Vanessa Hudgens seems to be joining the ranks of Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert and Alexa PenaVega: She's becoming a bona fide holiday rom-com veteran.
Last year, the "High School Musical" and "Grease: Live" alum played a "The Parent Trap"-esque role in Netflix's "The Princess Switch," wherein she played both a small-town baker and a princess who shared a face and serendipitously swapped places around the holidays. Netflix, not backing down on their corny holiday content, released their line-up of films set to be released starting in November. Among actor/plot combinations that I'm shamelessly all in for (Dennis Quaid as a surly father-in-law?? Joan Cusack in a John Green adaptation??? That's it, they got me), Hudgens is stepping back into the Netflix studio for "The Knight Before Christmas" -- and before you ask, yes, it's exactly what it sounds like.
Hudgens will star as Brooke, a disillusioned science teacher who's over looking for love...until a literal knight (Josh Whitehouse) gets sent to present-day Ohio during the holiday season. I'm expecting -- nay, wishing for -- silly medieval-isms circa James Marsden's "Enchanted" performance.
While some may think these films are silly (in which case, we probably can't be friends), Hudgens, who's also credited as executive producer on "The Knight Before Christmas," spoke to Popsugar about exactly why she thinks these films are so important, especially around the holiday season.
"I was really excited by the idea of being a staple in people's home for the holidays," she said. "If I can be a part of bringing families together at a time that can be difficult and allow them a little escapism or inspiration, I think that's just a wonderful and beautiful thing to be."
It's something we don't think about unless we're unfortunately forced to: Holidays aren't always joyous occasions, devoid of any foreboding or tension. Sometimes, the pressure to enjoy a holiday brings about exactly the opposite. Hudgens, who lost her father to cancer in 2016, just a day before her live performance as Rizzo on "Grease: Live," thinks that the "escapism" a film about a time-traveling knight offers, combined with a "strong, logical, intelligent" protagonist is the perfect recipe for those looking for a little relief during the holidays.
"I think it's a crazy time in the world. Everyone could use a bit of lighthearted love," she said.
Cheers to Hudgens for finding the light at the end of her holiday tunnel. For a little bit of cheer for yourself, or if you truly just can't get enough of the fluff, "The Knight Before Christmas" drops on Netflix on Nov. 21.