Zac Efron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zac Efron
Efron in 2017
Born	Zachary David Alexander Efron (1987-10-18) October 18, 1987 (age 37) San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2002–present

Zachary David Alexander Efron (born October 18, 1987) is an American actor. He started acting in the early 2000s. He became very famous as a teen idol for his main role as Troy Bolton. This was in the High School Musical film series (2006–2008).

During this time, he also starred in the musical movie Hairspray (2007). He also appeared in the comedy film 17 Again (2009). Zac Efron has had many starring roles in movies. These include Neighbors (2014), Baywatch (2017), and The Greatest Showman (2017). In 2021, he won a Daytime Emmy Award. This was for hosting the Netflix travel show Down to Earth with Zac Efron (2020–2022).

Early Life and Acting Start

Zac Efron grew up in Arroyo Grande, California. His father, David Efron, is an electrical engineer. His mother, Starla Baskett, is an administrative assistant. He has a younger brother, Dylan, and a younger half-sister, Olivia. Zac has said he had a "normal childhood" in a middle-class family.

He began taking singing lessons and worked in theater. He performed in shows like Gypsy and The Music Man. His drama teacher helped him find an agent in Los Angeles. Zac later signed with the Creative Artists Agency. He graduated from Arroyo Grande High School in 2006. He also studied at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts.

Zac Efron's Acting Career

Becoming a Star: High School Musical Years (2002–2009)

Efron at the 2007 Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards

Zac Efron started acting with small roles on TV shows. These included Firefly and ER. In 2004, he became a regular on the TV series Summerland. He also appeared in the TV movie Miracle Run (2004). For this role, he was nominated for a Young Artist Award.

His career changed a lot with the musical TV movie High School Musical (2006). It premiered on the Disney Channel. Zac played Troy Bolton, a high school basketball player. Troy was interested in joining the school musical. The movie was a huge hit. It made Zac very popular with teenagers. The movie's soundtrack sold millions of copies. For this first movie, another singer sang most of Troy's songs. But in his next musical films, Zac did his own singing.

Zac then starred as Link Larkin in the musical comedy Hairspray (2007). This movie was a big success. Later that year, he played Troy Bolton again in High School Musical 2 (2007). This movie also aired on the Disney Channel.

He played Troy Bolton one more time in High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008). This was the first High School Musical movie shown in cinemas. It was a big hit at the box office. After that, he starred in the comedy 17 Again (2009). In this movie, he played a 17-year-old version of a grown man.

Mainstream Success and New Roles (2009–Present)

Efron in 2012

Zac Efron continued to take on different roles. He was in the drama Me and Orson Welles (2009). He then played the main character in the romantic drama Charlie St. Cloud (2010).

He was part of a large cast in New Year's Eve (2011). He also voiced a character in the animated film The Lorax (2012). He then starred in the romantic drama The Lucky One (2012). This movie was very popular.

In 2014, Zac starred in the romantic comedy That Awkward Moment. He also helped produce this film. Later in 2014, he was in the comedy Neighbors. In this movie, he played the leader of a wild college fraternity. The film was a big success. Critics said he had successfully changed his "Disney pretty boy" image.

In 2015, he starred in We Are Your Friends, playing a DJ. In 2016, he was in the comedy Dirty Grandpa. He also returned for the sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. This movie was also a success. His third comedy in 2016 was Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.

Efron and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile co-star Lily Collins in 2019

In 2017, Zac starred in Baywatch, an action comedy based on the TV show. He also had supporting roles in two biographical films. These were The Disaster Artist and the musical The Greatest Showman. Both films were nominated for Golden Globe Awards.

In 2019, Zac Efron played in The Beach Bum. He also starred in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. In 2020, he voiced Fred Jones in the animated Scoob! movie. In 2021, he won a Daytime Emmy Award for his Netflix series Down to Earth with Zac Efron.

In 2022, he starred in the thriller Gold. He also led the horror film Firestarter. This was a remake of a movie based on a Stephen King novel. Also that year, he starred in the comedy The Greatest Beer Run Ever. In 2023, he played Kevin Von Erich in The Iron Claw. This movie was about a family of wrestlers.

Other Work and Projects

In 2010, Zac Efron started his own production company called Ninjas Runnin' Wild. This company helped produce some of his films. These include Dirty Grandpa and That Awkward Moment.

Zac also created his own YouTube channel in 2019. It has two weekly series. "Off the Grid" shows Zac and his brother Dylan doing outdoor activities without electronics. "Gym Time" focuses on fitness and healthy eating. On this show, Zac trains with celebrities and athletes.

Personal Life and Health

Zac Efron has been on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. In 2008, his earnings were estimated at $5.8 million. By 2015, his net worth was about $18 million.

He has used transcendental meditation to help him relax. In early 2021, Zac moved to Australia. He bought a property in Byron Bay.

In November 2013, Zac broke his jaw in a fall. In December 2019, he got very sick while filming in Papua New Guinea. He was flown to a hospital in Australia and recovered. He was a vegan for two years. In 2022, he started eating meat again after some food sensitivity tests.

Zac has talked about his struggles with insomnia (trouble sleeping) and depression. He developed these issues after preparing for his role in the 2017 movie Baywatch.

Filmography

Movies

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television Shows

Music Videos

Music and Songs

Singles Released

Other Charted Songs

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Zac Efron para niños