The Incredible Transformation Of Zac Efron

Let's be honest — we all have had a crush on Zac Efron at one time or another. Whether it was "Hairspray" or "The Greatest Showman," there is no doubting that Efron is a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood (per IMDb). While he is a multifaceted star, his rugged good looks didn't hurt him either.

Efron — who has a huge net worth — got his big break thanks to the Disney Channel Original Movie "High School Musical."  He had a baby face (like a lot of the former Disney stars), sported a mushroom haircut, and sang his little heart out. The actor played the captain of the basketball team, Troy Bolton, and while the film was not slated to do well, it surpassed Disney's expectations and caused Efron to take off within the tween community (per Insider). There is no doubt that Efron has grown tremendously within his craft since then — but not only has he worked on his acting chops, he has evolved into a physical powerhouse. People even named him one of the sexiest men alive in 2017.

While he was always a good-looking actor, Zac Efron has been pegged as a form of man-candy to fans and other stars. Page Six shared that at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards, Rita Ora stripped Efron down on stage because she wanted to show off his famous six-pack. It's fair to say that his muscles really started to show off, but most importantly, he looked happy and healthy. Efron was often asked about his appearance, especially after he filmed "Baywatch." He once spoke with Page Six about not wanting to overdo his look, saying that he never wanted to be in "that good of shape" ever again. 

"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," he said. "S*** like that it's just not ... it's just stupid."

He also spoke to Men's Journal, who dubbed him the "shredded human Ken doll," about his diet for that particular role. During the interview, it was revealed that he ate a low-carb diet with food that was strictly organic. The actor went from looking like any other Californian guy who enjoys a gluten-free muffin to a real-life lifeguard who, if ever felt obliged, could have saved anyone from drowning. Efron said that he didn't think of himself as one of those stars that only cares about his looks — he once told "Hot Ones" that if you "take care of your heart, take care of your brain — you're good."

Zac Efron surprised fans with a Facebook Watch appearance in April 2021 as he promoted Bill Nye the Science Guy's "Earth Day Musical" special. But fans were a little thrown when Efron seemed to be sporting a new look that showed off fuller lips and a more distinguished jaw bone. Naturally, Twitter blew up with one fan writing that he looked like the "human Shrek."

But Insider pointed out that it is important not to speculate about someone's appearance without knowing the full story. The outlet spoke with dermatologist Dr. Muneeb Shah who said the A-list actor could have "gotten anything from fillers to implants" or even had his teeth done. Whatever the changes Efron made to his appearance, devoted fans will be ready to support him no matter what new roles, or looks, he takes on in the future.

Zac Efron is no longer playing high school basketball stars — to prove us right, he landed the leading role in Disney's remake of "Three Men and A Baby" (via The Hollywood Reporter). Director Mo Marable signed on to the project in 2021, according to Deadline. It remains unclear as to how the film will be modernized, but with Efron in the lead, his decades-long fans are likely going to tune in. In the meantime, there's another movie where we can see Efron step into a father role. 

The 2022 adaptation of Stephen King's novel, "Firestarter," shows the "17 Again" star as the father of a young girl who has powers (per Entertainment Weekly). This opportunity gave Efron the chance to work on a project by one of his longtime heroes, as he referred to King. "I think he creates fascinating worlds," the actor noted. According to the producer of the film, King gave his stamp of approval, which made both him and Efron very thrilled, as Entertainment Weekly noted. 

At this point, we may be falling in love with Efron for his dad bod. 

With news of Zac Efron's casting in "Three Men and a Baby" and the release of "Firestarter," there are exciting things ahead for his career. For fans of his Netflix show "Down to Earth," Season 2 will likely be returning this year (via MSN). In the first season, which was available for streaming in 2020, Efron joined forces with Darin Olien and the two traveled all over the world to find "healthier, more sustainable ways of living." 

Another upcoming role on Efron's horizon is in a new film by Sean Durkin, "The Iron Claw." According to Deadline, this movie will tell the story of the Von Erich family and their influence on the wrestling world. Efron will be joined by "Mindhunter" actor Holt McCallany, the outlet reported in October 2022. Of course, Efron is back on the screen and in the headlines thanks to his performance in "The Greatest Beer Run Ever," which tells the real-life story of Chickie Donohue and his efforts to bring beer to his frontline buddies during the Vietnam War.  

Clearly, Efron will continue to be a staple on our screens for years to come.