(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Vanessa Hudgens says acting should be about work first and everything else later.

The 22-year-old actress is best known for her role in the High School Musical franchise. She believes that too many Hollywood stars get caught up in the glamour of an acting career, when they should be concentrating on their work. Vanessa has protected herself from the trappings of fame by relying on her friends and family to keep her grounded.

"I think it's about surrounding yourself with the right people," she told USA Today. "A lot of people may get lost in the lights and glamour of it all. It should be about the work first and everything else later."

The brunette beauty was born in California and lived all over the West Coast growing up. Vanessa insists she never gets lost in the world of celebrity because her parents who arent associated with Hollywood make sure she keeps her feet firmly on the ground. She also credits her High School Musical co-stars for making sure she remains down to earth.

"I had my family to keep me grounded. I'm so close to my mom and dad. Their world doesn't revolve around Hollywood," she explains. I also had [HSM co-stars] to grow with, like Ashley [Tisdale] and Zac [Efron]. We all went on this journey together and had each other to fall back on. You've got to have your friends to keep your head on straight."

Vanessas new-found confidence is reflected in her two more mature upcoming films. In Beastly which is a modern take on Beauty and the Beast - she plays Lindy, an un-cool high school student who develops an attraction to bad boy character Kyle, who is played by her co-star Alex Pettyfer. Vanessa can also be seen as an action heroine trapped in a mental asylum in Sucker Punch, which is released later this month. (C) Cover Media