Vanessa Hudgens accused of cultural appropriation for wearing braids

Hudgens has yet to answer the criticism

Hudgens played Rizzo in a televised rendition of the musical Grease (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Like Justin Bieber, Kylie Jenner and a host of other ill-advised celebrities before her, Vanessa Hudgens has debuted a hairstyle on social media that is attracting accusations of cultural appropriation.

Bieber prompted criticism with his blonde dreads months after defending Kylie Jenner's decision to cornrow her hair, one that that saw her accused of “appropriating black features and culture“ but failing to use her platform to support black Americans in issues of racial injustice by Amandla Stenberg.

Now we have Hudgens posting a picture of herself with braids on her SnapChat account on Sunday, with the 27-year-old former Disney actress adding the caption “Yasas braids”.

It isn’t the first time Hudgens has raised eyebrows for using cultural or religious symbols as accessories. Pictures of her wearing a bindi, a symbol of Hinduism which, along with a number of other traditional or religious symbols became an unfortunate Coachella staple, and a dreamcatcher in her hair have drawn ire before.

In May, the actress coughed up $1,000 after an Instagram photo revealed she had allegedly carved her name into a red rock in Arizona, in what accounted to a misdemeanour count of damaging a natural feature on US Forest Service Land.

A representative for Hudgens did not immediately respond to a request for comment.