Entertainment
Get’cha Head in the Game! See Zac Efron’s Transformation from Disney Star to Hollywood Hottie
He’s all grown up and taking on the world! Zac Efron‘s claim to fame came after he starred as Troy Bolton when Disney Channel’s High School Musical premiered in 2006, and his look has changed so much over the years.
In April 2021, rumors started swirling that the 17 Again alum may have gone under the knife when he appeared in the . Fans were quick to notice a change in Zac’s jawline and lips, which led to speculation about his appearance.
Zac later set the record straight while speaking to Men’s Health for their October 2022 cover story, revealing that his notably different facial structure was the result of an injury that happened at his home, in which he slipped while running in socks and shattered his jaw after hitting the granite corner of a fountain. When he regained consciousness, he said his chin bone was “hanging off his face.”
The actor told the outlet that although he sees a specialist and does physical therapy, he took some time off from doing his facial exercises while filming the second season of Netflix’s Down to Earth in Australia in 2021. He explained that since all the muscles in his face work together “like a symphony,” his masseter muscles – which are used for chewing – “grew” and “got really, really big” to overcompensate for other facial muscles.
That wasn’t the first time the actor has been open about his appearance. While promoting Baywatch in April 2020, Zac got real about his ridiculously toned physique.
“I realized that when I was done with that movie, I don’t ever want to be in that good of shape again,” the Lucky One actor said on an episode of at the time. “You’re working with almost no wiggle room, right. You’ve got things like water under your skin that you’re worrying about, making your six-pack into a four-pack. S–t like that it’s just not … it’s just stupid.”
Aside from his look, Zac has also made headlines for his transition from a singing star to serious actor. Following his HSM days, the California native went on to star in more musical movies, like Hairspray in 2007 and The Greatest Showman in 2017. He also appeared in some romantic films and flexed his comedic muscles before taking on the role of Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. A source told In Touch in January 2019 that Zac “got really lost” when playing the serial killer.
“Let’s just say it was different than The Greatest Showman set,” Zac told Entertainment Weekly in April 2019 about his role. “The demeanor was very thoughtful and serious. And you know what, the process of filmmaking is always, always an adventure. I was with careful people. I continue to push myself to try new things and push the envelope with an acting career that I kind of stumbled onto. It’s kind of a rite of passage.”
With tons of roles in the works – including the Disney+ reboot of Three Men and a Baby – Zac has no plans to step out of the Hollywood scene any time soon! Scroll through our gallery to see the actor’s complete transformation over the years.
