What Bretman Rock appears to be a brief moment at Coachella turned into a story that stayed with him for years.
During a guest appearance on the Sweet or Savory Podcast, hosted by Filipino-American couple Alyssa Navarro Rafael and AJ Rafael, the social media personality opened up about what he described as his most disappointing celebrity encounter, one involving Vanessa Hudgens.
Bretman shared that the incident happened around 2017 or 2018 during a Coachella event tied to Sugar Bear Hair. At the time, he was there to collect his tickets and noticed Hudgens speaking with the brand’s CEO, someone he already knew well.
As he tried to get the CEO’s attention by waving, which he emphasized was not directed at Hudgens, he noticed the actress reacted differently. According to Bretman, Hudgens looked at him and attempted to hide, a moment that immediately irritated him.
He clarified that he had no intention of greeting her, jokingly adding that he had always been “Team Sharpay,” a reference to the High School Musical rivalry between Hudgens’ Gabriella Montez and Ashley Tisdale’s Sharpay Evans.
Bretman went on to express his frustration more directly, saying he was neither a fan nor trying to acknowledge her. He questioned why she or her assistant would feel the need to avoid him in an invite-only setting and stressed that there was no hierarchy between them, noting that neither was above nor below the other.
He also touched on identity, pointing out that he is Filipino and questioning why Hudgens, who has Filipino roots, seemed distant toward someone from the same community.
Although the encounter happened years ago, Bretman’s retelling received various online reactions. Netizens engaged with the story, with some appreciating his humor and honesty while others debated their own perspectives on the situation.
The discussion gained added context following Hudgens’ appointment in 2023 as the Philippines’ Global Tourism Ambassador, a role that drew attention both locally and internationally for her contributions to promoting the country as a tourism destination.
Bretman also recalled moments when he publicly threw shade at the actress. During a 2023 visit to Palawan, he was quoted making a remark about her inability to say “Palawan.” He later poked fun at Hudgens again during the U.S. premiere of the Filipino film A Very Good Girl, where he pretended not to recognize her.
Years after the Coachella incident, Bretman Rock’s story continues to resurface, less as a brief celebrity encounter and more as a moment that showed a less flattering side of celebrity interactions.