Firefly
2002
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Actor. Years active. 2002–present. Zachary David Alexander Efron ( / ˈɛfrɒn /; born October 18, 1987) is an American actor. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s and rose to prominence as a teen idol for his leading role as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical trilogy (2006–2008).
IMDb provides an overview of Zac Efron's life and career, from his Disney Channel debut to his recent roles in comedy and drama. Learn about his personal details, awards, trivia, and more on the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
- January 1, 1
- 1.73 m
- San Luis Obispo, California, USA
- Who Is Zac Efron?
- Early Life
- Early Career: 'Firefly' to 'The Derby Stallion'
- 'High School Musical'
- 'Hairspray,' 'Me and Orson Welles'
- '17 Again,' 'Charlie St. Cloud,' 'The Lorax'
- 'The Lucky One,' 'Neighbors,' 'Dirty Grandpa,' 'Mike and Dave'
- 'Baywatch,' 'The Greatest Showman'
- Playing Ted Bundy in 'Extremely Wicked'
- 'Scoob!'
Zac Efron made his first television appearance on the series Firefly. In 2005, Efron landed the lead role in the Disney Channel film High School Musical, which proved a massive hit and spawned two sequels. He went on to star in a remake of Hairspray and voice the main character in The Lorax, before dropping his Disney image and taking on more matur...
Zachary David Alexander Efron was born on October 18, 1987, in San Luis Obispo, California. His father David, an electrical engineer, and mother Starla, an administrative assistant, met while working at the same nuclear power plant. The couple relocated to Arroyo Grande, California, a town roughly 200 miles north of Los Angeles, to raise Zac and hi...
In 2002, Efron made his first television appearance on the short-lived series Firefly. In 2003, he landed guest roles on ER and the pilot for The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke. The following year, he could be seen in the film The Guardian, as well as the pilot for Triple Play and the made-for-television movie Miracle Run. Efron also starred as Came...
In 2005, Efron landed another lead role in a small, low-budget film for the Disney Channel called High School Musical. While on the set of the film, he met co-star Vanessa Hudgens, and the two began dating off set. The movie debuted in January 2006, and although it was intended to be the usual Disney fare, it unexpectedly struck a chord with adorin...
In addition to High School Musical 2, Efron also appeared in the big-screen remake of John Waters' Hairspray (1988) in 2007. Director Adam Shankman nearly passed on Efron for the role of golden boy Link Larkin—reportedly, Shankman initially felt Efron was "too Disney"—but he later reconsidered. Appearing alongside John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, ...
While filming the role-reversal comedy 17 Again (2009), with Matthew Perry and Leslie Mann, Efron had a near-fatal experience on the set: He was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy, but he returned to the set a mere two days after surgery to resume shooting. Efron followed with consistent roles that were geared towards a younger au...
In 2012, Efron began to play more mature roles, finally shedding his Disney image. That year, he took on a lead role yet again in The Lucky One, opposite Taylor Schilling, as a soldier stationed in Iraq who searches for a mysterious woman from a photo. He then played an infuriating frat boy opposite new suburban dad Seth Rogen in 2014's Neighbors, ...
In 2017, Efron flexed his pecs for a tongue-in-cheek big screen reboot of the 1990s lifeguard show Baywatch, with Dwayne Johnson. Late that year he did another about-face, reviving his singing and dancing skills for the Oscar-contending P.T. Barnum biopic The Greatest Showman, alongside Hugh Jackman.
Also in 2017, it was announced that Efron would play notorious serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. The former Disney heartthrob revealed how far he had come with a January 2018 Instagram photo, showing him as a scowling Bundy posing for a mug shot. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vilepremiered at the Sundanc...
In late 2019, the actor began work on a new adventure reality series, Killing Zac Efron. The show nearly lived up to its title, as Efron contracted a serious bacterial infection while filming in Papua New Guinea and had to be flown to Australia for treatment. Another health issue — the coronavirus pandemic — pushed back the release of his next proj...
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- Staff Editorial Team And Contributors
Learn about the life and career of Zac Efron, the American actor who starred in High School Musical, Hairspray, The Lucky One and more. Find out his birth name, nickname, height, family, awards, trivia, quotes and upcoming projects.
- Actor, Producer, Soundtrack
- October 18, 1987
Dec 12, 2023 · Zac Efron received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, thanking his parents for their support and sacrifices. He shared how his mom and dad believed in him and helped him achieve his acting dreams. He also paid tribute to his 17 Again costar Matthew Perry, who died in October.
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Dec 21, 2023 · The actor plays Kevin Von Erich, one of the siblings who rose to fame in the 1980s wrestling scene. He reveals how he learned pro wrestling moves, packed on muscle and bonded with his co-stars.
Jan 8, 2024 · Zac Efron talks about his career-best performance as wrestler Kevin Von Erich in A24's The Iron Claw, a film that explores the impact of tragedy and masculinity on a family. He reveals his physical and mental preparation, his connection with the story, and his gratitude for the experience.
