Vanessa Hudgens feels lucky to have fallen in love with Zac Efron

Vanessa Hudgens feels "lucky" to have met Zac Efron.

The High School Musical star - who has been dating her co-star in the Disney movie series for the last four years - admits she is grateful they started their careers together.

She said: "We got lucky because we started off together, so I think people like us because they fell in love with our characters. Right off the bat, we had a connection. I think everybody could see it. When we had our audition, they paired us together. And he was adorable. I mean, he wasn't the guy that he is today. Like, he had a gap in his teeth. He was a whole different person."

Despite the early chemistry between Vanessa and Zac, the 21-year-old actress-and-singer isn't ready to take their relationship to the next level and move in with the 17 Again star.

She added to America's Glamour magazine: "No. I mean, maybe. maybe house-hunting for houses on our own. I mean. which, I'm not. And he's not, at the moment. So no. No. I just bought my house two years ago, and I adore it."

Since getting her big break in the High School Musical movies the young star has also appeared in teen movie Bandslam.

But although her film choices have been for younger audiences, Vanessa is ready to move onto something more challenging.

She said: "Before High School Musical, I wanted to be a nitty-gritty actress. And High School Musical came along, and I was like, 'Oh my God, fun!' When I am around kids and they come up to me, of course I am going to act a certain way, but at the end of the day, I'm doing this for myself. I'm going to be doing movies kids can't watch."