Who Is Vanessa Hudgens's Dreamy Jock Husband, Cole Tucker?

2021 brought the start of something new for the two stars.

In 2006, Vanessa Hudgens gave the world one of the best teen love stories when she appeared opposite Zach Efron in High School Musical. Their characters, Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton, respectively, made fans swoon from the first few notes of "Start of Something New" on that fateful New Year's Eve. Decades later, in 2021, she gave the world another reason to believe in love, this time through her adorable real-life relationship with MLB star Cole Tucker. The pair is the definition of modern love, having met over Zoom and progressing their relationship after the actress slide into Tucker's DMs. They've since exchanged vows, welcomed a baby, and shared many PDA-filled moments, including on the sidelines of the baseball diamond. Read ahead for everything we know about the dreamy jock who stole Hudgens's heart.

He's a professional baseball player.

Fans of America's favorite pastime will recognize Tucker as a star switch hitter (meaning he can bat with both hands) in the baseball diamond. The shortstop and outfielder was drafted by the MLB in 2014 and held positions for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2019-2022 and the Colorado Rockies in 2023. He is currently a free agent.

He's from Arizona.

Tucker is Phoenix born and raised. He attended Mountain Pointe High School, where his baseball career first began. He played for his school's team and represented Team USA in the 18U Baseball World Cup as a senior. He grew up with two younger brothers, Carson "Dookie" Tucker, fellow baseball star on the Cleveland Indians, and Quinn Tucker, a photographer and filmmaker.

He co-launched the You Can! foundation.

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, Tucker, alongside friends and MLB players Cody Bellinger and Jamie Westbrook, founded You Can!, a foundation designed to raise money and awareness for mental health and well-being causes for underprivileged youth.

“[We] were just talking and thinking, ‘Hey, we have this platform, and we have these ideas of what would be cool to help in our backyard and all over the country with things that we care about,’” Tucker told MLB.com in September 2021. “I also think it’s something that pertains to everybody, no matter who you are or what you do."

He's a big High School Musical fan.

The athlete basically manifested his relationship with Hudgens in 2012, when he tweeted, "In search of: A girl who's down to watch High School Musical with me and scratch my back."

Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth even served as his role model. “When I was in fourth grade, I was like, ‘Man, I am going to grow out my hair. I’m going to look like Corbin Bleu, and it’s going to be the coolest thing ever,' " he told The Athletic in March 2020. "I did it and I’m still doing it. I sound like such a nerd right now, but that’s really what happened. It kind of became my thing.”

All about Vanessa Hudgens and Cole Tucker's relationship.

They met over Zoom.

Like any good Covid romance, Hudgens revealed to Entertainment Tonight in April 2021 that she met her man during a remote meditation session.  "Very random, yes. Zoom, you've got to love it," she said.

Vanessa Hudgens's shot her shot over Instagram DM.

The two kept things online. The "Sneakernight" singer proudly admitted she made the first move by sliding into Tucker's DMs.

"If I want something or someone, I'm going after them," she said during a May 2021 appearance on the Drew Barrymore Show. "I fully just slid into his DMs and was like, 'Hey, it was nice to meet you.' So I think there is no shame in making the first move."

They got engaged in 2023.

Tucker popped the question in Paris after nearly two years of dating. Hudgens announced the happy news in February 2023. "YES. We couldn’t be happier 🤍," she captioned her Instagram post.

A week later, the actress gushed over her man in a commemorative Valentine's Day post. "Real magnetic love is out there," she wrote under a photo of her beau kissing her on the cheek at what appeared to be their engagement party. "What a journey it was to get here but so worth it to get to my forever @cotuck 🥰 Happy Valentine’s Day❤️."

They got married in Mexico.

The sweetheart couple tied the knot in Tulum on December 2, 2023, in a private wedding at the Azulik City of Arts. "I couldn’t have dreamt it to be any better. I knew it was going to be magical, but it exceeded my expectations," Hudgens told Vogue.

They share a child.

The Spring Breakers star basically broke the internet when she debuted her baby bump at the 2024 Oscars in a figure-hugging black gown. Four months later, on July 5, 2024, the couple confirmed they welcomed their first child, though they have yet to disclose their baby's birthday and gender.