Vanessa Hudgens is one of those people you would expect to see taking up inches in the daily gossip columns everyday, yet the former Disney starlet rarely ever shows up in the tabloids or on the other end of the paparazzi's glare. The 24-year-old revealed in a recent interview with Marie Claire that she does this through choice, as she has consciously continued to stay grounded throughout her young career as an actress and avoid any unnecessary attention.

Vanessa Hudgens Frozen Ground
Vanessa recently starred in the Nic Cage-starring Frozen Ground

The actress told the magazine that, as a "spiritual" person, she tries her best to steer clear of any negative influences and bad elements that could so easily consume her life, like the paparazzi. The star went on to refute the claims that she has experimented with drugs and give praise to her ever-supportive family, who she singles out as being the sole reason behind her attention-shy personality and for helping her achieve her success.

"A sense of knowing I'm a part of something bigger than myself has allowed me to enjoy life more. And not worry about the little things … like paparazzi," the cover star told the magazine for their October issue. Having had one or two run-ins with bad press in her time as a celebrity, most notably her 'leaked' nude photos from 2009 and some that have emerged since, Hudgens went on to claim that in spite of these occasional blips, she is usually good as gold.

Vanessa Hudgens
The young actress has tried her best to steer clear of major controversy

In 2011, after images of her at the Coachella Music Festival with a bag containing an unknown white substance emerged, the star was forced to defend herself again, insisting that it was nothing more than white chocolate. She explained, "I couldn't do anything but laugh. It's amazing how people like to create something out of absolutely nothing. I am human like everyone else. I am aware that there are people who look up to me. When mistakes are made, they aren't intentional, and I constantly push myself to be a better person."

"I'm so comfortable with myself — honing (sic) in on what I love and what makes me powerful," she continued. "Things I've been doing lately, I'm super-proud of. So I don't really care if someone doesn't like it, because I love it."

Going on to discuss her family, which has always been and always will be the biggest part of her life, she explained that they had to sacrifice a lot to get her to where she is today, something that Vanessa will be eternally grateful for. She explained, "Money was a big thing. The family definitely struggled. … They were very supportive of me. They gave up a lot so that I could get to where I am."

The full interview will appear in the October issue of Marie Claire, in which Vanessa stars as the cover girl.

Vanessa Hudgens Paparazzi
Vanessa tries her best to avoid paparazzi