Vanessa Hudgens to shoot documentary in the Philippines exploring 'Filipino heritage'
Fans of Vanessa Hudgens are about to get a deeper look into the High School Musical star's life as she explores her Filipino heritage in an upcoming travel documentary to be shot in the Philippines.
In case you didn't know, Vanessa is of Asian descent. While her father's ancestry is a mix of Irish, French, and Native American, her mother, Gina, was born in Manila. Vanessa was welcomed into the world while her parents were living in the United States, making her a Filipino American.
Vanessa will be flying to the Philippines for the very first time and will be shooting in Palawan and Manila in March, according to a report by Variety.
The documentary will explore the relationship between Vanessa and her Filipino mother Gina, who chose to emigrate to the United States at the age of 25. It will also delve deep into her relationship with her sister, Stella, who is also an actress.
"I feel like ours is such a relatable story to so many women all over the world. The more that we can share, the more we can lift each other up," Vanessa said during the announcement of her film.
The actress has long expressed her desire to share her Filipino heritage to the world, as she told in an interview with Glamour UK back in 2021, "My mom is from the Philippines, and growing up, there weren't really that many women who looked like me and my mom and my family on screen. It’s so important to share all the different stories because America is a massive melting pot, [just like the] world.
Director Paul Soriano, who is known for helming projects under his company TEN17P such as Mañanita and the Manny Pacquiao biopic Kid Kulafu, is tied to the project as its director, producer and executive producer. No further details have been announced as to what company will distribute or premiere the documentary.
In a statement, Soriano expressed his elation in getting to work with Vanessa for the project.
"It’s inspiring to note that with everything she has achieved in life, she wants to discover her Filipino roots and pay homage to her mother’s country. Hopefully, this opens doors for many more collaborations to come," he said.
Vanessa first gained prominence for her portrayal of Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series. Her most recent projects include The Princess Switch, The Knight Before Christmas, and Tick, Tick... Boom!
