LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Former "High School Musical" starlet Vanessa Hudgens is set to play a pregnant, homeless teen "Gimme Shelter," an indie drama that will also star Brendan Fraser as her father.
Hudgens' character flees her abusive mother and seeks out her biological father. He first takes her in but then throws her out when she refuses to abort her child. Fraser's character fathered her as a result of a youthful fling.
Ron Krauss is writing and directing the picture, which is eyeing an end of May start in Connecticut.
"Shelter" marks the 22-year-old actress first purely ' dramatic feature role, and continues her efforts to move beyond her teen-queen image. Hudgens came into the public's eye with Disney's "High School Musical" movies before moving to Zack Snyder's ensemble fantasy "Sucker Punch," and she has the family adventure movie "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" opening in September.
Fraser, who coincidentally starred in the first "Journey to the Center of the Earth" film, was last seen in "Furry Vengeance."