Oscars 2024: Vanessa Hudgens confirms she's pregnant with first child by debuting baby bump on red carpet

Vanessa Hudgens has confirmed that she is pregnant with her first child with husband Cole Tucker.

The actress, 35, ended months of speculation that she was expecting as she cradled her growing baby bump on the red carpet of the 96th annual Academy Awards.

Hudgens, who was hosting The Oscars Red Carpet Show ahead of the biggest night in showbiz, beamed for the cameras as she posed in a dress which accentuated her tummy; a long-length high-neck black gown, outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The big reveal comes three months after Hudgens married US baseball player Tucker in a ceremony in Mexico following her high-profile split from Oscar-nominated actor Austin Butler.

Days before the mum-to-be shared her baby news, she had spoken out about “rude” pregnancy speculation which had left her feeling “fat” after whispers abounded during her bachelorette party in October 2023 in Aspen, Colorado.

Appearing on the latest episode of the She Pivots podcast, the High School Musical star recalled how comments on a clip she had shared from her getaway had detracted from what was supposed to be “the happiest” time in her life.

“I feel like I literally just had a run-in with the public taking control over their opinion of me in a way that was disrespectful,” she explained.

“I went out on my bachelorette and I posted video of me and there are all these comments that are like, ‘Oh my god. You're pregnant.’ And I'm like, that is so rude. I'm sorry, I don't wear Spanx every day and I'm a real woman and have a real body.'

She added: “I'm literally celebrating one of the happiest times of my life, and you guys are just gonna make me feel fat. That’s great. Thanks.”

Hudgens went on to discuss “the four agreements” women should stick by.

“One of them is don't make assumptions… in all aspects of life, but especially over other women's bodies,” she stated.

“We deal with so much with other people trying to control our bodies, not let's not make assumptions over other women's bodies as well.”