Zac Efron

Who is Zac Efron?

A California native, Zac Efron was born in San Luis Obispo on October 18, 1987. He grew up in the town of Arroyo Grande, which lies halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A 2006 graduate of Arroyo Grande High School, Efron lives with his parents, David and Starla Efron, and his younger brother Dylan. The Efron family shares their home with two Australian Shepherds, Dreamer and Puppy, and Simon, a Siamese cat.

Efron caught the performing bug at an early age, and began taking singing lessons when he was 11. His first professional gigs were in musical theater productions. During his high school years, Efron and his mother drove to Los Angeles three days a week so that the young actor could audition for roles. Their effort and dedication paid off, leading to Efron’s impressive professional resume that includes television series and movies, as well as film and recording performances.

Social Life

Zac Efron with the ensemble from Disney's High School Musical.

Efron is currently dating High School Musical co-star Vanessa Hudgens. The pair met on the set of the first High School Musical film, and have been dating ever since. The young stars successfully kept their relationship low key until the summer of 2007, when nude pictures of Hudgens surfaced on the Internet. While rumors of a possible break-up have been circling the online gossip scene, it seems that Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are still very much together.

Hobbies

When not performing, Efron enjoys many hobbies, including playing the piano, and is working on mastering the guitar. He also tinkering with two hand-me-down automobiles from his grandfather -- a Delorean and a 1965 Mustang convertible. He is also a loyal San Francisco Giants fan, and is very proud of his collection of autographed baseballs.

The young actor likes to stay active, and his favorite outdoor activities include:

• Hiking
• Golf
• Rock climbing
• Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Surfing

Movie Roles

Efron debuted on the big screen in 2007’s Hairspray. He has performed in several made-for-television movies, including:

• High School Musical 2 (2007)
• High School Musical (2006)
• The Derby Stallion (2005)
• Miracle Run (2004)
• Triple Play (2004)
• The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke (2003)

TV Appearances

Zac Efron with some of the cast members from Hairspray.

Efron had appeared in episodes of the following television program and pilots:

• CSI: Miami
• ER
• Firefly
• Heist
• If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now (2006)
• Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service
• Punk’d
• Summerland
• The Replacements
• The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
• The Guardian

Additional On-Screen Appearances

Efron stars in girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens’ Say OK music video. Efron and Hudgens co-hosted the 2006 High School Music Dance-Off production. He has appeared on numerous television talk shows, including Live with Regis and Kelly, Oprah, The Jimmy Kimmel Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The View, and others.

Theatre Experience

• Auntie Mame
• Gypsy
• Little Shop of Horrors
• Peter Pan
• The Music Man

Soundtracks

Efron performed the following songs on the Hairspray soundtrack in 2007:

• It Takes Two
• Ladies Choice
• Without Love
• You Can’t Stop the Beat
• Come So Far (Got So Far to Go)

On the 2006 High School Musical soundtrack, Efron performed:

• I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You(solo)
• Breaking Free (duet with Vanessa Hudgens, reached #4 on the Billboard chart)
• Start of Something New (duet with Hudgens)
• What I’ve Been Looking For (duet with Hudgens)

Upcoming Projects

• High School Musical 3- the much-anticipated sequel to installments one and two
• Seventeen - a comedy/drama directed by Adam Shankman (Hairspray )
• Footloose - a remake of the film that made Kevin Bacon asStar

Recognition

• People Magazine (2007) Named to "100 Most Beautiful People" List
• Hollywood Film Award (2007) Best Ensemble Cast, Hairspray
• Young Hollywood Award (2007) Named One to Watch
• Teen Choice Awards (2006) Choice Breakout Star Award for High School Musical
• Teen Choice Awards (2006) Choice Chemistry Award, shared with Vanessa Hudgens

One to Watch

For one so young, Zac Efron has amassed an impressive array of on-screen and recording credits, as well as many dedicated fans. In January 2006 Efron earned the distinction of being the most frequently searched celebrity on Google, and it seems that his popularity is only increasing. In 2007, Hairspray director Adam M. Shankman described Efron as “arguably the biggest teen star in America” and Rolling Stone Magazine described him as the "poster boy for tweenyboppers." This young man has a great talent and seems to be headed for a long and successful performing career.