Former Disney star and High School Musical alum, Vanessa Hudgens, shot to fame in 2006 with her then on and offscreen boyfriend, Zac Efron. Now in the action adventure, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, she rids herself of designer duds and perfect manicures and roughs it out with co-stars Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, and Sir Michael Caine. This California-born ingénue, now 22, who began a professional acting career at age 15, is happy to be moving into another phase of her career.

Having grown up in the spotlight, how would you advise others, like your co-star Josh who’s following a similar path and will next star in The Hunger Games?

Stay true to yourself. It’s such a crazy industry, and there’s things being thrown at you left and right. But Josh has been in this for a while as well. He stays true to himself. I think that that’s the only thing that you can do in life, let alone this business being surrounded by such scrutiny.

Q: You have a huge fanbase all over the world, and as a role model, many young girls listen to you. What would you say to someone who’s under attack from bullies at school?

You just have to remember that it has nothing to do with you. It’s that person’s problem and that they’re just trying to get out something onto someone else. Unfortunately, you’re maybe the closest thing nearby but you just have to remember that it’s not about you. You just have to keep telling yourself that, stay true to yourself, and try to not let it affect you.

Q: Have you ever experienced bullying? If so, what happened and how did you get over it?

Yes, I was in elementary school and I had big frizzy hair. This girl would take me by the hair and shake me around and she called me, ‘Frizz head.’ It was really mean and was kind of terrifying because I was a tiny little girl and she was this heavier sized girl. I thought, ‘I’m going to kill her with kindness.’ Eventually she had to be nice to me and sure enough she stopped with the hair pulling….. but it was not pleasant. So, for me, I stuck with the killing with kindness theory and I think it’s the right way of doing battle (laughs).

Q: Did you feel like an outcast at school?

A little bit when I was younger just because I was an extreme outcast. I had no friends. I had one friend and she tried to introduce me to me to the popular crowd but they were like ‘Ew, no. No way.’ That was when I was about seven. Maybe because of that I've always been an accepting person.

Q: This movie is a great adventurous ride. What would be a good adventure for you in your own life?

I think of every day as an adventure. I love like just having no idea where I’m going. I love being outside, anything that I can do to be outside I’m completely down with but I am a complete adrenaline junkie, so I love getting a good rush.

Q: You’re in terrific shape. How do you maintain your figure?

I just love getting any kind of energy out. When I don’t work out, I literally go stir crazy. But I love being outside. I love hiking, I love kickboxing, I love spinning, I love walking. I do yoga almost every day because it keeps me centered and grounded.

Q: Do you follow a certain diet?

(laughs) I mean, I try to but I enjoy life and a big part of my life is food. I love food, so I try to be conscious and not eat too many carbs but every now and then you’ve just got to allow yourself the things you want.

Q: What did you learn while shooting this movie?

I think overall, this movie really allowed me to be me and to just completely be okay with it. I was surrounded by such incredible people. Michael Caine, who has been through so much and he’s true to himself, and he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks, and I learned that from Josh as well.

Q: You were very much defined by High School Musical for so long and now you’ve managed to move on….

Well, I mean that’s just all that I was doing at that time. It really did take over and although I have no complaints, it was my whole life. If it wasn’t the movie, it would be the tour. Everything revolved around High School Musical and so when that ended, it really, really ended. It kind of closed the book on that chapter. Since then, I’ve been growing up and just doing projects that I’ve been really drawn to, and not really caring if anyone thinks it’s crazy or not. It’s been going really well. I’m really excited for the way that things have been going.

Q: The movie you’re doing next, The Frozen Ground, that’s quite a departure for you…

Yes. The Frozen Ground is based on a true story back in the 80s in Alaska. It’s about a serial killer who raped and murdered about 24 females. I play this prostitute slash rape victim whose drug addicted but gets away and ends up actually solving the case with the detective and puts him behind bars, which is where he’s still today.

Q: In this movie your character seems close to you. She’s a straightforward girl and she knows what she wants. Is she a little bit like you?

Yeah, totally. I mean, like, in the very beginning I think she’s quite hard headed, and kind of closed minded, but through the adventure she kind of opens up her eyes which is a lot of fun. I’m a complete adventurer. I love trekking along in the jungle and camping. I’m very spontaneous and I go with the flow.

Q: You’ve become a fashion icon – would you like to get into designing or your run your own label?

Yes, we are definitely in the process of it. I am trying to team up with a department store and just trying to get it all figured out because I love doing it so much. It’s definitely a true passion of mine.

Q: What kind of style would that be?

Yeah, it’s going to be cute casual, new age bohemian, very gypsyesque but with an edge to it.

Q: You’re traveling a lot around the world, you see other countries - how does that shape your view about the world?

It’s amazing. I like to think of myself as being quite insignificant on this planet, and in the human species, and let alone in this galaxy. So I mean, I love going off and experiencing different cultures and getting to know different people. I just went to Costa Rica, and there’s not that much money there, there’s a bit of poverty, but these people are so happy. I feel like we are all tree branches reaching towards the light and I think that it’s just beautiful to be able to experience so much, and that makes you more worldly and appreciate everything.

Q: At the same time, you have a voice. As a celebrity people listen to you. Do you use that celebrity to do something against poverty?

Yeah, totally. It’s really nice to be a part of charities, I try to be a part of several of them, but there’s just so much to do, especially as a celebrity. It’s good though to have a game plan because it’s hard to spread yourself all over the place and then you won’t really attack one thing and get it done. You can only do your best.

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