Zac Efron shot to fame in the hit Disney Channel movie High School Musical in 2006 as Troy Bolton. Now at the age of twenty Zac has become the biggest teen idol winning the hearts of young girls everywhere.as a child Efron was encourage to take up acting by his father and began appearing in productions at school and at The Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville theatre.After graduating from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts the young actor began his career with small parts in a number of television series including 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.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.
Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) does everything to spoil Tracy’s chances. She controls the Corny Collins Show, 1960’s version of the Mickey Mouse Club, with an iron fist. She uses the show to promote her daughter Amber and is trying to ban Negro Day, where once a month African American kids dance on the show.
Soon Tracy is fighting Amber for the (miss Hairspray title), calling for integration, and trying to win the heart of Link (Zac Efron), the most popular boy in school.
For his role Efron, along with his co-star Nikki Blonsky, won the 'One to Watch' award at the Young Hollywood Awards.
Efron returned to the role of Troy Bolton for High School Musical 2 with the Disney Channel. The premier brought 17.3 million viewers making it the highest rated basic cable broadcast in U.S. History.
The young star has a busy twelve months ahead of his as he stars in 17 Again this summer alongside Leslie Mann and Matthew Perry.
He is currently filming Me and Orson Welles and is in talks to reprise the role of Troy Bolton in the third High School Musical picture, this film is expected to receive a theatrical release.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw