some of the franchise’s more minor characters may pop up to add continuity. The writer of the last three movies, Peter Barsocchini, will also pen the new screenplay.

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Films - HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR

2009-04-03T04:03:00.000-07:00

Seniors Troy and Gabriella face the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. With incredible new music and exciting dance numbers designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers plenty of high-energy entertainment from East High's talented ensemble.

HSM3 is 'tween dream on the big screen, topping them all with one dazzling sequence after another. The boys -- and the girls -- are back in style.

Story

What story? Does it really matter? Basically, the Wildcats have graduated to the big screen for their senior year with the daunting task of -- guess what? -- putting on a big show. In addition to performance anxiety, the singing and dancing kids must also figure out what to wear and who to bring to the prom. Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), in particular, have to figure out what is to become of their romance when Gaby goes to Stanford, while Troy stays in Arizona. Adding to the drama is the fact representatives from Julliard will be in attendance at the show and their approval could be just the showbiz break these young talents are looking for. All of this interstitial storytelling is just an excuse to launch into one of the 10 big musical numbers written for this theatrical continuation of the enormously successful Emmy-winning Disney Channel TV films, and although the songs seem to have come out of the same cookie cutter mold, the production values make this HSM an eye-popping celebration of song and dance that's pure entertainment from start to finish.

Acting

This attractive and energetic young cast have used the two previous films to grow into their roles and win instant audience recognition. It's in the expanded and more demanding musical numbers that everyone really gets their turn in the sun, and no one disappoints. Zac Efron channels Justin Timberlake with his athletic and singular "Scream," a breakdance against the walls of the school's hallway that's pretty damn thrilling to watch. It's the hip-hop equivalent of Fred Astaire's classic dance on the ceiling in 1950's Royal Wedding. Equally effective is his intense auto junkyard number with Corbin Bleu (returning as Chad), "The Boys Are Back," is a lively paean to Michael Jackson's '80s videos like Beat It. Hudgens does nicely with the largely forgettable ballads "Walk Away" and "Right Here Right Now" (with Efron). Lucas Grabeel, back as Ryan, goes all top hat and tails on us in the Broadway inspired "I Want It All" -- opposite diva-like Sharpay, played with conniving authority once again by Ashley Tisdale. Monique Coleman as Taylor is right at home here as well along with the other veteran of the earlier films Olesya Rulin as Kelsi. Assuming the series goes on after graduation, a new generation of HSM performers will be required and that is the apparent reason for the generous screen time given to younger, newer cast members: Matt Prokop, Justin Martin and young British import Jemma McKenzieBrown.

Direction

With director/choreographer Kenny Ortega at the helm, the HSM concept has been opened up to fill the expanse of the big screen. At its core, the musical numbers are much, MUCH larger and grandiose than they ever were in the TV films. Ortega and his team have used bright vivid Technicolor images reminiscent of the heyday of '50s Hollywood musicals and married it to a contemporary approach. Still, he seems to be channeling in some ways the elaborate Busby Berkeley movie musicals of the '30s, particularly in Grabeel's set pieces. Clearly, Ortega 'gets it' and knows what style and verve a musical like this needs -- no matter how young the intended audience. Having the luxury of directing most of his primary cast in the two previous HSM TV outings, he takes that small-screen energy and lets it explode in all its widescreen glory.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 3 1/2 stars.

* Cast:Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Olesya Rulin, Chris Warren Jr., Ryne Sanborn, Kaycee Stroh, Bart Johnson
* Director:Kenny Ortega
* Producer:Bill Borden
* Writer:Peter Barsocchini
* Duration:100
* Official Site:http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/highschoolmusical3/
* Release:In Cinemas Now
* Genre:Musical
* Distributor:Walt Disney Pictures

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Ashley Tisdale is Puerco Espin Pretty

2009-03-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

BFFs Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens and Brittany Snow cover their faces after taking a pilates class together in Studio City on Wednesday afternoon (February 25).
The three BFFs were joined by good friends Samantha Droke (from Princess Protection Program) and Caroline Clark (she’s an awesome singer).
Ashley, 23, was just named the face of Puerco Espin, one of the most famous clothing brands in Italy for teen girls, according to MediaKey TV.
Fabio Castelli, director of the creative marketing group Five Season shared, “For our brand, which is well established in the market, Ashley Tisdale is the perfect choice. She’s now a legend throughout the world, her image is very stylish.”

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year

2009-03-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

Back to Junior Varsity for Disney’s “High School Musical” Franchise

2009-03-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, in “High School Musical 3,” will not return for the fourth installment, due in 2010.

The Walt Disney Company has cut the “High School Musical” franchise from its varsity line-up, announcing that a fourth installment – with all new lead actors - will premiere on television instead of the big screen. “High School Musical 4,” set for a 2010 premiere, will feature a storyline built around a rivalry with a cross-town school, said Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for Disney Channels Worldwide.

Unclear at this early stage is whether Kenny Ortega, the director of the first three movies, will return. What is clear is that Zak Efron and Vanessa Hudgens will not reprise their starring roles, although some of the franchise’s more minor characters may pop up to add continuity. The writer of the last three movies, Peter Barsocchini, will also pen the new screenplay.

“High School Musical 3: Senior Year” moved the franchise – a giant business for Disney with merchandise, theme park and music extensions – from television to theaters. It sold a huge $250 million in tickets worldwide, but its songs had less of a cultural impact than those from the second installment in the series.

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Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens out of High School Musical 4

2009-03-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

A FOURTH instalment of the teenage hit High School Musical will hit TV screens next year but it won't feature its two stars Zac Efron and his real-life girlfriend, Vanessa Hudgens.

A Disney studio statement last night said High School Musical 4 will feature a love triangle "set against the cross-town rivalry between the East High Wildcats and West High Knights."

Gallery: High School Musical 3 Premiere

Gallery: HSM's nude former star Vanessa Hudgens

Gallery: High School Musical 3's honey Ashley Tisdale

Gallery: High School Musical hunk graduate Zac Efron

Gallery: The Aussie cast of High School Musical

Peter Barsocchini, who wrote High School Musical 1, 2 and 3, is back in as screenwriter, while Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush will once again executive produce the project.

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Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year Review

2009-03-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

What's up, reader? I'm Greg Miller, and I'm IGN's go-to dude for singing games. SingStar, Karaoke Revolution and a handful of other crooning titles have found their way into my hands and today, I'm tackling Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year. As it is the case for most Disney games, I'm assuming you're here because you're either a fan of HSM and actually want to read about this game or you're someone who smells blood in the water and wants to see me rip this title apart.

Sorry, trolls, this game's OK and the review's going to be more informative than destructive. Still, if you're looking for a cheap shot: why the hell are the guys so set against going to the prom in "A Night to Remember?" Don't they know that this is their best chance to get laid? Be excited, weirdoes.

Anyway, Sing It: HSM3 is your standard karaoke videogame. You get 25 songs from all three movies and the actual film clips where the song is preformed. You'll pick a song, the video will start, words will light up on the bottom of the screen and you need to sing those syllables in a way that fills in pitch/timing bars above the text. At the end, you're score is compiled based on how well you did. Basically, this is a HSM-themed version of SingStar. Sure, the fact that Sing It sticks with one theme means it's going to have limited appeal and it doesn't come close to touching SingStar's bells and whistles on PS2/PS3, but the game actually outdoes its inspiration in a pretty significant way. Sing It tosses in a vocal ball that allows you to see what pitch you're singing in at all times. SingStar doesn't do that, so it can be a guessing game as to how you need to adjust your vocal performance. Aside from that, you can also preview an entire song and video from the list of tracks, although the controls for cycling the songs can be finicky.

And in that short little paragraph, I've pretty much summed up the Sing It experience. There are solo modes (you can sing without any instructions on the screen, create set lists, and just croon by yourself) and multiplayer options (duet, versus, set lists, and team play for up to eight singers), but basically you're just singing High School Musical songs in a tried and true karaoke videogame format without any frills. There is no EyeToy support like in the PS2 SingStars, and the music videos that play behind the lyrics only look passable; there's a tendency to have some pixilation with the vids, and that sucks. It's not as bad as the ugly HSM cartoon characters, but it seems like the videos could've been cleaned up.

Still, the presentation is decent -- slick, easy to navigate menus that play the songs you're scoping -- but there really isn't that much more to the title. Where SingStar PS3 excels is that it packs a bunch of songs on the disc, has a store to download more, and has a profile system similar to that of Facebook; Sing It: HSM3 lacks anything like that. Sing It doesn't even have the party games and camera support of the PS2 SingStars. You just have 25 songs to run through and then you're done. The team mode is just duet or versus and doesn't feature any kind of creative game; you can't turn off the original vocal track to isolate your singing; and other than the scoreboard, there's nothing to chase.

Everything works well and is pretty, but how long will 25 tracks last you?

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High School Musical: Remix

2009-03-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

If only real-life high school had been for me what it is for the student body of the fictitious Albuquerque of High School Musical. No real-life adolescence could remotely begin to replicate the smiles on the faces of these students. You know why? Because this is Disney. In all Disney Channel Original’s there are small obstacles that must be overcome, sure, but by the end the plastic characters always reach euphoria, and life settles into that easy going routine that could never be achieved anywhere else.

The story starts with the “it” boy, the star basketball player of a team going to the championship game, and a new girl who’s always been known as the brainiest in the class. Their first two encounters are a throwback to another high school musical, the 1978 song and dance flick Grease.

Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) meet during winter vacation, expecting never to see one another again—but when classes begin, they discover they now go to the same school. (Oh boy!) Thankfully, Troy dropped Danny Zuko’s “tough guy” exterior for this modern rendition of the exact same opening film sequence, and instead of playing it cool in front of his pals, Troy’s excited at the coincidence.

After reuniting and reminiscing about their karaoke adventure over the break, Troy and Gabriella find themselves inadvertently auditioning for the school musical and landing call backs—only it’s on the same day as the basketball championship and Gabriella’s science competition. What are they going to do? True to form, Disney’s given us likable characters, goals and obstacles—and all the audience needs to do is sit back and watch as the clever leads and ensemble cast sidestep the predicaments, all the while joining each other for choreographed dance routines and never once singing off key.

In order to do this movie justice, I’ll need to give my recommendations separately, divided into two groups.

Children, teens, Disney fans:

See this movie! It’s entertaining for a teen mindset and extremely colorful. The characters are nicely fleshed out with a good mixture of school-related drama and a splash of at-home family drama. Efron and Hudgens are attractive, sweet and endearing (and an off-screen couple too!), which makes for the perfect movie for a young teen in puppy love to live vicariously through the characters. The songs are fairly catchy and upbeat adding a very Disney energy.

Adults, anyone looking for something other than a made-for-TV movie:

Do not see this movie! I actually like other Disney Channel movies like Brink! and Johnny Tsunami. Was it the subject matter? Or the fact that HSM is a musical that makes it especially cheesy? Were the 90s movies just better? It’s hard to say. The story was perfectly fine. The acting from most characters was all right, especially because the over-the-top cartoonish quality was actually demanded of the actors. But the dance sequences. Oh the dance sequences. The musical numbers in High School Musical were nearly unbearable.

For instance, one part that I found particularly cheesy because of its contradictory quality, was on the basketball court. Just moments after Troy is berated by his basketball buddies for wanting to sing in the school play, the team joins together for a choreographed gymnasium number, uniformed and all. The basketball moves are even incorporated into the dance.

This is something I’ve never fully understood about musicals—are the characters not aware that they’ve just sung and/or danced? In films like Moulin Rouge or Chicago (both Oscar winning), the characters seem aware when they’ve broken out into song at random—or at least it’s masked by a dream sequence of sorts. But in the far-from-Oscar-nominated High School Musical, the characters seem aloof most of the time to this. Otherwise, the basketball team would not sashay across the court.

In general, it’s important the audience isn’t aware of blatant irony fixed into the story, but here I suppose it’s relatively allowable being that it is after all a musical, and of course, that it’s Disney. And in a Disney movie, no matter what the basketball team has said in the past—it will end up singing and dancing to best prepare for the big game.

The four long years of real-life high school would be much more tolerable if every struggle culminated with the entire school in all smiles. For most people it’ll be too contrived to be enjoyable, but it’s cute and fun for a younger audience. Although completely unrealistic, good for Disney that it’s been it’s M.O. for decades to churn a fairytale out of something as unpleasant as high school.

DVD Extra Features:

The Remix edition Blu-ray is loaded with extras that anyone in the “Children, teens, Disney fans” category will love. It’s got a “Making Of” section, and a “Reunion” section in which the actors are interviewed. These two will be fan-favorites.

The extras get a huge helping of Disney in the three sections in which the audience is invited to sing/dance along with sequences, after they’ve completed the “Learning the Moves” section. And also—there are five “Music Videos” that feature the various musical numbers and the actors creating the sequences for the film, in the recording studio and on the set. The extras are just about as teeny-bopper as it gets, but it’s on par with the movie itself, so as far as extras go—it’s swimming in them.

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Ashley Tisdale is Puerco Espin Pretty

2009-03-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

BFFs Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens and Brittany Snow cover their faces after taking a pilates class together in Studio City on Wednesday afternoon (February 25).

The three BFFs were joined by good friends Samantha Droke (from Princess Protection Program) and Caroline Clark (she’s an awesome singer).

Ashley, 23, was just named the face of Puerco Espin, one of the most famous clothing brands in Italy for teen girls, according to MediaKey TV.

Fabio Castelli, director of the creative marketing group Five Season shared, “For our brand, which is well established in the market, Ashley Tisdale is the perfect choice. She’s now a legend throughout the world, her image is very stylish.”

10+ pics inside of pilates princesses Ashley, Vanessa, Brittany, Sam and Caroline…

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year Extended Edition DVD Review

2009-03-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

After having enormous success on the Disney Channel, the High School Musical franchise finally made its debut on the big screen with High School Musical 3: Senior Year. The film follows the Wildcats in their senior year as they deal with moving on from East High and going to college and leaving behind all of the memories that they have made over the past couple of years. The six main actors from the first two films also return along with director and choreographer Kenny Ortega. So, what’s different about this version of High School Musical, besides the fact that it was the first film released on the big screen? Well, it’s bigger, better, and features even more energy and life than the previous two films.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year opens up at half time of the Wildcats’ championship game against The West High Knights. The Wildcats are trailing with only sixteen minutes left in the game and they need a miracle in order to pull off a victory. They are led by Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu). The team also features a young player by the name of Rocket Man, played by Matt Prokop. Troy also has the support of his girlfriend Gabriella, played by the lovely Vanessa Hudgens. Will the Wildcats be able to pull off the victory and cement their legacy as champions once again?

Come on, people, this is High School Musical we’re talking about here. I’m just glad that the film doesn’t end with a big basketball game and the big shot. Then we would really be following the movie clichés.

After the big game, Gabriella and Troy are trying to figure out what to do after high school ends and how it’s going to affect their relationship. They are so used to being with each other that they’re basically codependent. As of right now, though, they’re trying to get things to slow down and just relax and enjoy each and every moment with each other.

As far as Sharpay Evans, played by Ashley Tisdale, she’s looking for a personal assistant and ends up hiring a British exchange student named Tiara Gold (Jemma Mckenzie-Brown). She’s also looking to get her big break in the spring musical, which is led by Ms. Darbus and Kelsi. The musical is about their final days at East High and it deals with their insecurities, fears, and worries about the future. Also, Ms. Darbus announces that Troy, Kelsi, Ryan, and Sharpay are all being considered for a scholarship to Julliard.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year also deals with the almighty prom. Yes, the senior prom, one of the most sacred and cherished events of the high school experience. Speaking of prom, Chad better hurry up and ask out Taylor (Monique Coleman) to prom before it’s too late and she finds another date. Ryan and Kelsi are also spending a lot of time together because of their passion for music.

Yes, it’s a busy senior year at East High and it’s only going to get busier as the year progresses.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is the best High School Musical film because at this stage all of the actors are completely comfortable with these characters and they know them like the back of their hand. Now that they understand their characters so well, they’re able to just relax and focus on the performance aspect of the film. The relationships and friendships look effortless on camera, especially the relationship between Vanessa and Zac. It probably helps that they’re dating in real life.

The film is also interesting because not only are the characters graduating in the film; the actors are also graduating from this franchise. They will have to venture outside of their comfort zone and stay relevant and interesting in today’s entertainment world. Out of the six lead actors, I see Ashley Tisdale having the brightest future because of her versatility. As far as Vanessa Hudgens, I’d like to see her do something a little edgier in the future. We know she can play the sweet and innocent role, but I’d like to see her do something that surprises people.

Zac Efron looks like he’s ready to move on from the franchise and do something different. That’s not to say that he doesn’t give it his all in this film. He still gives it one hundred and ten percent, but he also looks like he’s sort of tapped out. The relationship between Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman was also a bright spot in the film, and I liked how their romance was portrayed in an innocent and sweet way. Even though they are full of confidence, they’re still nervous about asking each other out.

The soundtrack for the film is also off the hook. Yes, I said off the hook. The opening track in the film, Now or Never, is an upbeat tune that properly establishes the drama of the big basketball game. The love songs are also memorable, including Right Here, Right Now, Can I Have This Dance, and Just Wanna Be With You. Each song describes what Gabriella and Troy are dealing with in a way that is heartfelt but also catchy.

The best song in the film, without a doubt, is I Want It All, performed by Ashley Tisdale. It’s a big song and Tisdale nails it. It’s also a big dance number that Kenny Ortega hits out of the park with plenty of flare and charm. Corbin Bleu and Zac Efron also have fun with the nostalgic tune, The Boys Are Back. Efron channels Kevin Bacon in Footloose with the rock song, Scream, while Vanessa Hudgens shows off her angelic voice in the tune Just Walk Away. Finally, the film ends on an upbeat note with the song, High School Musical, which features lyrics such as, “High School Musical, It's the best part we've ever known.”

This is true.

In terms of this website, I’m probably alone in my admiration for High School Musical. But that’s OK. The other day, someone described it to me as our generation’s Grease, and I couldn’t agree more. So, what’s changed since then? Well, in my opinion, we’ve gotten a lot more cynical since Grease and we have a hard time watching a film that’s harmless fun without any violence, sex, or swearing.

Yes, High School Musical is not going to win any Oscars and it’s never going to be on the IMDB Top 250. Yes, you’re probably annoyed by all of the High School Musical merchandise that floods your local Walmart. Yes, it’s aimed at a particular demographic. Yes, it’s silly and over the top.

That being said, when I walk into a film called High School Musical, I expect two things. First and foremost, I expect a film that tackles different high school problems, such as relationships, moving on after high school, friendship, college decisions, etc. High School Musical 3: Senior Year deals with all of that and more. I also expect some good music and the music in High School Musical 3: Senior Year is really, really good and really, really catchy.

So, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Video:

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is presented in anamorphic widescreen. (1.85:1 aspect ratio) The DVD transfer is extremely colorful and full of life, just like the film itself.

Audio:

The audio is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital and all of your favorite songs from the movie can be heard loud and clear.

Special Features:

This is the extended version of the film and it features an extra scene that helps showcase more of the drama of senior year.

We are treated to eight deleted scenes that total six minutes in running time. Most of the scenes are really quick and add nothing new to the story. One interesting scene, though, fleshes out the “relationship” between Kelsi and Ryan.

Two minutes of bloopers are also featured on this DVD.

Night of Nights: This is a prom featurette that includes interviews with the cast, as they offer their insights on the prom experience. The guys are supposed to hate it, but once they see the girl of their dreams all dressed up, that hatred goes out the window. Oh, girls also take forever to get ready. What else is new? This feature runs at seven minutes.

It’s All in the Dress: This is a two minute featurette that explains the prom dresses for each female character in the film. This feature runs at two minutes.

Cast Goodbyes: This is a five-minute featurette that includes lots of crying and lots of reminiscing from the cast, as they say goodbye to this very popular franchise.. Even Efron cries!

Sing Along with the Movie: See if you’re as good as Zac Efron or Vanessa Hudgens, as you get a chance to sing along to all of the songs in the movie.

You also get a digital copy of the film with this DVD.

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year

2009-03-01T12:50:00.000-08:00

In the final segment of the musical sensation, the gang of East High experience their senior year as it ends all too soon for their liking.

The euphoric life of the East High seniors is made even better through their rhythmic songs and choreography. Worry-free for the most part, their main concerns are having too much fun, making their senior year last longer and of course, what to wear to the prom.

For their big screen debut, "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" made sure to be as big as possible. The sets were bigger, the choreography more intricate and entertaining and the songs better and catchier than ever. "High School Musical 3" follows the gang on their final performance for their spring play. They recreate their senior year and all the feelings that accompany it—the joys, stresses and decisions that have to be made.

Like in the previous films, Troy Bolton, played by Zac Efron, struggles with a decision. Basketball or theater? Time is up though as this Wildcat’s last days at East High School come near and he must decide. To add to Troy’s dilemma, with Gabriella, played by Vanessa Hudgens, going away to college in California, will their Disney love be strong enough to keep them together?

As we watch Troy and the others experience their last year of high school, the scenes are 100 times better than ever before. Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth, Bolton’s sidekick, gets more film time and we get to see his talent as a performer. Efron has visibly grown as he takes us through different genres of music (mostly boy band music and some rock) in his performances to show us Troy’s frustrations behind his seemingly perfect life. He even does a number on a rotating hallway—very N’SYNC. His steps are more advanced, and his lungs explode in “The Boys are Back” and “Scream.”

As for the rest of the gang, Hudgens as Gabriella hasn’t changed much from the previous films as she continues to serenade her feelings for Troy in exaggerated expressions and cheesy smiles. Ashley Tisdale got less screen time but her scene, “I Want It All,” that expresses her love of showbiz, has to be one of the most memorable and best performances she has given as resident bad girl Sharpay Evans.

Supporting actors, Lucas Grabeel as Sharpay’s twin brother Ryan Evans and Olesya Rulin as composer Kelsi Nielsen finally get the recognition they need. In this final segment, we learn that they too have talents and they get their own time to shine in the spotlight.

Although it lacks a complicated plot, by making Troy’s adolescent decisions the main point of the movie, it’s enough to keep its teenage audience interested because it is a recurring point that runs throughout all three films. This is the end of that link and by addressing the issues teens face at the end of their high school experience, the third segment captures your attention with the musical performances. Parents will also enjoy it, however much they might deny it, because it remains PG by only showing one kiss between the star couple. Besides, what more can you expect from a Disney movie? A movie that has up until now been made for the Disney Channel? The leap they made to the big screen came with the appropriate changes for a teen sensation musical. It even hinted at a possible fourth installment by introducing three new, younger characters to continue the legacy.

In a Grease-esque final performance, the excitement oozes through the screen as they graduate and the curtains drop. This was their “last chance to get it right,” and they did.

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Beyonce & Hugh Jackman Bring Back Musicals

2009-02-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

Oscar host Hugh Jackman and singer Beyonce jazz up the 2009 Oscars with a Bubsy Berkley inspired stage performance on Sunday evening (February 22).

Together with real-life couples Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) and Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia!), the sixtet performed memorable songs from several musicals including Chicago and Moulin Rouge.

TELL JJ: What was your favorite performance of the night?

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"Wolverine & Sasha Fierce: The Musical"

2009-02-27T12:02:00.000-08:00

The skit combined famous songs from a bunch of different musicals but at the end we were sitting there thinking: great stuff, but what was the point of that? This isn't the Tonys, whats with all the jazz hands? Hugh took a bow and then pointed out that the dance number was created by Baz Lhurmann.

Why didn't they just say that at the beginning? "Ladies and Gents, here is a little skit from Baz." Then people would have know that they weren't SUPPOSED to get it. That's just how Baz rolls. He does a little acid then writes some songs, hallucinates into thinking Nicole Kidman can sing and presto...you get Moulin Rouge.

But Hugh really pulled it off. Someone get this guy a role on Broadway STAT!

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Entertainment Insider: Reviewing Oscars 2009

2009-02-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

Too many montages? Not enough love for "The Dark Knight"? Our panel of entertainment experts weigh in on the Oscars.

1. The envelopes were opened and Oscars were awarded for the 81st time Sunday night and it's all over but the weeping. Was anyone surprised by any of the winners or losers?

Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett: Penelope Cruz's supporting actress win was pretty surprising, considering her one-note performance as the crazed ex-wife in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" pales in comparison Marisa Tomei's courageous turn as the aging pole dancer in "The Wrestler" and Viola Davis' brief but powerful portrait of a troubled mother in "Doubt."

Assistant Entertainment Editor George Lang: There were precious few surprises, and while I thought the Best Supporting Actress category was extremely competitive this year, Penelope Cruz was the not the best of the bunch. I would have taken Viola Davis or Taraji P. Henson's performances over Cruz any day or any year. Beyond Cruz, there was an overwhelming air of predictability in the ceremony -- "Slumdog Millionaire" seemed preordained to win.

Entertainment writer Brandy McDonnell: The Oscars were even more predictable than usual this year; the only real upset was the widely praised Israeli foreign language film contender "Waltz with Bashir" losing to the Japanese entry, "Departures." Penelope Cruz emerged victorious in the competitive supporting actress category; undoubtedly Harvey Weinstein's relentless campaigning helped her gain the victory.

And I was disappointed but not really surprised that comeback kid Mickey Rourke lost out on best actor for "The Wrestler." To me, Rourke's raw performance was much more powerful than Sean Penn's turn in "Milk," which was strong but not even as good as some of his co-stars' work. To me, it seemed that politics played a part: Penn maybe had the edge for starring in a "very important issue' film, while Rourke was the linch pin in a movie that was simply a remarkable story of fame, hardship and redemption.

Assistant Features Editor Matt Price: Things played out pretty well as predicted this year. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" did better in the technical categories — which usually reward action films — than what might have been expected. Especially after Will Smith does his whole opening for the visual effects category talking about action, and then winner: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

2. How would you rate Hugh Jackman's performance as the host of this year's Oscar ceremonies?

McDonnell: Hugh Jackman had the charisma and charm to pull off the hosting duties, and he looks great in a tux. But the producers made too many concessions to tailor the show to their song-and-dance man. The lengthy musical number starring Jackman and Beyonce clearly was added to showcase the Broadway side of Wolverine.

Unfortunately, Jackman's gig got off to an awkward start. The opening number that took place on ramshackle sets that Jackman supposedly made in his basement because of the tough economic times came across as disingenuous and insulting. However, his funny recreation with Anne Hathaway of the "Frost/Nixon" interviews helped salvage the opener.

Personally, after seeing Tina Fey and Steve Martin present the screenwriting awards together, I'm ready to nominate them as the 2010 co-hosts.

Lang: Jackman was great with what he was given -- he can sing, he can dance, he can act, he can grow knives out of his fingertips. But this is a notoriously thankless job, and no one can keep going at full tilt for the longest award ceremony in the entertainment industry. He was good, but I think his skills are better suited to the Tonys, where they know how to contextualize all those things he can do so well.

Triplett: Jackman seemed to be all about staking out a new career for himself as a song and dance man. His opening number with some surprise help from Anne Hathaway was charming and funny, but that was enough already.

Price: I thought he did a good job. He’s pretty charming; he kept things moving for the most part. However, the ceremony as a whole was just too long, as usual, as was the dance sequence/tribute to musicals in the middle of the show.

3. What did you like/dislike about the overall Oscar program?

McDonnell: When will the producers learn that four hours is too long for an awards show? In fact, three hours is too long for an awards show. Every year, they manage to drag out the ceremony until it feels more like a death march than a celebration of film.

Hugh Jackman and Beyonce's big musical number (choreographed by Baz Luhrmann and co-starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried for extra gee-whiz star power) paid tribute to musicals such as "Mamma Mia!," "Grease" and "Moulin Rouge!" All those movies either came out in previous years or weren't nominated for Oscars, but the producers chewed through several precious minutes recreating the highlights from them.

Meanwhile, Peter Gabriel refused to sing his Oscar-nominated song "Down to Earth," from "WALL-E" to protest making it a 60-second portion of the best song medley, sandwiched between the two hopefuls from the "Slumdog Millionaire" soundtrack. It was the right call on Gabriel's part: John Legend performed admirably in Gabriel's place but the medley just didn't work. All three nominees are terrific songs and they deserved their own separate showcases.

The producers also gave way too much time to films that weren't Oscar worthy in the many, many movie montages. For some reason, they just had to feature "Space Chimps" and "Madagascar 2" among the animated film clips, and "Rambo" and "Hancock" just had to be included in the pointless action flick roundup. The romantic moments of 2008 montage highlighting "Mamma Mia!" and "Twilight" along with "Benjamin Button" was completely superfluous. Montages are fine when used judiciously, but the Oscars always take it too far.

I did like the format that was adopted with the acting categories, letting five past winners talk about the five current nominees and then present the statuette. It was great to see Joel Grey, Eva Marie Saint and Kevin Kline again, and some of the dynamics the method created were interesting. Sophie Loren, Shirley MacLaine, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard and Halle Berry were an interesting combo, and rarely have so many heavy-weight thespians shared the stage as when Sir Ben Kingsley, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Adrien Brody and Sir Anthony Hopkins came out to present best actor.

However, the five past winners set-up was more time consuming than the typical presentation, and other cuts should have been made to compensate. Say, from the montages.

Triplett: Again, the "Frost/Nixon" segment of the opening number Jackman and Hathaway was a highlight, and I liked seeing the past Oscar winners introducing each of the nominees in the acting categories. I sure didn't expect to ever see 84-year-old Eva Marie Saint stepping into the lights again. The big production number halfway through the overly long, sluggishly-paced program really slowed things down.

Price: I liked the opening song, and Anne Hathaway as Richard Nixon. I liked the "Pineapple Express" bit. I thought there were too many montages overall, however. And that best picture montage at the end was simply bizarre.

Lang: The opening sequence, which involved pretending that the Oscars had belt-tightened to the degree that they had to make a set out of folding chairs and aluminum foil, was condescending and slightly in bad taste -- when the entirety of the stage was surrounded by chandelier-cut glass, no one's going to believe this garbage. And I despised the montages -- what was with the "Great moments in cradle robbing" sequence, or the decision to juxtapose "Braveheart" with "Milk"? Terrible.

4. Who was the most deserving winner?

Triplett: Heath Ledger. His chilling transformation into the profoundly evil Joker in "The Dark Knight" will prove to be the most indelible big screen performance of 2008.

Lang: "Man on Wire," was the most deserving winner -- a moving documentary that doesn't go out of its way to move you. It just does.

Price: Maybe it’s obvious to say, but the late Heath Ledger for "The Dark Knight." It’s an amazing performance in a type of film that the Academy likes to ignore, yet Ledger’s win for best supporting actor was the closest thing to a sure thing there was going into Oscar night. It’s nice that his bravura performance was noted and rewarded, and it’s too bad he wasn’t there himself to accept.

McDonnell: "Slumdog Millionaire" was my favorite film of 2008, and represented a phenomenal film achievement on so many levels. So, I was thrilled to see the rags-to-riches story, which was nearly released direct to video, win a leading eight Oscars.

Also, the late Heath Ledger truly earned the supporting actor honors for his jaw-dropping turn as the Joker in "The Dark Knight." I believe he would have won even if he hadn't died suddenly and at a tragically young age last January. And credit his mother, father and sister for the classy and dignified way in which they accepted the Oscar on his behalf.

5. Any nagging disappointments concerning this year's lineup of Oscar contenders?

Triplett: The absence of "The Dark Knight," "WALL-E" and "The Wrestler" in the best picture category. All of these are far superior to the vastly overrated "Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which was the early favorite to win in this category.

Price: Three: "The Dark Knight," "Wall-E," and "The Wrestler." Maybe there wasn’t room to nominate all of them in the Best Picture category, but certainly you’d like to see one of them in there. It’s unfortunate that "The Wrestler," with great performances by Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, didn’t manage a win in any category. "Wall-E" at least nabbed the "Best Animated" trophy, and "The Dark Knight" won with the aforementioned best supporting actor and in sound editing.

McDonnell: "The Reader" was overrated, though I didn't object to Kate Winslet's best actress win for the Holocaust drama since her performance essentially holds it together. But I would have rather seen "WALL-E," "The Dark Knight" and "The Wrestler" competing for best picture and best director awards than "The Reader" or "Milk," two films I felt featured outstanding performances but were not as finely directed. When people look back on the great films of 2008, "WALL-E," "The Dark Knight" and "The Wrestler," along with "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Benjamin Button," will be the ones people remember.

Lang: The Best Picture category was deeply flawed: no "WALL-E," no "The Dark Knight." I personally don't believe that movie lovers are going to look back on 2008 and consider "The Reader" one of the touchstones of that year's cinematic character. Both those films were overwhelming critical and popular successes, and while I rarely show a populist streak, it's not like I'm talking about nominating "Mamma Mia" -- these were movies that both reviewers and audiences loved. In this case, the emperor -- or Oscar -- really doesn't have any clothes.

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Pop culture recap: Academy Award glamour

2009-02-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Oscars brought a new, fresh feel to the old, worn-out award show format. There was still a musical opening number and a slew of "recognition speeches" that no one really watched - except this year we wanted to watch. The Oscars kept things interesting by maintaining a considerably fast pace and changing up the structure throughout the award presentations.

Hugh Jackman did an excellent job as host. The highlight of the show, a medley of songs from musicals, brought Jackman together with Beyoncé Knowles, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper.

The first award of the night, the award for best actress in a supporting role, was presented by the five previous winners of the award. The previous winners included Whoopie Goldberg and Goldie Hawn (both dressed tragically, as per usual) who voiced touching sentiments about the nominees that even brought "Doubt" star Viola Davis to tears.

Beyoncé donned a stunning sparkly red leotard as she bravely sang her version of "At Last," among many other songs. We all know how excited Etta James must be that Beyoncé once again sang "her song." Well we'll hear about it tomorrow, I'm sure.

The most touching moment of the night came when late actor Heath Ledger was awarded best performance by an actor in a supporting role. Ledger's role as The Joker in "The Dark Knight" was the best part of the most talked about film of the year. His mother Sally, father Kim and sister Kate accepted his award.

Amazingly Ledger's family kept it together while they graciously accepted Heath's award. I, of course, was a blabbering mess.

Queen Latifah provided another touching moment when she sang "I'll Be Seeing You" as a nod to the men and women of the film industry who passed away during the past year. Pictures of deceased actors like the eminent Paul Newman flashed across the screen as Latifah sang. Curiously, Heath Ledger was notably absent from the "in memoriam" dedication.

Serious moments such as these were broken up by comical pieces like the short film made by Seth Rogen and James Franco, who reprised their role as serial potheads in the 2008 comedy "Pineapple Express." The short was funny, entertaining and a little risky - the 2008 Oscars would have never shown a short such as this one. It's these kinds of improvements and risks that really made the 2009 show.

The presenters also brought an interesting flavor to the 2009 Oscars. They were actually entertaining. Jennifer Anniston and Jack Black had great onstage chemistry when they presented the awards for best animated feature film of the year and best animated short film. For some added drama, they were presenting directly in front of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Can you say awkward? Jen kept her cool, though, and did an amazing job.

Ben Stiller drew laughs as he gave his own portrayal of Joaquin Phoenix's now-infamous stint on "The Tonight Show with David Letterman," presenting the award for best achievement in cinematography with Natalie Portman. Portman was my pick for best dressed of the night; she wore a beautiful flowing pink gown and a gorgeous diamond bracelet.

But even if the Oscars weren't funny and were extremely boring, I could never condemn a show that brought Zac Efron and Robert Pattinson that close to one another. I'll embarrassingly admit I was a little giddy at first sight of the "Twilight" hottie, who appropriately presented a montage of the best romance movies of 2008.

But the show doesn't exist just to warm my heart with good-looking male actors - it's meant to honor the best films, actors and actresses of 2008, and it did that. Kate Winslet finally won an Oscar for best actress in a leading role. This was Winslet's first Academy Award, despite being nominated six times before. The nod for best actor in a leading role went to Sean Penn in "Milk."

The most important award of the night, film of the year, went to "Slumdog Millionaire." The film won six other awards at the ceremony, making it the most successful film of the night. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" scored three awards, including best achievement in art direction.

The Oscar makeover was much needed, but might not be able to make up for years of boring shows. No matter what the ratings say, the Academy did a great job of reviving an out-dated show stuck in a seemingly eternal downward spiral. The presentation was enjoyable and memorable, and that's all we can ask for.

Source

Vanessa Hudgens Afraid Lyrics

2007-09-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Hudgens Afraid Lyrics

Just when it's getting good
I slowly start to freeze
Just when it's feeling real I put my heart to sleep
It's the memory I can see
Then this fear comes over me
Understand that I don't mean
To push you away from me

[Chorus]
Why am I so afraid to crash down and lose my heart again
I don't know, I can't see, what's come over me
Why am I so afraid to break down and lose my mind again
I don't know, I can't see, what's come over me

You got a way of easing me out of myself
I can't stay but I can't leave, I am my worst enemy
Please understand that its not you it's what I do
Just when I'm about to run I realize what I've become

[Chorus]
Why am I so afraid to crash down and lose my heart again
I don't know, I can't see, what's come over me
Why am I so afraid to break down and lose my mind again
I don't know, I can't see, what's come over me

Now I wonder what you think of me
Don't know why I break so easily
All my fears are armed surrounding me
I can't get no sleep
I keep runnin in circles around you
Are you the trap I wanna fall into??

[Chorus x2]
Why am I so afraid to crash down and lose my heart again
I don't know, I can't see, what's come over me
Why am I so afraid to break down and lose my mind again
I don't know, I can't see, what's come over me

Enjoying her beauty

2007-09-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Vanessa and Rubik's Cube

2007-09-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanessa Hudgens, solo recording artist and star of High School Musical and High School Musical 2, will be at Toys "R" Us Times Square today to launch electronic toy and game maker Techno Source's Rubik's Revolution(TM), the first electronic follow-up to the iconic Rubik's(R) Cube. Vanessa will be joined by her father, Greg Hudgens, for a pre-Father's Day celebration to unveil this highly anticipated game that brings the classic puzzle from Greg's generation into Vanessa's world. The Rubik's Revolution is currently available exclusively at Toys "R" Us stores nationwide and will be available at other major retailers this summer for $19.99.

Hailed by toy industry leaders and praised by visitors at this February's American International Toy Fair in New York City, the electronic Rubik's Revolution puts a new spin on cubing while capturing the essence of the original 3x3 cube.

"Rubik's Revolution is truly innovative. It's rare that a follow-up can match or even surpass the original in respect to creativity, game play, and fun, but Techno Source has developed a product that achieves this feat," says Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of Toy Wishes magazine.

Featuring voice, lights and sound effects, the Rubik's Revolution offers at least six built-in games (Light Speed(TM), Rapid Recharge(TM), Pattern Panic(TM), Cube Catcher(TM), Code Cracker(TM), and Multiplayer Madness(TM) that challenge both players' minds and dexterity. It even includes multi- player functions, allowing parents and kids to play together.

At the Toys "R" Us event, kids, fathers and families will experience the Revolution first-hand and have a chance to test their skills against Vanessa and her dad. Vanessa will also host a special presentation to unveil Rubik's Revolution at 1:30 p.m. A private autograph signing will follow where special ticket holders will have a chance to meet Vanessa and get her autograph. In- store contests and activities will kick off at 1 p.m. and continue through 4 p.m.

"My father and I are happy to be together in New York City today launching the Rubik's Revolution and getting an early start to our Father's Day celebration!" says Vanessa Hudgens. "We look forward to competing against each other in cube contests and interacting with other father/child teams at Toys "R" Us Times Square." Vanessa is coming off a High School Musical Latin America tour and will be starring in this summer's much-anticipated High School Musical 2.

"Since Rubik's Cube was introduced in 1980, it has sold nearly 300 million pieces, making it an obsession, not to mention a pop icon, recognized around the world," says Eric Levin, Executive Vice President of Techno Source. "We are excited to have rising 21st century pop star Vanessa Hudgens help us introduce the Rubik's Revolution to a new generation of Rubik's fans."

For more information about the new cube and its various game options, visit http://www.rubiksrevolution.com/ or http://www.technosourceusa.com/.

RUBIK'S(R) and RUBIK'S(R) CUBE are registered trademarks of Seven Towns Ltd. Used under license.

About Techno Source

One of the fastest growing companies in the toy business, Techno Source is a privately held company headquartered in Hong Kong and with offices in New York. The company is committed to delivering high-quality electronic toys, games and learning aids featuring top-tier licensed brands at aggressive price points. Its award-winning branded product portfolio includes Intellivision(TM), Bee(R) & Bicycle(R) (U.S. Playing Card Company), Activision, Warner Bros. Consumer Products (Scooby-Doo(TM), Batman Begins(TM), Teen Titans(TM), The Batman(TM)), Marvel, NASCAR(R), Sesame Street (R), Rubik's(R) and Crayola(TM).

Techno Source

CONTACT: Linda Krebs, +1-212-725-4500, ext. 339, lkrebs@schwartz.com, or
Debbie Grunbaum, +1-212-725-4500, ext. 326, dgrunbaum@schwartz.com , both for
Techno Source; or Bob Friedland of Toys "R" Us, +1-646-366-8862,
friedlab@toysrus.com

Web site: http://www.technosourceusa.com/
http://www.rubiksrevolution.com/

Vanessa Hudgens wholesome image stays with Disney

2007-09-08T02:54:00.001-07:00

The wholesome image of Vanessa Hudgens, star of the Disney Channel's popular "High School Musical" movies, took a hit yesterday after the 18-year-old actress/singer acknowledged that a nude photo that surfaced on the Internet was of her.

Hudgens's publicist, Jill Fritzo, told the Associated Press that the photo -- which shows Hudgens standing naked in front of what appears to be a red shower curtain -- had been taken privately.

"It is a personal matter and it is unfortunate that this has become public," Fritzo said.

Yesterday, Disney Channel denied published reports that Hudgens would be dropped from the cast of "High School Musical 3," saying that the feature film is still in development and negotiations with actors are incomplete.

In the first two "High School Musical" movies, Hudgens plays Gabriella, the brainy love interest of actor Zac Efron's basketball star character. The two are dating in real life.