Vanessa Hudgens is getting as far away from her 'High School Musical' persona as she possibly can. On the heels of starring as a pregnant teen runaway in 'Gimme Shelter,' Deadline reports that Hudgens will star as an escaped almost-victim of a serial killer in 'The Frozen River' opposite John Cusack and Nicolas Cage. Based on true events, the Scott Walker-directed film follows an Alaskan state trooper (Cage) on the trail of Alaska's most notorious serial killer (Cusack), a family man and well-respected member of the community. Shooting begins in Alaska on Oct. 17. [Deadline]