Bretman Rock Calls Vanessa Hudgens His Most Disappointing Celebrity Encounter After Coachella Run-In
- Jan 9
- 4 min read
9 January 2026
Bretman Rock, the multihyphenate influencer with nearly 50 million followers across social platforms, recently stirred conversation in entertainment circles with a candid revelation about what he considers his most disappointing celebrity encounter. In a lively appearance on the Sweet or Savory Podcast, Rock didn’t hold back when asked to name a public figure whose behavior left him underwhelmed and uncomfortable.
After initially referring to the celebrity only by initials, Rock identified the actress Vanessa Hudgens best known for her breakout role in High School Musical and her evolving career in film and television as the person whose interaction disappointed him the most. His story, which dates back to a Coachella event several years ago, has caught the attention of fans and sparked broader discussion online about celebrity interactions, expectations and online personality culture.
Rock’s account took listeners back to what he described as a pre–pandemic Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, around 2017 or 2018, where both he and Hudgens were invited as representatives for the supplement brand SugarBear Hair, now known as SugarBear PRO. According to Rock, he was heading to collect his festival passes when he spotted Hudgens conversing with the brand’s CEO, someone Rock said he knew personally. In an attempt to get the CEO’s attention, he waved, believing he was signaling his friend. What happened next, he said, was unexpected and became the defining moment of their brief encounter.
“He looks at me and, like, tries to hide,” Rock recounted on the podcast, pausing before making it clear he wasn’t waving to greet Hudgens herself. He suggested that what followed an alleged effort by Hudgens, with her assistant’s help, to physically position themselves between her and Rock conveyed to him a deeper sense of discomfort or avoidance. “I was not f------ saying hi to you, Vanessa,” he reiterated, in blunt fashion, on the podcast. The influencer also referenced pop-culture lore by noting “I was always Team Sharpay,” a nod to Ashley Tisdale’s fiery High School Musical character, in contrast to Hudgens’s role in the Disney franchise.
Rock’s narrative didn’t stop with just avoidance. The influencer also invoked a broader cultural edge, touching on shared heritage and identity. At one point in the episode he said, “You’re not above me, I’m not under you… I’m Filipino, and you can’t even like your own people,” stirring additional conversation about how celebrity identity and cultural connections are perceived in public spaces. While Hudgens herself has not responded to Rock’s remarks, the anecdote contributed to a fresh wave of commentary and memes across social feeds as fans reacted to Rock’s blunt honesty.
This episode emerges at a moment when Rock’s own career is thriving. After first gaining attention on the now-defunct platform Vine, he has expanded his reach into YouTube, beauty, lifestyle content, merchandise and even music videos. Rock’s success has been punctuated by accolades such as winning Video of the Year at the inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards in 2025, and his public persona today is as much about authenticity and community as it is about viral moments. In recent years he has also opened up about distancing himself from the traditional Los Angeles influencer scene, opting instead for life in Hawaii surrounded by his pets and a creative environment less driven by industry hype.
In his broader media presence, Rock is known for blending humor, self-deprecation and unfiltered takes on personal and cultural experiences, which has endeared him to a global audience. His commentary on the podcast was no different in tone part candid confession, part comedic performance and his remarks about Hudgens were framed with that same blend of barbed humor and autobiography. While some listeners found the anecdote entertaining, others questioned whether a moment at a crowded festival should carry so much weight in defining a celebrity encounter, sparking debate about personal expectations and public personas.
Vanessa Hudgens, for her part, remains a figure with a long and diverse career. She gained fame as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical franchise, a role that launched her into mainstream attention as both an actress and singer. Since then, she has continued to work in film, television and theater, building a body of work that extends beyond her Disney roots. Hudgens has also developed a robust fanbase through her social media presence and personal brand, while maintaining privacy around many aspects of her personal life.
The resurfacing of this fifteen-second slice from Rock’s past continues to ripple through social platforms, in part because it reflects a larger trend where influencers and celebrities are increasingly candid about behind-the-scenes experiences. In an era when public figures are expected to be accessible yet are simultaneously scrutinized for perceived slights, stories like Rock’s highlight how fleeting moments can be interpreted in vastly different ways by those involved and by the audiences who follow them. Whether seen as humorous gossip or as an example of the pressure cooker of celebrity culture, the episode has underscored the complexities that come with public fame and interpersonal dynamics in high-profile settings.
Comments