Last Updated on September 13, 2024
Who Is Zac Efron?
Zachary David Alexander Efron is an American actor, film producer, and singer who gained worldwide recognition playing Troy Bolton in the High School Musical that ran from 2006 to 2008. But even before appearing in the High School Musical franchise, Efron had already established himself as one of the most promising teen actors by appearing in multiple films and television series.
In addition to acting, Zac Efron is also a film producer. In 2010, Efron founded his own production company under Warner Bros., known as Ninjas Runnin’ Wild. The company has been instrumental in the production of some of Efron’s films, including That Awkward Moment (2014), Dirty Grandpa (2015), and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019).
Outside of the film industry, Zac Efron has also pursued a successful music career.
Quick Facts
Full Name: | Zachary David Alexander Efron |
Popular Name: | Zac Efron |
Gender: | Male |
Birth Date: | October 18, 1987 |
Age: | 36 years |
Parents: | David Efron and Starla Baskett |
Siblings: | Dylan Efron |
Birth Place: | San Luis Obispo |
Nationality: | American |
Ethnicity: | Ashkenazi Jewish, English, German, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, and Belgian |
Education: | Paulding Middle School, Arroyo Grande High School, and Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts |
Marital Status: | N/A |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Wife/Spouse: | N/A |
Children: | None |
Dating: | Vanessa Valladares |
Net Worth: | USD 25 million |
Source of Wealth: | Acting, Film Production, Singing, Endorsement Earnings, and Other Ventures |
Height: | 5′ 8″ (1.73 m) |
Weight: | 75 kg; In pounds: 165 lbs. |
Early Life
Zac Efron was born on October 18, 1987, in San Luis Obispo, to David Efron and Starla Baskett. His father is an electrical engineer based at a power station, whereas his mother is an administrative assistant who worked at the same power plant where his father is currently based.
Efron took an interest in music while he was still in middle school. He later worked at The Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville Theater, where he started taking singing lessons. To hone his music talents, Efron went on to perform in numerous music shows, including ‘Gypsy: A Musical Fable’, ‘Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up’, ‘The Music Man’, and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. Impressed by his music talents, Efron’s drama teacher, Robyn Metchik, recommended him to a Los Angeles agent, where Efron eventually signed to the Creative Artists Agency.
After graduating from high school in 2006, Zac Efron was set to join the University of Southern California. However, he declined the opportunity and instead, chose to attend the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California, where he had previously performed in 2000 and 2001.
Acting Career
Zac Efron began his acting career in the early 2000s by landing numerous guest roles in television series like Firefly, The Guardian, and ER.
In 2004, he started appearing in the series Summerland aired on The WB Television Network. The same year, he appeared in the television film Miracle Run.
In 2006, Efron landed his breakout acting role in the High School Musical. His performance in the teen musical television film was outstanding, both as an actor and singer. The movie’s soundtrack, to which Efron significantly contributed, was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Following his splendid performance in High School Musical, it was only a matter of time before Zac Efron landed even more leading film roles.
In 2007, he appeared in the critically and commercially successful musical comedy movie Hairspray. Later that year, he reprised his role in High School Musical 2 before reprising his role yet again in the movie’s third installment the following year, titled High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
The following are other notable movies that Zac Efron has appeared in to date:
• 17 Again (2009),
• Me and Orson Welles (2009),
• Charlie St. Cloud (2010),
• New Year’s Eve (2011),
• Liberal Arts (2012),
• The Paperboy (2012),
• The Lorax (2012, as a voice actor),
• The Lucky One (2012),
• At Any Price (2012),
• Parkland (2013),
• That Awkward Moment (2014),
• Neighbors (2014),
• We Are Your Friends (2015),
• Dirty Grandpa (2015),
• Baywatch (2017),
• The Disaster Artist (2017),
• The Greatest Showman (2017),
• The Beach Bum (2019), and
• Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Zac Efron has also received numerous awards and recognitions for his impressive acting and music talents, including:
• The 2008 ASTRA Award in the category Best Acting Ensemble,
• The 2016 CinemaCon Award in the category Comedy Star of the Year,
• The 2018 Hollywood Film Awards in the categories Best Breakthrough Performance and Best Male Performance, and
• The 2015 MTV Music Awards in the categories Best On-Screen Duo (shared with Dave Franco) and Best Shirtless Performance
Zac Efron’s Net Worth
Zac Efron earned $5.8 million between June 2007 and June 2008. In April 2009, Efron had an estimated net worth of $10 million and by May 2015, his net worth had increased to $18 million.
As of 2023, Zac Efron had a net worth of $25 million. The bulk of Efron’s wealth comes from acting and music.
He reportedly earned $100,000 for his role in Hairspray and $1 million from 17 Again. However, Efron’s biggest paychecks came from the High School Musical trilogy. By the time he reprised his role in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Efron was reportedly earning between $3 million and $5 million from the film.
Lessons from Zac Efron
1. Follow your passions
After graduating from high school, Zac Efron was set to enroll at the University of Southern California. However, Efron chose to join the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts where he would pursue his acting and musical ambitions full-time.
2. Reach for the stars
Efron is not the kind of actor who settles for less. That explains why he has continually endeavored to excel himself in every movie role that he accepts. A case in point is the High School Musical trilogy, where each subsequent installment receives better reviews and higher success than the previous one.
3. Never worry too much about the future
Zac Efron doesn’t believe in pondering too much about the future. Instead, he prefers to cross his bridges when he gets to them. He once said, ‘Every day is a new experience and I take it as it comes.’
Famous Quotes by Zac Efron
“Fame is probably the most unadorable thing about acting.”
“If I splurge on anything, it’s cologne. I love smelling good.”
There are moments when you love babies, and you’re like, “God, they are the reason why we exist.” Then they start crying, and you’re like “God! Jesus!
“You always have something to learn from people who have been through more than you. Be open and receptive to what they know.”
“You don’t really know how beautiful a girl is until you meet her, all her beauty is in her personality.”
Final Word
Zac Efron has achieved tremendous success both as an actor and singer. However, he has not let his achievements slow him down and is currently working on several upcoming movies.