Tony nominee Andrew Rannells and Vanessa Hudgens appeared on The Late Late Show With James Corden January 17. Rannells has his upcoming television series Black Monday and Hudgens is in rehearsal for Fox’s Rent: Live, which airs January 27.

Hudgens will play Maureen Johnson in the live television musical event and is a self-described Renthead. “I never saw it or anything, I just did it,” she explained. “I did it at the Hollywood Bowl 8 years ago; Neil Patrick Harris was directing it and he had me come in and play Mimi.”

During rehearsals, Hudgens has been giddy watching her co-stars. “I’m the person who’s in the pits—because we have pits, which is really cool—watching everyone at the bottom of the stage as close to the stage as possible,” she said. “I may be kicked in the face, but I don't care because I love it.”

As for Rannells, Rent was the first show he saw—and the first Broadway show he auditioned for, at age 19 having just moved to New York. After leaving his black-and-white headshot at the Nederlander Theatre stage door, Rannells was called in to audition for...Angel.

“I'm not really an Angel, but that's fine,” he said. “I sang my first song and the girl kept looking at my headshot and looking at me and looking at my headshot and looking at me. And I finish the song, and she goes, ‘That was great. Can I ask, what’s your mix?’ And I thought she meant vocally what's my mix. And I was like, ‘I don’t really know.’ And she goes, ‘Where are your ancestors from?‘ And I go, ‘Poland and Ireland.’ And she goes, ‘So you’re not Asian at all?‘’

Hear the full story above, and more from Hudgens on High School Musical fans in the video above.