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California native - Zachary David Alexander Efron was born in San Luis Obispo, California on October 18, 1987.

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Early interest in music -

He began to pursue the arts through singing and piano lesson from a very young age, and always had a natural interest in musicals.

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Finding an agent - Efron has been acting since he was 11 years old, performing in local plays. His high school drama teacher saw his potential and introduced him to an agent.

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Small TV roles - He started off with small roles in TV shows like 'ER' and 'Firefly,' long before his 'High School Musical' fame.

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The 'High School Musical' years - In 2006, he got his big break with a leading role in the Disney movie 'High School Musical.' He was 19 years old.

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Meteoric success - The film was an unexpected success and became a franchise with two hit sequels.

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Vocal discrepancies! - Some dedicated fans may have noticed a difference in the singing voice of his character Troy Bolton after the first movie. Efron wasn't given the chance to sing in the first film and another singer's voice was used instead.

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'High School Musical 2' -

However, starting with 'High School Musical 2' it was all Zac! The second movie broke records as one of the most watched events on cable TV ever when it was released on Disney Channel.

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Forbes Celebrity 100 -

By the age of 21, Efron made it onto the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, which ranks celebrities by fame and wealth.

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Vanessa Hudgens -

Since the first 'High School Musical' movie came out, Efron began a highly publicized relationship with his co-star, Vanessa Hudgens.

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Vanessa Hudgens -

It's always great for publicity when an on-screen couple become an off-screen couple. Some speculated that it was faked as a PR stunt, but it seems that the couple did date for around four years before breaking up in 2010.

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'Charlie St. Cloud' -

From 2010 onwards, Efron started to branch out and played roles in more serious films like 'Charlie St. Cloud.'

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'The Paperboy' -

He starred alongside Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey in the movie 'The Paperboy.' His films during this period received mixed reviews from critics.

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Rehab -

In 2013, Efron checked into rehab due to issues with drugs and alcohol. He's been open about his experiences with addiction, and the pressure of being a young person dealing with fame and Hollywood life.

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Better than ever -

After leaving rehab, he said he was seeing a therapist and was "in the best place [he's] ever been."

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Image change -

From this point onwards, Efron started to transition into more of a sexy Channing Tatum-type rather than a teen heartthrob. He was cast in 'bro' roles, like the fraternity president in the movie 'Neighbors.'

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'Baywatch' -

His role in the 'Baywatch' revival in 2017 very much solidified this image!

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'The Greatest Showman' -

Later that year he got the chance to show off his musical talents again when he landed a role in 'The Greatest Showman.'

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'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile' -

Efron surprised fans in 2019 with a chilling portrayal of serial killer Ted Bundy in the movie 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.'

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A new look - Around this time he also shocked fans by dying his hair an icy white.

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A master of re-invention - Efron has been doing a minor re-invention of himself every few years since his career began. From his looks to the roles he takes, there's little that would surprise us anymore.

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'Down to Earth' -

One of his most recent ventures was his Netflix travel documentary 'Down to Earth,' which was released in July 2020.

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Darin Olien -

The series follows Efron and his long-time friend and health guru Darin Olien. Olien considers himself a wellness expert, particularly interested in superfoods and sustainability.

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Environmental awareness -

The documentary reveals Efron's interest in the environment. The pair travel the world raising awareness of more sustainable and healthy lifestyles.

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A new side to Zac -

Though the intentions of the show are clearly good, some of the pseudoscience touted by Olien was called into question. However, it was nice to see a new side to Efron, the sensitive, lovable bro.

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Relationship history -

Since his breakup with Vanessa Hudgens in 2010, Efron has had a couple of other long-term relationships. He dated vintage fashion designer Sami Miro for two years starting in 2014.

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Lily Collins -

He also dated British actress Lily Collins for around two years. The pair starred in 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile' together.

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Romance with Vanessa Valladares -

More recently, he's proven that his fangirls' dreams of meeting him and living happily ever after aren't that impossible! Efron has been dating Vanessa Valladares, an aspiring model he met while she was waitressing at a café in Australia.

(Insider) (The Things) (Elle) (Vulture) (E!)

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What next? -

Zac Efron isn't the only actor who has a habit of falling in love with his co-stars. Check out the celebrity couples who got together on set here.

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