The High School musical lead star, Vanessa Hudgens admitted that while she grew up very American, her family made sure she did not lose her connection to her Filipino heritage.
The actress, known mostly by her Filipino fans, as one of the lead stars of the globally hit American series, ‘High School Musical’ is currently in the country to do a documentary aimed at her discovering and returning to her Filipino roots, as well as showcasing the beauty and culture of her mother’s homeland.
During the media conference held by Ten17P Productions at the Manila House in Taguig, last March 31, Hudgens shared her excitement about her upcoming project. One of the topics she passionately discussed during the press conference was family and the Filipino things she grew up with. When asked if she could draw parallels between what she knew then and what she is learning now, the 34-year-old actress recalled growing up in a Filipino family.
Hudgens replied, “I feel like I was definitely raised very American except for all the rice, and the adobo, and the pancit.” She stressed the fact that her parents, Gina Guangco and Gregory Hudgens, were instrumental in her achieving her dreams. “I was definitely in a place where my parents saw at an early age that I have this gift, and they wanted to support me and allow it to flourish and grow…,” she shared.
The actress hopes that as she comes home to the Philippines, she will learn more about herself and her artistry, as well as more interesting details about her Filipino heritage.
The Hollywood actress revealed, “It’s been interesting coming here. Really beautiful and eye-opening. I feel like just the family aspect of the Philippines is something so prominent and so strong. I have always been so close with my mom.”
It’s just that all these things that I’ve been just innately stuck within me…I’m realizing now have from my heritage,” she added.
Hudgens also talked about the close relationships they had in her family. “It’s always about family; it’s very much about the closeness within the family. When someone gets married, they like to move into the family home. It’s like you don’t leave when you go to college; you don’t leave the house. Everybody stays together,” she said.
Hudgens shared, “I’m in my 30s now. I’m thinking about raising a family. I wanna be able to know my heritage so that I can bring that forth so that my kids know their background.”
The actress shared on her social media accounts things and activities that she has enjoyed so far during her stay in the Philippines. The documentary she is currently working on, however, provides her with a perfect excuse to prolong her stay in the country.
“It’s a really intimate look at my experience here in the Philippines for the first time. Being really just discovering this wonderful land and wonderful people, and being able to get to the pieces that have always been there but not intimately explored, she concluded.
Hudgens is expected to go back and forth to the Philippines to film the documentary, which as of the moment has the working title ‘The Awakening’.
