Take the BuddyTV Personality Quiz: Which High School Musical Character Are You? Zac Efron as
Troy Bolton Born on October 18, 1987 in San Luis Obispo, California, Zachary David Alexander Efron is the elder son of engineer David Efron and his wife, Starla Baskett. He was raised as an agnostic and has high regard for grades in school. He dislikes getting anything lower than an A, and likes being the class clown. At the age of eleven, Efron was convinced by his father to venture into acting, and thus began participating in school plays. He also took singing lessons and consequently performed in plays such as Gypsy, Peter Pan, Little Shop of Horrors, The Music Man and Mame at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. He was later recommended to a Los Angeles-based agent by his drama teacher, Robyn Metchik.
Efron was about to pursue his education at the University of Southern California, but deferred his enrollment due to his acting projects. His early television appearances were in
Firefly ,
ER and The Guardian. He also appeared as a guest on
CSI: Miami ,
NCIS : Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and
The Replacements .
Efron shot to fame in 2006, when he played Troy Bolton in Disney Channel's made-for-TV movie, High School Musical. This film catapulted his fame amongst teenagers, and has paved the way for him to get recognition from various award giving bodies. In August 2006, he won a Teen Choice Award for the category Breakout Star.
In 2007, Efron experienced more publicity with his film, Hairspray, which further featured his singing prowess. He also reprised his role as Troy Bolton on High School Musical 2, which garnered as much success as the first installment. He is also set to appear in the film produced by Adam Shankman, Seventeen, and Paramount's musical remake of the film Footloose.
Efron is reportedly in an on-again, off-again relationship with High School Musical co-star, Vanessa Hudgens.
(Photos courtesy of Disney)