Vanessa Hudgens is facing backlash after posing for photos in a cemetery and calling the burial ground her 'happy place'
- Vanessa Hudgens is facing backlash after posting a series of photos taken in New York's Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
- The actor has also been criticized for calling the cemetery a "beautiful" location and describing it as her "happy place."
- In response to one Instagram user who criticized her posts, Hudgens said she shared the photos because she loved cemeteries, as well as history, and previously buried her father in one.
- Many tourists who visit the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery pose among the historical grave markers for photos.
Vanessa Hudgens is facing backlash in response to her latest Instagram posts.
On Saturday, the actor shared two versions of a photo showing herself posing in New York's Sleepy Hollow Cemetery while wearing a black vest, matching skirt, fishnet tights, long gloves, a face mask, and combat boots.
She originally described the burial ground as her "Happy place ."
Hudgens quickly faced criticism in response to her description of the graveyard
In the comments of her post, numerous Instagram users questioned Hudgens' caption and choice to pose for photos in a cemetery.
"Why would you pose in a cemetery and post 'happy place?' Bruh," one person wrote.
"Um am I the only one who finds that disrespectful?" another user said.
"Your happy place is the burial place of someone's loved one? Someone's sad place? Dark," an Instagram user wrote.
Hudgens later changed the caption of those same photos to say: "Searching for that headless horseman ."
Despite criticism, Hudgens continued to share photos taken in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
After her first post, Hudgens shared an image of herself wearing the same black ensemble while at the Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm in Yorktown Heights, New York. For her caption, she wrote: "Apple pickin season."
She then shared four additional photos taken from the cemetery — including two of her posing among gravestones — in a third and final post.
"What. A beautiful. Place." Hudgens wrote.
The latter post also received criticism from Instagram users.
"So are you there visiting or just doing a photo op?" one person wrote. "Cause the latter is mad disrespectful and pathetic if so."
"Girl delete this now," another user said.
"Yikes," someone commented. "I don't think the families of the people buried there would appreciate this."
The actor later responded to one critic, saying cemeteries are 'beautiful'
Under her third Instagram post, one user wrote: "This is disrespectful. You're prancing around like it's some amusement park. The caption is just why? Clearly you have never been to a burial. It's not a happy place for anyone."
In response, Hudgens said: "I buried my father in a cemetery. I love cemeteries. They're beautiful. Especially that one. It's historical and I love history."
Hudgens is not the only person to share photos taken in a cemetery
On Instagram, the #SleepyHollowCemetery hashtag has been used more than 10,000 times. Many of the photos seen with the tag show tourists posing in the graveyard. Dozens of similar photos can also be found on the platform under the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery geotag.
Representatives for Hudgens did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
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