This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oregon chapter.

The Evolution of Zac Efron

Zac Efron is by far one of the most well known and captivating actors of our time, and he has come quite a long way in terms of his acting journey. I mean for starters, he’s easy on the eyes (sorry not sorry) and he always has been. From high school heart-throb reppin’ the East High Wildcats, to playing one of the most toned lifeguards, and now taking on the role of an iconic serial killer. From cute baby face to chissled and handsom, you could say that Zac has had a major glow up both professionally and personally. Zac’s acting history has been diverse and personally seeing his evolution as an actor has been very fun. I think it’s worth taking a closer look at his journey and point out some of his iconic roles over the years.

High School Musical (2006)

Although Zac had starred in a number of movies and television shows, the year 2006 was a turning point for his career. Disney Channel’s Original Movie High School Musical premiered January 20th 2006, which really put Zac on the map for young families all over the country. He became everyone’s role model, someone who could do everything from sports to singing. The popular movie then turned into a well known trilogy of musical films, with each one being better than the last.

Hairspray (2007)

Zac continued to use his gift of singing when he landed a role in the iconic Hairspray film.

17 Again (2009)

In 2009 Zac starred in 17 Again, playing a more sophisticated and grown up role which he thrived in. Zac continued to show us his ever growing abilities as an actor and we couldn’t wait to see what was next.

Charlie St. Cloud (2010) and The Lucky One (2012)

Zac showed us his more emotional sides when he starred in Charlie St. Cloud (2010) and The Lucky One (2012).

Neighbors (2014) and Neighbors 2 (2016)

Fast forward a few years and Zac takes it up notch as he stars as the president of a fraternity who has a battle of wits with their nextdoor neighbors in Neighbors (2014) and Neighbors 2 (2016). He also debuts the results of his workout routine as he displays washboard abs quite frequently throughout the films.

Baywatch (2017)

Another classic role that Zac Efron has taken on and succeeded our expectations, as he showed up looking fitter than ever before playing the role of a Baywatch lifeguard.

The Greatest Showman (2017)

2017 was another fantastic year for Zac as he starred in Baywatch (2017) and then The Greatest Showman (2017) later in the year. He proved that he could still live up to his former self and sung better than before in his role.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile (2019)

The most recent and controversial role that Zac Efron has taken on during his acting career as he plays one of history’s most well known serial killers, Ted Bundy. Some people think Zac is too good looking and charming to be playing a role such as Bundy, but others have said that he is perfect for the role for those exact reasons. Ted Bundy was known as being very attractive and charming, which Zac is very good at naturally. This role is not like any other he has taken on, as he is forced to show yet another side of his acting abilities playing a very dark and evil character. I am personally very excited to see Zac take on a role like this, but I am sure he will impress us all without fail. Zac has come along way from being an East High Wildcat, but he’s got his head in the game (sorry I had to) as he continues to grow and evolve in his acting career. I can’t wait to see what Zac has in store for us!

All images are sourced from IMDb.com

Evolution of Zac Efron