Vanessa Hudgens said in a magazine interview that Zac Efron kept her grounded during their relationship.

According to Shape Magazine, Hudgens, whose romance with Efron made her the envy of tween girls around the world, said the relationship “helped her stay normal.”

“The relationship kept me grounded,” the 22-year-old actress said. “Because I was with someone who knew me so well, I didn’t need to try to be someone that I’m not.”

Hudgens, who split with the 23-year-old actor in December, also shared that their busy schedules made things difficult to maintain, saying “long-distance relationships are hard no matter what.”

But according to US Magazine, she has no regrets about spending nearly five years with the High School Musical hunk.

“We grew up together,” Hudgens said. “It was nice to have someone share all those experiences with. It was a good thing.”

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