Zac Efron On Learning 'The Art Of Acting'

Access Hollywood - September 3, 2008 12:57 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Zac Efron rose to fame off the back of playing teen heartthrob Troy Bolton in Disney's "High School Musical" franchise, but it wasn't until recently that he developed an intense appreciation of both acting and film.

The 20-year-old star said he grew to care more about his craft while staring in "17 Again," alongside former "Friends" actor Matthew Perry.

"It was hard to play someone that I couldn't relate to in the slightest," Efron told Teen Vogue about playing the teenage version of Mike O'Donnell, a man who gets to go back to his younger years to change his life.

'High School Musical 3' Cast Talks Newcomers - Play it Now

Efron said he grew to appreciate what he does for a living thanks to the film's director Burr Steers.

"The director taught me a lot about the art of acting, which I hadn't been schooled in before," Efron told the mag. "I've got a better understanding of what it means to be an actor now."

While filming another new project, -- "Me and Orson Welles," which finds the blue-eyed boy playing a character called Richard Samuels, a teen who ends up being directed by a young Welles - Efron said he developed a real love for the cinema.

All Access: Zac Efron - Movies - Celebrities

"I would never have, until now, called myself a movie buff," he said. "But I've found so many films that I never knew existed."

While his new projects may expose the poster boy to a wider audience, his successes will continue to fuel the paparazzi, who follow him on a regular basis. Efron said sometimes, though, he wishes he could be anonymous.

"You don't realize until it's gone," he noted of the ability to just blend in. "But it is so important to feel normal."

Still, Efron said there is no need to feel sorry for the star.

"I'm not going to complain," he said. "But it's something I'm learning to cope with."

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
Zac Efron - Check Out the Photos
Access Extended: Zac Efron Talks 'High School Musical 3' - Play it Now
High School Musical Stars - Check Out the Photos

comments

show comments

comments

comments 1-10 of 16  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Katy
    Zac Efron is so cool! I loved his movie in HSM3! Go Zac!!!
    report abuseposted February 21, 2009 12:51 PM PST
  • AnnaBananaAnna
    ballar hallar!
    report abuseposted February 17, 2009 3:38 PM PST
  • AnnaBananaAnna
    ballar hallar!
    report abuseposted February 17, 2009 3:38 PM PST
  • Mom@ =]
    troy i love you.i will like to marry you
    report abuseposted December 30, 2008 10:01 PM PST
  • Miss Lady "LOVE …
    HIS COOL..I LIKE HIS CHARACTER IN HIGH SKU MUSICAL..YAY...LOVE HIM..HE MATCH WIT DAT GURL DAT ACTS AS HIS GURLFRIEND IN DAT MOVIE..THEY LOOK CUTE TOGETHER...
    report abuseposted September 19, 2008 9:34 AM PDT
  • Vaness. H.
    Zac has all the spice in his life, i do think though it would be a great change if he got off his lazy A** ounce in a while to help our relationship! that's right and i'll blog about u all i want until you do! people, please i beg you the public i want you to know that all of that spice is balls of fury, sometimes and comes out to me, i can't take one more beating any more
    report abuseposted September 17, 2008 2:20 PM PDT
  • lovely
    u gay or wat?????????????????!!!!!!!!! looks like it....muhahahahahahaha... i agree with u Rachael's 19.. gay gay gay gay gay.. isnt life fun....
    report abuseposted September 15, 2008 7:03 PM PDT
  • hsmgirl26 94
    zac efron is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hot ! i can't wait for his other movies to come out.
    report abuseposted September 7, 2008 8:09 AM PDT
  • mrsnickjonas
    he is hot, but not as hot as the jonas brothers. but he is my favorite actor.
    report abuseposted September 5, 2008 1:04 PM PDT
  • Rachael's 19
    ZAC FANS: He looks like a Uni-Sex person. Can't tell if he is a boy or girl. But that is popular with the younger generation. Pro-gay, Pro-abortion. And hating America. It would take nothing short of a Nuclear War to wake up the morons in this country today.
    report abuseposted September 4, 2008 11:26 AM PDT
comments 1-10 of 16  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

Post A Comment

sign in to post a comment.

sign in

RELATED ARTICLES

RELATED PHOTOS

RELATED VIDEOS

Updates

Manage My Updates
Manage My Updates
More Updates »

omg!

MORE ENTERTAINMENT

ALSO ON YAHOO!

Help us to improve! - Send Your Suggestions