Photo: Zach Scheffer
“Who doesn’t love a margarita?“Vanessa Hudgenssays, prompting her palsAshley BensonandRosario Dawsonto raise a can in agreement.
The three actresses are speaking with PEOPLE exclusively over Zoom about the launch of their new ready-to-drink cocktail,the Margalicious Margarita— a collaboration they’ve created in partnership with female-led brand Thomas Ashbourne Craft Spirits.
During the creative process, when it came time to settle on what type of drink to pick, the choice seemed clear to all three.
“My favorite memories of going out with my girlfriends is going to a Mexican restaurant and getting a margarita,” says Hudgens, 33. “There’s definitely a specific vibe that comes along with it, and it totally fits our personalities.”
“There was this meme that said, ‘You can never have a bad time at a Mexican restaurant, no matter what’ and I’m laughing just thinking about it because it’s true,” adds Benson, 32. “Go to a Mexican restaurant — you can’t be sad! You get a margarita and everything is fixed.”
“The guacamole helps too,” Dawson, 42, jokes.
Zach Scheffer
But what separates their drink from the rest is the bond the three stars share. “These are women that I love and admire,” Hudgens said. “I knew that we would be such a great team to put our heads together and create something that we’re really proud of and excited about.”
“We’re all so intertwined,” Hudgens says. Dawson elaborates: “Vanessa and I both didRent[Dawson playing Mimi in the 2005 film, and Hudgens doing the role in 2019’sRent: Live]. Ashley and I have all these people in common. It’s kind of wild and weird how crazily connected we are. We’re all in the same circles and love the same things.”
Benson agrees. “We’re all similar in certain ways,” she says. “We’re all very driven; all go-getters, and hard workers. But we’re also private and protectors of the people that we love and the things that we love. That’s why this works so well and why we were so excited to do this together, because we are all very similar in that way.”
“We all support each other so much,” Hudgens adds. “One woman succeeds, we all succeed.”
The pals also all appreciate a good night on the town.
“We love our girls' nights,” shares Hudgens. “We love being able to go out together, get a cocktail and see where the night takes us!”
The Margalicious Margaritais out now starting at $44 for two 375ml bottles. “Full of freshly squeezed limes, pure sea salt, and hints of orange zest with a premium tequila and triple sec liqueur base,” the drink “pairs crisp citrus-forward notes with bright agave,” according to Thomas Ashbourne.
“We’ve had so much fun making it — from perfecting the taste, creating the looks of the cans, the bottles, the colors, and everything,” Benson tells PEOPLE. “It was a super fun opportunity.”
Its name is particularly special for Dawson. “I feel very blessed because these wonderful ladies brought me on board with this incredible drink,” she notes. “And my offering was the Margalicious name, which was an homage to my daughter Isabella, whose middle name is Margalita. It’s a fun name for a fun product.”
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And “fun” is what Hudgens, Benson and Dawson are hoping those who pick up a can or bottle of the Margalicious Margarita have.
“This is just something that will we know will make people happy,” Benson says.
“It’s so hard to find a really good, consistent, premium, quality craft cocktail in a can or a bottle, so that was something we were really excited about producing,” continues Hudgens. “With Thomas Ashbourne, you know you’re going to get the same quality every single time. It’s something you can count on.”
‘I love the fact, too, that it’s portable,” Dawson says. “It’s a day drink, but you can bring it to barbecues and festivals; you can share it with your friends, and keep it separate if you want. It’s just fun, and makes the whole experience from beginning to end fun.”
source: people.com
