Vanessa Hudgens Reigns On Netflix This Week With “Tick”, “Princess”

As Vanessa Hudgens returns to her musical roots with “Tick, Tick… ​​Boom! it’s bittersweet.

“Tick” is one of two musicals the late Jonathan Larson wrote and composed before his untimely death at 35. The other, of course, is “Rent” which premiered on Broadway the day she died in 1996, earned her a Pulitzer, and spent 12 years on Broadway.

Although she has never met him, Hudgens, 32, has a history with Larson that began when she starred on the 2019 live TV show “Rent”.

“So surreal,” she says. “When I was doing ‘Rent: Live’ Jonathan’s sister was on set with us. Her dad came to visit her. I really felt like I was part of the Larson family. Now to do this. film and for my character to be such a supporter of him (which I am too), I feel like the circle has come full circle.

“Tick” has Andrew Garfield (“Tammy Faye’s Eyes”) recreating Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical in a film that marks Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut (“Hamilton”, the upcoming “Encante”) .

“He had a run on Broadway where he was broken down into two different characters. Because the way Jonathan wrote it, he performed it as himself as a solo piece. So it’s cool to see how that has been transformed into his full and rich world. To be able to draw the curtain and see the backstage is truly magnificent. “

Surprisingly, this isn’t the only Netflix project Hudgens has this week: her third “The Princess Switch,” which she is producing, airs Thursday.

“I play three different women – a baker from the United States, our queen and the other is an absolute disaster and a troublemaker. It’s kind of like the anti-hero story “Princess” because we follow this character, Fiona Pembroke, and see why she is the way she is.

“It’s another story where I think it’s just empathy for people that you can make quick judgments about.

“And it’s wonderful to have those two things and put on a different producer hat and know that I’m evolving and growing.

“I’m also thankful that I can be with the people and help bring families together, especially for the holidays. This is one of the reasons I love to do “Princess” – because the holidays are when you get your family together.

“When you can all sit down together and experience something light that lets you get away from it all. “