4 hours ago
Bretman Rock’s Account of “Disappointing” Vanessa Hudgens Coachella Encounter Goes Viral
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Beauty creator and social media personality Bretman Rock has publicly described an interaction with actor Vanessa Hudgens at Coachella as his “most disappointing” celebrity encounter, saying he left the festival feeling snubbed.
Rock recounted the incident during an appearance on the Sweet or Savory podcast with hosts Alyssa and AJ Rafael, recorded earlier and released in December 2025. Clips from the episode later gained traction on TikTok and other social media platforms, helping push the story into wider entertainment coverage.
According to Rock’s account, both he and Hudgens were at Coachella as part of a promotional trip organized by hair vitamins brand SugarBearHair, now known as SugarbearPRO. He said the encounter took place around 2017 or 2018, when he was invited as a creator and she attended as a long‑established entertainer.
Rock told listeners he was “friends with the SugarBearHair CEO” and was trying to get the executive’s attention when he ended up near Hudgens. He said he waved toward the CEO, not toward Hudgens, but noticed the actor react as if he were approaching her.
Rock alleged that Hudgens looked at him and tried to hide, and that she positioned another person in front of her as he walked closer to greet the CEO. He described this as an attempt to block him from approaching, which he interpreted as dismissive and entitled behavior.
In the podcast, Rock used strong language to express his reaction, saying “I don’t like her” and calling Hudgens his “most disappointing” celebrity encounter. He added, “Bitch, I’m not a fan, ” emphasizing that he was not seeking a selfie or fan interaction but simply trying to connect with the brand representative he knew.
Rock also referenced Hudgens’s role as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical films, noting that he had “always Team Sharpay, ” a nod to the character played by Ashley Tisdale. The reference underscored his claim that he did not approach Hudgens as a fan and framed his story within the pop‑culture rivalry between the characters.
As a Filipino American creator, Rock said the encounter was particularly disappointing because he and Hudgens share Filipino heritage. He recalled telling the podcast, “You’re not above me, I’m not under you. I’m Filipino, you can’t even like your own people, ” framing the incident as a moment where he felt dismissed by another person with similar cultural roots.
Rock, who has nearly 20 million followers across Instagram and TikTok and has long been open about his queer identity and Filipino background, regularly shares experiences that resonate with many LGBTQ+ people and people of color navigating predominantly white or elite entertainment spaces. His comments about not feeling “under” other celebrities align with broader conversations among LGBTQ+ communities and communities of color about visibility, respect, and how influencers and fans are treated at high‑profile cultural events.
Coverage of the story has also highlighted that Rock contrasted the Coachella moment with other celebrity encounters he described as positive. He cited Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima, whom he met at New York Fashion Week in 2017, as his “favorite” celebrity interaction and described her as “cool, ” adding that they followed each other on social media afterward.
As of early January 2026, entertainment outlets report that Hudgens, who has been informally dubbed the “Coachella queen” for her longtime presence at the festival, has not publicly responded to Rock’s account. Without a response from Hudgens or SugarbearPRO, media coverage has centered on Rock’s own words, with most outlets treating his story as a personal recollection rather than a confirmed account from all parties involved.
For LGBTQ+ audiences who follow Rock’s content, the story adds to a pattern of creators using podcasts and short‑form video to share first‑person experiences of inclusion, exclusion, and perceived disrespect in mainstream spaces, including major festivals like Coachella. While the Coachella interaction remains a single, disputed anecdote, its viral spread reflects the power of queer and trans creators, particularly creators of color, to shape conversations about celebrity culture, status, and mutual respect in the entertainment industry.
