What ever happened to Vanessa Hudgens? Who? Oh, that girl from High School Musical . Surprisingly, a lot; the famous Disney beauty has gone through quite a bit of a transformation, cinematically and physically.
At first, in an attempt to break out of the pubescent stages of acting, she played the role of the promiscuous Blondie in Sucker Punch and a sex-riled Candy in Spring Breakers . Next, she played a victim of assault in The Frozen Ground . Through these films, the expectation for her to be an “ideal teen” was shattered (paired up with the scandals with her partner of 5 years, the heartthrob Zac Efron). She could now pursue new film-based endeavors, ones she had always aspired to be a part of.
One such example is Gimme Shelter , where her potential as an actress of a higher caliber will be put at stake. According to an interview by E! News , she “ … had to work really hard at finding [herself] again” because of the radical changes that she had to undergo to become Agnes “Apple” Bailey, a 16 year-old-mother-to-be who was living in a shelter for homeless women. This is completely understandable, as she was asked to gain 15 pounds, cut off her luscious locks, and live in a homeless shelter to immerse herself in the role. Also, in a Washington Post interview, she states “I need [to do this film], it is my soul’s purpose”. But will the emotional and physical trial have been enough to prove her true potential as a blockbuster actress? Will her efforts be in vain?
That is something we will have to find out when the movie premieres on screens beginning January 24th, 2014.