Vanessa Hudgens: On The Record About Her Nude Photo Scandal

“High School Musical” star Vanessa
Hudgens has finally gone on the record about her nude photo scandal from last
fall.

In a new interview with Seventeen magazine, Hudgens opened up about what it
was like to find out that private photos of her nude frame made the rounds on
the internet.

“I’m much better now. But truthfully I don’t like talking about it,” Hudgens
told the magazine. ” It was very traumatic, and I am extremely upset it
happened. I hope all my fans can learn from my mistake and make smart decisions.
But I wouldn’t have been able to get through it if it wasn’t for my family,
friends and fans, who supported me all along the way.”

Hudgens found out that the photos, which she said were originally taken for
someone she was once dating, hit the internet while she was in Australia.

Though being down under helped her avoid some of the anxiety she believes she
would have felt if she’d been stateside, it still was a tough moment. Even
harder though, was telling her mother about it.

“I was just open with her, and she was just so cute. She was like, ‘Well
everyone can be naked if they want to.’” Vanessa recounted. “My parents are very
supportive of me. And they know I’m a teenager, and yes, kids do stupid things
sometimes.”

The 19-year-old actress said she learned a valuable lesson from the photo
scandal, one she tries to impart on other young women.

“I tell girls all the time: ‘Don’t post your private business for the world
to see!’” she said. “You just have to be careful.”

As for the other reason she became tabloid fodder – her relationship with
“HSM” cutie Zac Efron, Hudgens said that as a boyfriend, Efron is just what the
doctor ordered.

“He always makes me happy. He literally knows exactly what to do to make me
laugh,” she said.

Hudgens did admit however, it can be hard dating the blue-eyed boy,
especially since he is so very popular with the ladies.

“It’s hard when you have a good-looking boyfriend,” she said. “You want your
man to be your man. You don’t want all these girls up on him and stuff like
that.”

Though they may be dating, they aren’t thinking about the future.

“It’s fun having a boyfriend. He’s a friend and a cute friend who you like.
It’s nice. But only time will tell,” she said. “I’m still young, and I have my
girlfriends and I have my family.”