The handsomer-by-the-minute Zac Efron has successfully made the transition from teen idol to leading man in a wide range of projects. Born in 1987 in San Luis Obispo, Calif., a young Zac was encouraged by a piano teacher to pursue a stage career. Auditions yielded several small parts in TV and movies as well as a leading role on the WB series ‘Summerland.’ But it was his performance in the 2006 Disney Channel movie ‘High School Musical’ and its sequels that catapulted Efron to massive fame. His battles with alcohol and drug addiction did little to derail a career that has since seen him star in a long series of big-budget movies (‘Hairspray,’ ‘The Lucky One’) and independent flicks (‘The Paper Boy,’ ‘At Any Price’).
Selected filmography: ‘High School Musical’ (2006), ‘That Awkward Moment’ (2014), ‘Neighbors’ (2014)
Related artists: Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Robert Pattinson
Further reading: Watch Zac Efron ‘Wiggle’, Zac Efron Discusses Substance Abuse, ‘High School Musical’ Stars Reunite