Vanessa Ann Hudgens took to Twitter to announcedthat her father, Greg Hudgens, has lost his battle to stage 4 cancer but noted that she will still perform for “Grease: Live” in his honor.
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According to Entertainment Tonight, the “High School Musical” star told the crowd that her boyfriend, actor Austin Butler, had lost his mother to cancer and also said her father had the disease. “Thank you to everyone who kept him in your prayers”, Hudgens wrote, less than six months after letting fans know that her dad was diagnosed.
Grease: Live will take place January 31 on Fox.
The production airs at 7 p.m. PT. She tweeted about her dad a couple of times, but has turned her focus on work, tweeting about the show most of the afternoon. “I hate cancer with every cell of my being”, Vanessa shared onstage. She is dedicating the performance to her late father.
Fans and Twitter users alike complimented Hudgens for deciding to continue with her performance, calling her fearless, a “spirit animal” and an inspiration, among other things. “It would mean a lot to me”.
Along with Vanessa, Greg is survived by his younger daughter, Stella, and wife Gina.
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“We’re going live rain or shine and we’re excited to do so”, said producer Mark Platt. “That’s what makes live TV exciting – the unknown!”
