Let’s Talk About Vanessa Hudgens’ Ghosts of Boyfriends Past

This upcoming March, Vanessa Hudgens will return to the silver screen as Candy in Spring Breakers, alongside fellow starlets Ashley Benson and Selena Gomez. In spite of a brief photo scandal likely spurred by some yearning to rebel against her squeaky clean High School Musical reputation, she has remained relatively unmarred by further trouble. Her career has also remained steady, participating in projects such as Bandslam, Beastly, and Sucker Punch.  In honor of her turning 24 yesterday (what may be the most irrelevant birthday aside from turning 19), let’s look back at her brief but memorable romantic history. Surprisingly, Vanessa seems to be a lady who appreciates quality over quantity and has a sixth sense about actors who are gonna be BIG.  Let’s review her three most notable relationships:  Zac Efron: High School Sweethearts  Zac and Vanessa were the original tween power couple of the 2000s. They were together before Selena and Justin, Rob and Kristen, or Taylor and all those guys. Who DIDN’T think they were getting married? Vanessa met Zac on the High School Musical set all the way back in 2005, but as most first loves do, the flame eventually faded. Let’s give credit where credit is due though. Having Zac Efron as a first boyfriend is quite a high point to start your dating life. About 98% of us were not as lucky as Vanessa in this department.  Josh Hutcherson: Love Before The Hunger Games Madness  Vanessa nabbing Josh Hutcherson yet again proves what good taste she has and what luck! Josh is practically the new Zac because he’s won the hearts of girls around the world with his portrayal of loyal and sensitive Peeta in The Hunger Games. They got together while filming Journey to the Center of the Earth 2: Mysterious Island, which no one saw, bonding them even further. Props to Vanessa for getting this notch in her belt BEFORE he was Peeta.  Austin Butler: Our Next Favorite Heartthrob?  Judging from the previous two relationships, Vanessa is like the King Midas of young actors’ careers: she dates them and they rise to fame. Austin may be next in line. He’s cut from the same teen star cloth, having worked on shows like Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide and Zoey 101. Ever since they began dating, he’s had recurring role on shows such as Life Unexpected and Switched at Birth. This winter he’ll be the central love interest of the title character on the upcoming premiere of The Carrie Diaries, cementing his chance in teen heartthrob status. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what Vanessa’s latest beau has to offer. If Zac and Josh are any indication, I think it’s safe to say we’ll be in love with Austin by the end of 2013.  (Photos: Ian Wilson, Nikki Nelson, Robert Wallace, PNP /WENN.com)