In a recent interview for promotion of her new film Journey 2, Vanessa Hudgens talks about dating, how boys can approah women, and her most challenging scenes in the movie. Check out the interview!

“Dating in general is tough,” revealed the lovely 23-year-old Fil-Am actress Vanessa Hudgens when we interviewed her. “It’s about finding someone with whom you have the same beliefs with and if you have that and communication, I think it is the key,” she added.

“When you have a connection with someone, you have an instant connection. I feel like I have been more aware of the connections that I have been making with people. If I do have that genuine true connection, you acknowledge that and you value it. You treasure it because there is a lot of people who you meet who there is a wall where it just feels wrong. So I think it is genuinely about just following my heart. That is what I have been doing. It has taken me in a very beautiful direction.”

Blooming in a white halter long dress by Rebecca Taylor with a flower on her hair, the charming actress is poised and confident.

Vanessa, whose parents are Filipina Gina Guangco and firefighter Gregory Hudgens, has indeed gone a long way from her “High School Musical” days where she portrayed the sweet Gabrielle Montez.

Of her Filipino roots and ethnic background, Vanessa revealed, “Yeah, I am half-Filipino, half Caucasian. But within that Chinese-Spanish-French-American-Indian-Irish. I am a mutt basically. It used to be tough. I used to get really frustrated because I would go out for parts and I was never Hispanic enough or never Caucasian enough. It was really aggravating. But I feel like now that I have more of a name for myself, people are more aware. I have the opportunity to really transform myself. I have been called a chameleon since I was young so I love completely changing my look and because of all my different ethnicities, I feel like I really take on different forms.”

Asked to give boys some advice on how to approach women, Vanessa said, “Be themselves. You really have to be yourself. It’s when people are trying to be something they are not that it comes off phony and that’s not attractive. Spontaneity. You have to be open to new experiences. That is really attractive. You have to be very passionate. And you have to be kind of spiritual, in touch with yourself and being centered.”

The charming girl who was born in Salinas, California, who most recently starred in Zack Snyder’s “Sucker Punch” and in “Beastly,” a modern-day take on “Beauty and the Beast,” is recently appearing in Brad Peyton’s new 3D adventure film, “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,” a sequel to “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”

In the movie that also stars Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson and Luis Guzman, Vanessa portrays Kailani, the daughter of Gabato (Luis), a father-daughter tour guide team. They help 17-year-old Sean Anderson (Josh) and his new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne), look for Sean’s grandfather Alexander (Michael) who is lost in a mysterious island.

Vanessa revealed to us her most challenging scene in doing the movie: “Shooting the underwater sequences was tough because I don’t do well in water. A lot of people feel really comfortable but I do not. I do not like being underwater. I hate getting my face wet so it was difficult for me but it was such an incredible experience looking over and seeing Michael Caine underwater acting with me. It was such an odd experience. I do not know how many people can say they have done that. It was so cool.”

She added that she and co-star Josh, who was a former boyfriend, actually asked Michael if he could adopt them. “Josh and I actually asked Michael if he would adopt us as his grandchildren because he is so cool,” she chirpily disclosed. “He has done so many incredible things. He is a legend. He is a Knight but he is just so hip like he is in the know. He knows what’s up in the pop culture. He knows all the electronics that are out and happening and he is just such a good guy. I truly adore him.”

She revealed that when not filming, she finds to relax and put her hair down when “I am sitting on the beach and doing yoga. I also love music. I do completely allow myself to get lost in music so I guess that would be my real release. That’s when I really let myself loose.”

Vanessa admitted that she used to make music too. “I have not really been making music recently,” she pointed out. “I have been focusing on film and a lot of heavier dramas but I love listening to music. I love listening to music all day and all night. A bunch of my friends are musicians so it is always in my life.”

She shared that her upcoming projects include the Ron Krauss drama, “Gimme Shelter,” Scott Walker’s thriller, “The Frozen Ground,” with Nicolas Cage and John Cusack, and the crime drama, “Spring Breakers.”

Vanessa admitted that she is adventurous. “I am very adventurous,” she said. “I love a good adventure. I love camping. I love hiking. I love just being outside.”

Asked if she ever gave her parents something to complain about, Vanessa said, “Only when I do not take my vitamins.”

So how does she see herself 10 years from now, we asked. “Hopefully with an Oscar or maybe a Golden Globe. I don’t know. I have never really been one to plan ahead. I just try to stay as present and do my best in the moment that I have now. I want to travel so hopefully, see a bit more of the world, continue to expand my horizons, play different characters, do different genres and just keep on pushing myself.”

Vanessa Hudgens has been doing a lot of promotion lately for her new film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Check out Vanessa’s most recent interview! Vanessa talks about her co-stars and what it was like filming in Hawaii.

In the film, you have the dynamic of the three generations of guys with the grandfather, father, and son. Then we have your character and your father. Your character, Kailani, she’s sort of the mature one, especially with her father being Luis Guzman….

Vanessa Hudgens: Yeah (laughs). I kind of have to wear the pants in that relationship. Luis Guzman is hysterical, he was cracking me up. He’s such a riot, and also so random. Some of the things that would come out of his mouth, I would have no idea how he could think of these things. He is so much fun, our relationship in the film is so sweet. It’s definitely one of those things where Kailani thinks he’s embarrassing, and of course all kids go through a time where parents are the most embarrassing things, and they want nothing to do with them. But if you step back you realise that you’d be nowhere without them, and that you love them so much, and they love you just as much – if not more. Kailani, she’s a fun character because she’s tough, she takes care of those around her.

How did you keep a straight face working with Luis? I know parts of his performance were improvised.

Vanessa Hudgens: He would come up with stuff that was funnier than the actual lines. And he’d make up completely different side stories that weren’t even on the page, a lot of the stuff with him and Dwayne Johnson, he made their own little story and Dwayne played along (laughs). He brought a lot of life and spirit to the film. I was in hysterics much of the time, thankfully the crew were too so I wasn’t the odd one out.

At the beginning of the movie you have to hold Josh Hutcherson’s character, Sean, back…..

Vanessa Hudgens: Yes, at the beginning Kailani wants absolutely nothing to do with Sean. But slowly through the adventure that she gets taken on, against her will (laughs), she gets her eyes opened up to the adventure and mystery, and slowly falls for Sean. He does some saving as well, which always helps, he’s her hero. Josh is a great guy, he’s one of my best friends. We’d just have so much fun together. I’m really excited for him, he’s got ‘The Hunger Games’ coming out in a few months as well. He’s been doing this for a long time so he’s kind of a vet in his own right, even though he’s still so young. He’s so talented, he brings a lot to the table.

How was it working with Dwayne Johnson and Michael Caine?

Vanessa Hudgens: Dwayne is awesome, such a riot. He’s so driven, this guy has a schedule and he sticks to it. If our call time was 6am, he’d wake up at 4am to workout. I was constantly impressed by that, his work ethic. Also just some of his random skills, like playing the Ukulele and singing – I did not expect such a big guy to have such a sweet voice. He did his thing. Michael Caine, he’s a legend. Just to see him show up every day and see the enthusiasm he has, which matches if not exceeds mine, it was refreshing and inspiring. He doesn’t need to be doing this anymore, but he loves it so much that he continues too. He was a lot of fun as well, just listening to his stories, his singing, he was awesome. I’d sing with him everyday, we’d sing ‘Fireworks’ by Katy Perry, Beyonce, he was awesome.

Filming in Hawaii, what was that like?

Vanessa Hudgens: There was definitely no complaints! It was so stunning. I remember on set just running up and down the mountains singing and prancing and frolicking – I’m good at frolicking, I think (laughs). The cast was such an amazing draw, then filming in Hawaii, that’s a win win. Hawaii, so far that’s my favourite place I’ve ever worked in.