Vanessa Hudgens 'grateful' for Zac Efron relationship

Vanessa Hudgens says she is "grateful" for her past relationship with Zac Efron as he knew what she was going through when 'High School Musical' took off.

The duo dated during their early years of fame following the release of their hit movie 'High School Musical' and its subsequent sequels and Vanessa - who played Gabriella in the movie musical - feels blessed to have had Zac alongside her through the journey as he knew how it all felt.

Speaking on the Awards Chatter podcast, she said: "It started off really organically. I could not have been more grateful to have that relationship at the time ... It was this massive phenomenon and all eyes were on me. And it's just a really weird foreign thing to go through, and by being in a relationship, it kind of kept me stabilised and grounded, and I had someone to lean on who was going through it as well ...

"I remember one time we did have a fight and it was while we were at rehearsals, and I remember Kenny Ortega coming around the corner with the most concerned look on his face like, 'Oh no, is our movie going to fall apart right?' I pride myself on being a professional, so I was like that aside we are going to move forward and do what we need to do...and we sorted it all out. I think because I was so young, I think that relationship stabilised me."

Vanessa previously confessed dating Zac made her "really mean".

She said: "I went through a phase when I was really mean because I was so fed up. Girls were running after him, and I was giving them death stares ...

"Then I realised that's not what that's about. 'Spread the love, be a good person, they support you, be nice."

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