Vanessa Hudgens has opened up about her first impression of her ex-boyfriend Zac Efron.

The pair began dating in 2005 after meeting on the set of Disney's High School Musical, in which Vanessa played Gabriella Montez and Zac played Troy Bolton.

During a recent appearance on the Get Your Head in the Game podcast with her former co-star Bart Johnson - who played Coach Jack Bolton - Vanessa reflected on the early days of her romance with Zac and their undeniable on-screen chemistry.

When asked about her first impression of The Greatest Showman actor during their audition for High School Musical, the 36-year-old admitted she thought, "Oh, my God, he's so cute."

The Spring Breakers star added that their "chemistry was so real".

"There was one other girl there for Gabriella, one other guy there for Troy," she remembered. "We swapped, mixed and matched and yeah, that was it."

Vanessa explained that their real-life relationship made their on-screen romance even stronger

"It really does (help)," she said. "Especially when you're young and it's all sweet and innocent."

Vanessa and Zac, 37, dated from 2005 until 2010, reportedly splitting amicably due to their demanding work schedules.

Since then, Vanessa has moved on, marrying former professional baseball player Cole Tucker in 2023. The couple recently announced that they are expecting their second child, just over a year after welcoming their first in July 2024.

Meanwhile, Zac has been linked to actress Nina Dobrev, with the two being spotted vacationing together. However, the Vampire Diaries star has since confirmed that they are just friends.