Stockard Channing Vs. Vanessa Hudgens: Comparing The 2 Rizzos

Vanessa Hudgens is tackling one iconic role in ‘Grease: Live’ — the role of Betty Rizzo. Stockard Channing was the one to originate the role, so how do these two measure up? It’s time to compare!

Vanessa Hudgens, 27, is about to be the ultimate Pink Lady! The starlet is starring as Betty Rizzo in Grease: Live, playing the role made famous by Stockard Channing, 71. Before watching the epic musical event, let’s see how these two ladies compare to each other!

Acting career
Stockard has had a wonderful career on the stage, in film and on TV. She won a Tony in 1985 for A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg. She also nabbed 5 more Tony nominations for The House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation, Four Baboons Adoring The Sun, A Lion in Winter and Pal Joe. After starring as Rizzo in Grease, she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the film version of Six Degrees of Separation. She’s had film roles in Practical Magic, Where The Heart Is, Must Love Dogs and more. Stockard starred as First Lady Abbey Bartley on The West Wing from 1999 to 2006 and was a featured guest star on The Good Wife from 2012 to 2015.

Vanessa got her big break as Gabriella Montez on Disney Channel’s High School Musical. The hit movie ended up having two sequels, and Vanessa has gone on to have a huge movie career. She’s had starring roles in Beastly, Sucker Punch, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and Spring Breakers.

Music career
Stockard made her Broadway debut in the musical, Two Gentlemen of Verona, in 1971. She’s also had roles in musicals like They’re Playing Our Song, The Rink and Pal Joey. From Grease, she is best known for her solo “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.”

Vanessa nabbed the title role in the Broadway musical Gigi in 2015. She showed off her singing skills in all three High School Musical movies, with songs like “Breaking Free” and “Gotta Go My Own Way.” She’s also released two albums — V and Identified.

Grease
Stockard was 33 years old when she played teenage Rizzo in the 1978 original version of Grease. Vanessa is 27 years old. When it was announced that Vanessa would be playing the role, she said, “Being Rizzo is something I’ve never imagined, and I love that because it will be a new challenge. She is such an iconic character that continues to transcend generations. I cannot wait to bring her to life on live television. I’m going to be a Pink Lady!”

HollywoodLifers, do you think Vanessa will do a good job as Rizzo? Let us know!