'High School Musical' Star Poses Nude, Loses Some Fans

Sept. 7, 2007 — -- Fans of Vanessa Hudgens, "High School Musical's" popular teen actress, may be singing a different tune after a naked photograph of the starlet was leaked on the Internet.

The photograph, which shows the 18-year-old posing nude in a bedroom, is provoking some younger fans to reconsider their loyalty to the actress, and has parents wondering how to explain to their kids that their favorite television personality isn't as innocent as they'd once thought.

Robin Daniels, whose 11-year-old daughter, Jessica, has all the "High School Musical" clothes, notebooks and CDs, said that she decided to tell her daughter about the controversial photograph before she heard about it from her friends.

"Her jaw just hit the floor," said Daniels, who runs a cheerleading gym in Parker, Colo. "I just told her that everyone makes bad choices and mistakes sometimes."

"I'm sad and disappointed," said Jessica, who told ABCNEWS.com that she was surprised Hudgens had he photograph taken because her character on the show is known as the good girl. "I will think about the show and her character a little differently now."

Hudgens' character in the movies, Gabriella Montez, is known for being a math and science genius, according to the show's Web site, and she is also the love interest of teen heartthrob Zac Efron. Hudgens and Efron are believed to be dating in real life, too.

"This was a photo which was taken privately," said a statement from Hudgens' spokeswoman. "It is a personal matter, and it is unfortunate that it has become public."

Instances like Hudgens' naked photograph, as well as the predicaments headline regulars like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton often find themselves in, can provide good opportunities for parents to talk to their kids about making smart decisions, experts told ABCNEWS.com.

"Use it as a discussion point," said Karen Zager, a psychologist who specializes in parenting and adolescents. "You want [these instances] to empower kids to make good choices for themselves, and you want to turn it into a learning experience, not something to be snickered or laughed about."