Biography
Date of Birth
18 December 1987, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
Birth Name
Zachary David Alexander Efron
Nickname
Zefron
Height
5' 8" (1.73 m)
Mini Biography
Zachary David Alexander Efron was born October 18, 1987 in San Luis Obispo, California, to Starla Baskett, a secretary, and David Efron, an electrical engineer. He has a younger brother, Dylan. The surname "Efron", which is Hebrew and a Biblical place name, comes from Zac's Polish Jewish paternal grandfather.
Zac was raised in Arroyo Grande, CA. He took his first step toward acting at the age of eleven, after his parents noticed his singing ability. Singing and acting lessons soon led to an appearance in a production of "Gypsy" that ran 90 performances, and he was hooked. After appearing on-stage in "Peter Pan", "Auntie Mame", "Little Shop of Horrors" and "The Music Man", guest parts quickly followed on television series, including Firefly (2002), ER (1994), CSI: Miami (2002), NCIS (2003), and The Guardian (2001). After guest-starring in several episodes of Summerland (2004), Zac joined the regular cast as girl-crazy Cameron Bale. He also starred in several pilots, such as The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke (2003) and Triple Play (2004), and played an autistic child in the television film Miracle Run (2004), alongside Mary-Louise Parker and Aidan Quinn. He graduated from Arroyo Grande High School in June 2006.
Efron came to fame for starring in the Disney Channel original film High School Musical (2006), for which he won the Teen Choice Award for Breakout Star. He returned to the role of Troy Bolton in High School Musical 2 (2007), which broke cable TV records with 17.5 million viewers.
He had the lead roles in the fantasy romance Charlie St. Cloud (2010) and the comedy 17 Again (2009), both from director Burr Steers, and as the lovable Link Larkin in 2007's smash hit musical Hairspray (2007), directed by Adam Shankman. As part of the all-star cast, he shared a Critics Choice Award for Best Acting Ensemble and the 2007 Hollywood Film Festival Award for Ensemble of the Year, and was honored with a Screen Actors Guild Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. In addition, he won an MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Performance.
Efron then starred in Richard Linklater's Me and Orson Welles (2008), an adaptation of the novel by Robert Kaplow, which premiered to rave reviews at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival. That same year, he led Kenny Ortega's High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008), which set a box office record for the highest grossing opening weekend for a musical. In 2012, Efron took the lead in The Lucky One (2012), a film adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel, playing a marine who returns to North Carolina after serving in Iraq in search for the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war. He also lent his voice to the animated feature Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (2012), and co-starred in Lee Daniels' thriller The Paperboy (2012), alongside Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey and Scott Glenn, as well as Josh Radnor's Liberal Arts (2012), which premiered to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. Another indie film he co-starred in, At Any Price (2012), was released in 2013.
Most recently, Zac starred with Seth Rogen in the hit comedy film Neighbors (2014), headlined the 2015 drama We Are Your Friends (2015), carried three 2016 comedies, Dirty Grandpa (2016), Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016), and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016), and starred opposite Hugh Jackman and Zendaya in the musical drama The Greatest Showman (2017), about showman P. T. Barnum. The latter title was a sleeper hit in the winter of 2017, becoming Zac's highest-grossing live action film in the U.S.
Zac's 2019 roles include a supporting part in Harmony Korine's The Beach Bum (2019), and playing serial killer Ted Bundy in Joe Berlinger's biographical drama Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019).
Efron's favorite sports include golf, skiing, rock climbing, and snowboarding. He added surfing after spending days on the beach for "Summerland." He played the piano at home. He has also fixed up two cars in his spare time, a Delorean and '65 Mustang convertible, both treasured hand-me-downs from his even-more-treasured grandfather.
Trivia
Parents are David Efron and Starla Baskett.
On the Billboard Hot 100 chart of 2006-2002-2011, Zac had five simultaneous song credits. The songs were "Get'cha Head in the Game" (solo), three duets with Vanessa Hudgens ("Breaking Free", "Start of Something New" and "What I've Been Looking For") and "We're All in This Together" credited to the High School Musical (2006) cast. All tracks were from the soundtrack of "High School Musical".
The Zac Efron-Vanessa Hudgens duet "Breaking Free" (from High School Musical (2006)) made the fastest climb in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, leaping from 86 to 4 in one week (2006-2002-2011).
With the popularity of High School Musical (2006), he had to change his phone number after getting numerous calls from fans.
Zac's most prized possession is his autographed baseball collection.
He donated many items to Rocky Stone to be given to less fortunate kids as part of the Toy Mountain Campaign.
Attended the World Cup in Germany with Corbin Bleu.
The first concert he ever went to was a concert of The Wallflowers.
Has one sibling, younger brother Dylan Efron.
Simon Cowell offered him a record deal but he turned it down saying, "...acting is my main priority".
Named #93 on Empire Magazine's 100 Sexiest Movie Stars. [2007]
(January 15, 2008) Had his appendix removed and is recuperating.
His favorite movie is The Goonies (1985).
Ranked #24 on interview magazines Hollywood faces to watch "Future Stars of Tomorrow".
Was ranked #26 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actors list. [2008]
Was ranked #2 on TV Guide Top 10 Teen Star Countdown. [2008]
Was ranked #15 on Moviefone's 'The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25'. [2008]
His acting idol is Johnny Depp.
Is a fan of Flight of the Conchords.
Is a fan of comic books and manga, including Death Note, Bleach, Naruto, Dragonball Z and Shonen Jump.
Recognized by Time Magazine in the 2009 Time 100 as one of the world's 100 most influential people.
Originally auditioned for the role of "Peter Pan" in the 2003 live action movie, Peter Pan (2003), but Jeremy Sumpter got it, instead.
His singing voice in the first High School Musical (2006) was actually that of singer/songwriter/actor Drew Seeley.
Has worn a white shirt with red sleeves in all three High School Musical movies.
His favorite movies are Dumb and Dumber (1994), Knocked Up (2007), The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Die Hard (1988), and "Bourne" series.
His favorite musicians are The Postal Service, The Shins, The Gorillaz and John Mayer.
Briefly vacationed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Vanessa Hudgens. [February 2009]
Coached by actor Aaron Michael Metchik and his mother Robyn Metchik.
Graduated Arroyo Grande High School with actors Bryce Blue and JR Garcia.
His favorite actors are Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jack Black.
(2006-2010) Was in a relationship with Vanessa Hudgens.
Friends with actors Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Bryce Blue, JR Garcia, and Aaron Michael Metchik.
Learned how to ride a motorcycle after a chance party meeting with bike enthusiast Tom Cruise, who offered to act as Efron's coach.
Zac's last name, "Efron", which is Hebrew, is taken from a biblical place name. Zac's paternal grandfather, Harold Efron, was born in New York, the son of Nasko Efron and Dworja Klein, who were Jewish emigrants from Bocki, Poland, and Zac has described himself as Jewish. Zac's other ancestry includes English, German, Scottish, one sixteenth Irish, and distant Dutch and Belgian Flemish.
It is said that he has a physical resemblance with Romeo and Juliet (1968) star Leonard Whiting, and with actors Logan Lerman, Kevin Zegers, Robby Benson, Garrett Clayton, and Tony Curtis.
Has two Australian Shepherds named Dreamer and Puppy, and a Siamese cat named Simon.
Completed filming Charlie St. Cloud (2010). [October 2009]
New Orleans, LA. Wrapped up the shooting on the Nicholas Sparks novel-based film The Lucky One (2012). [December 2010]
Los Angeles, CA: Filming the movie "Neighbors". [April 2013]
Filming High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) in Salt Lake City, Utah. [May 2008]
Filmed High School Musical 2 (2007). [2007]
Filming Charlie St. Cloud (2010) in Vancouver, B.C. [August 2009]
Austin, Texas - Wrapped "Parkland" [February 2013]
New York City, NY - Wrapped "That Awkward Moment". [January 2013]
Los Angeles, CA: Finished filming the movie "Neighbors". [May 2013]
New Orleans, LA, USA: - Wrapped on The Paperboy (2012). [September 2011]
Currently filming 17 Again (2009). [January 2008]
DeKalb, IL, USA: Wrapped the untitled Ramin Bahrani film. [October 2011]
Broke his jaw when he fell in his LA home after slipping in a puddle of water. [November 2013]
Entered rehab for cocaine abuse. [April 2013]
Has been compared in appearance to Tyrone Power by reviewers in the Chicago Tribune, SF Gate, Casa Magazine, and the New Yorker magazine.
Named as the #5 Sexiest Man in Glamour's list of "50 Sexiest Men" in 2011.
People magazine named him as having one of the "50 Most Amazing Bodies" in 2010 and as one one of the "Most Beautiful" in 2011.
Has a tattoo of two feathers on his right arm.
His maternal great-grandmother, Helene (Durgan) Glidden, wrote the 1951 book The Light on the Island. The book is about Helen's early years growing up on Patos Island, Washington, where her father, Edward Durgan, was the lighthouse keeper from 1905 to 1913.
Gregory Harrison had a crush on his mother, Starla Baskett, when they were in high school.
Born at 1:22PM (PDT).
Trademarks:
Brown hair and blue eyes
Muscular physique
Quotes
The songwriters decided to give Link a cool, upbeat, Elvis-style number, and it's the perfect time for it in the movie. 'Ladies Choice' establishes the connection between Tracy and Link. And it's the kind of number you need in a sixties musical: the rock 'n' roll band at the record hop, with bright colors and backup dancers.
If I had to hear the High School Musical (2006) songs anymore, I would have jumped off of something really tall. [on why he chose not to do the High School Musical Tour.]
The number one question I've been asked [for his movie 17 Again] is, 'If you could go back, would you change anything? If you could be 17 all over again, what would you do different? Would you go down this road?' I'm like, absolutely. This is like the best job in the world. I'm having the time of my life... It's always fun. It's always interesting. It's always a challenge. I'm very happy with that and I'm very happy with my life right now.
You know what, I do not want to fall victim to partying too hard, it's too easy and too often done. It's out of style anyway, I think too many people have done it before me, I'm not going to. It's uncool, yeah. I think the rebellious thing to do would to actually be successful.
On why he chose 17 Again: Everything else that was around was either a musical or a high school romance, you know, and this was actually the biggest risk and the biggest challenge. I can relate to playing a kid - I've had a first kiss, I've had awkward dates, I've had fights with my parents... But one thing I've never done is gotten into a fight with my teenage daughter.
In the back of my mind, I can never forget this could be gone tomorrow - and at this point I think the odds are against me... the chances of succeeding in this business are slim to none; there's only a handful of people that have long careers. You have to put in the work, you can never be satisfied, never take it for granted.
There are so many things you can do with a hand.
I'm not really into partying. Don't get me wrong - I've gone to a club. But I'd much rather be with my close friends at home or a concert, or on a trip. I'll go dancing with my grandma. She likes to cut a rug!
I'm definitely not getting married. In this business, you're either getting married or they want you to be pregnant. I'm not getting married until I'm forty. If ever.
I like my women like I like my peanut butter: chunky.
No Twitter, no Facebook, no MySpace - nothing. So if you have me, it's a poser, don't talk to them. [on what social networks he doesn't use]
[on Claire Danes] I was intimidated, even just the name Claire Danes carries such weight with it. I needed to be a worthy love interest in the film and I didn't know that I had any of the qualities necessary to woo a girl like her... Claire and I were trapped on an island together with nowhere to go for four weeks, like a reality show. My character was supposed to fall in love, but she was also supposed to be out of his league. After meeting Claire, that was definitely the way it was supposed to be.
And man, you should see the faces on the kids. It's priceless, and I don't look down on, or think badly about, the High School Musical films. I have no regrets at all. I'm extremely proud of those movies, and will be forever.
(On being famous) It's weird, but I don't feel like think I deserve any of the attention. There's really nothing but one audition for a Disney Channel movie that separates me from 2,000 other brown-haired, blue-eyed guys in L.A., you know?
[on 'At Any Price' and the farming industry] I think the only real knowledge I had before I went to Iowa was what I learned from 'Food Inc'. But once I got there and developed these extensive relationships with the farmers, I realized that we're basically made of corn.
[on the Neighbors poster] Two Jewish last names, right next to [each other], Rogen, Efron.
After High School Musical (2006) and Hairspray (2007), I've always felt embraced by the gay community, and I feel incredibly grateful and honored. I don't like to live in fear about things like rumors and backlash to begin with - that's the way I was raised - but I just can't see what's so wrong about being gay.
Ted Bundy was a clean cut white dude who just did not seem - white person, so talk about white privilege. What he got away with back then, nobody would be able to do today. It's a moment in time that came and passed and is truly scary.
[on why he would wait a while to get the hyper-shredded Baywatch physique again] I realized when I was done with that movie, that I never want to be in that good of a shape again. It was so hard. I was working with almost no wiggle room. I had things like - water under my skin - that I was worrying about, because its making my six pack into a four pack. It's just not real. I am happy that it worked. I may do it again if it was something worthwhile. But I'll wait till it gets to that.
