It’s been over a decade since Vanessa Hudgens’ nude photos were leaked, but the star is now opening up about the “traumatizing” ordeal.
2007 was a really big year for Vanessa Hudgens.
In addition to the actress turning 18, she was at the peak of her High School Musicial fame.
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She was two years into dating her co-star, Zac Efron, who starred as Troy Bolton in the films.
The pair, who first met in 2005, dated for five years before sadly calling it quits in 2010, much to the dismay of fans who dubbed them #Zanessa.
2007 was also the year Vanessa experienced a major violation of privacy: She had her nude photos leaked.
Without there being any real sympathy for things like this back then, the Disney star was forced to apologize for the scandal.
But now, more than a decade later, Vanessa is seeing the entire ordeal in an entirely new light.
It’s something she now sees as “traumatizing,” as explained in a new interview with Cosmopolitan UK .
“It was a really traumatizing thing for me,” she shared.
“It’s really [expletive] up that people feel like they are entitled enough to share something that personal with the world,” she said.
“As an actor, you completely lose all grip of your own privacy and it’s really sad.”
“It feels like that shouldn’t be the case.”
“But unfortunately if enough people are interested, they’re going to do everything they can to get to know as much about you as they can, which is flattering, I guess, but then people take it too far and end up divulging things that should be personal.”
She went on to say that people expect too much from celebrities since they think they know them from watching them on a screen.
“I think that is because there’s a disconnect when you see your favorite actress on the screen, and you see them now on your TV in your homes, and you can watch them whenever you want,” she explained.
Vanessa kept it real about what that felt like.
“There’s almost — I don’t want to say lack of respect because that sounds negative — but it just makes you feel like you know them even though you don’t.”
When asked about the #MeToo movement, Hudgens shared that it helped her learn to stand up for herself.
“I have been talked to in ways that are not appropriate. I have been in situations where I’ve been talked to in inappropriate ways,” she revealed.
“But right then, in that moment, I was the person to just say, ‘No. Why would you say that? You’re completely out of line,'” she said.
That’s the kind of attitude we should all aspire to have in our lives!
She continued:
“I’m the type of person in any situation, whether it’s an audition or in work, if I feel uncomfortable, I’m going to walk away or let that person know they’re making me feel uncomfortable.”
“Then, if they don’t respect that, they can go [expletive] off.”
You tell them, Vanessa! What an admirable attitude to have about such a tough situation.
Vanessa isn’t the only celeb who’s been at the hands of a nude scandal leak.
Throughout the years, countless other celebs have experienced a major violation of privacy by having their nude images splayed all over the internet without their consent.
Notable names include Jennifer Lawrence, Bella Thorne, and even fellow former Disney star, Miley Cyrus.
When Miley’s nudes leaked while she was working for Disney, she, too, was forced to apologize.
Then, when she posed in what appeared to be nothing more than a satin bedsheet for “Vanity Fair” at the age of 15, Disney even threatened to sue the publication.
Now in 2018, Miley retracted that apology in quite the Miley way by telling the publication who called the scandal “Miley’s Shame” to [expletive] off.
These days, things are on the up and up for now-31-year-old Vanessa.
This month, she stars alongside Will Smith in Bad Boys For Life and she’s celebrating eight years with her boyfriend Austin Butler this year.
But more importantly than anything, her past experiences have taught her to remain true to herself.
“Not everyone is going to like that – well, good,” she said. “That makes you an individual.”
“That makes you unique.”
“And if we’re all the same, what’s the point?”
Well said!
“It’s important to look out for each other, especially in this industry, and realise it’s tough. It’s hard enough, nobody needs to make it harder.”
We hope we’re just as wise as her at 31!
For more of Vanessa’s interview, you can read it here .
