The Rise of Zac Efron

8 months ago 24th Oct 11:37

A bit like Shia LaBeouf High School Musical star Zac Efron can't seem to do a thing wrong since shooting to fame in 2006 in the role of Troy Bolton in the franchise that has become a global phenomena. Now at the age of twenty one Zac has become the biggest teen idol winning the hearts of young girls everywhere.

Beginning his career in small television roles, including appearing in hit series ER, The Guardian and Firefly before becoming a cast member on Summerland. However it was his role as Troy Bolton in High School Musical that has propelled Efron to world wide fame. And this week see him reprise the role for a third time.

Popular basketball team captain Troy and smart, stunning academic Gabriella. Both shock the members of the social cliques to which they belong when they each decide to audition for the high school's musical.

By proving themselves to be brilliant performers, can these two teens lead their peers towards more open-minded thinking and acceptance of one another?

The film became the Disney Channel's most successful, at the time, with 7.7 million viewers. The soundtrack which accompanied the film was the biggest selling album in America in 2006.

In 2007 Efron moved onto the big screen as he landed the role of Link Larkin in Hairspray, the adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, alongside John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Set in 1960’s Baltimore overweight teenager Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) has one dream, to dance on the Corny Collins Show. But Tracy’s mother Edna (John Travolta) doesn’t share her daughter’s dream. Edna hasn’t left the house since 1951, because she is embarrassed about her size, and she fears that Tracy will be ridiculed and disappointed due to her weight.