Vanessa Hudgens knew the assignment for the 2023 Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12 in Los Angeles. The former High School Musical star, 34, looked incredible as she rocked a black and white Chanel gown for the red carpet. With her raven tresses in a bun, the actress accessorized with a pair of diamond earrings, a matching necklace and fabulously painted nails!
The star had time to plan out her amazing ensemble as she was tapped to host the “Countdown to the Oscars” pre-show airing ahead of the ceremony. Vanessa returned to the gig for the second year in a row, with her co-hosts, Ashley Graham and Lilly Singh, taking it on for the first time. The pre-show program included backstage coverage and an insider perspective to the Academy’s member viewing party taking place in New York City.
Last year, Vanessa sparkled in a black sequin Michael Kors dress while co-hosting the pre-Oscars show, and her stylist, Jason Bolden, dished on the star’s fashion sense at the time. “With Vanessa, 90s red carpet dressing is always a reference,” he explained to People. “An effortless and cool approach to the red carpet.”
The 2023 Oscar appearance was an interesting moment in Vanessa’s A-list life, as she recently got engaged to pro baseball player Cole Tucker, while one of her ex-boyfriends, Austin Butler, was the red-carpet king at the Academy Awards, with his Best Actor nomination for Elvis. After Vanessa and Austin broke up in 2019 after nine years of dating, she started a romance with the Colorado Rockies’ star athlete.
As fans know, Vanessa and Austin have both claimed the actress pushed the actor to take on the herculean task of playing icon Elvis Presley. “Last December, we were driving along and we were listening to Christmas music, and then an Elvis Presley Christmas song came on,” Vanessa said during a 2019 appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan. “He had just dyed his hair dark. He’s a natural blond, and I was looking at him and he was singing along and I was like, ‘Babe, you need to play Elvis.’”