‘He’s Beyond Recognition’: Users Say Zac Efron Spoilt His Beauty, But Actor Explained Why His Face Changed

Zac Efron set tongues wagging again after he appeared to look different in a new movie. Many social media users thought the star had plastic surgery behind the scenes. But the truth behind his new look is much more serious.

On October 18, 1987, Zachary David Alexander Efron, known as Zac Efron, was born to Starla Baskett and David Efron, in San Luis Obispo, California. His mother worked as a secretary while her husband was an electrical engineer.

He grew up in Arroyo Grande, California, and got into acting at age 11 when his parents noticed he could sing. His acting and singing lessons led to his role in a “Gypsy” production that got him hooked on the craft.

Zac soon landed on-stage roles in “Auntie Mame,” “The Music Man,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Peter Pan.” The next step was getting guest parts on television series.

Some people might recall seeing him in 1994’s “ER,” 2001’s “The Guardian,” 2002’s “CSI: Miami” and “Firefly,” and 2003’s “NCIS.” He’s also appeared in 2003’s “The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke,” and 2004’s “Triple Play” and “Miracle Run.”

In June 2006, Zac graduated from Arroyo Grande High School. He became well-known when he starred in 2006’s “High School Musical,” winning a Teen Choice Award for Breakout Star. The following year, the actor reprised his role as Troy Bolton in “High School Musical 2.”

He has since appeared in 2007’s “Hairspray,” 2008’s “High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” 2009’s “17 Again,” 2010’s “Charlie St. Cloud,” 2012’s “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,” and 2014’s “Neighbors.” In 2016, he was in “Dirty Grandpa,” 2019’s “The Beach Bum,” and more. Throughout his career, Zac has faced health issues.

What Health Problems Has Zac Struggled With?

In a September 2022 published article, Zac opened up about some of the health issues he battled between 2016 and 2017. Besides taking diuretics, at one point, the actor was eating the same three meals daily. He also wasn’t getting enough sleep and was overtraining.

For instance, if filming finished at midnight, the star would wake up at 4 a.m. to exercise. Before shooting 2017’s “Baywatch,” he was excited about doing the action franchise, but the recovery from it was tough.

The actor confessed and warned others that getting a “Baywatch” body was devastating, and the ill effects of his training lasted long. He admitted to developing insomnia and then becoming depressed for a “long time.” Zac said something about working on “Baywatch” “burned” him out.

He struggled to recenter himself and blamed what went wrong on taking too many diuretics for a long period. Only six months after he wrapped filming did he finally start feeling like himself. In 2024, Zac had netizens talking when they noticed something different about him.

Zac’s Looks Harshly Criticized by Fans

After watching Zac’s 2024 Netflix romantic comedy, “A Family Affair,” fans started asking questions about the actor’s appearance. In the movie, the 36-year-old’s jaw looks wider, and his facial features also look altered.

Replying to a publication that covered Zac’s story about his face, one reader said, “He’s beyond recognition. He has crossed the line.” Another person stated, “He has spoilt his good looks; he was so handsome.”

Someone else lamented, “He ruined his looks,” before likening him to another “Baywatch” alumnus, saying Zac’s “David Hasselhof (sic) 2.0 now.”

A person who’d seen the changes in the actor before shared, “I was stunned by his face when I watched him in ‘The Iron Claw.'”

And complained, “So many of these good looking actors do this, and I can’t understand it. My theory is that it’s part of the deal they make when they sell their souls.” The person continued, “I especially think that about [Nicole] Kidman, look how many movies she is in.”

Their lengthy post concluded, “You don’t get to that level without compromising yourself. I personally do not buy the ‘I slipped in my socks’ story.” Some who noticed the change said, “His face does look different yet he also looks about 46, so if he wanted to age 10 years then he’s gone the right way about it.”

A reader who was shocked by what they saw judged both Zac and his “A Family Affair” co-star, Nicole Kidman. The person wrote, “Can’t believe he’s only 36, looks far older than that, and what on earth has Nicole Kidman done to her face, no movement in it whatsoever. Plus she’s far too thin, just no shape at all.”

Someone who also criticized both stars seemed to focus more on Kidman. They remarked, “Both Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman’s faces were totally different. It was the most notable thing in the film. Nicole’s face hardly moves.” In the past, Zac has explained why his face looks so different.

The Actor Once Explained Why His Looks Are Different

In April 2021, Zac appeared on Bill Nye’s Facebook Watch to promote his “Earth Day Musical.” That was the first time that fans noticed he looked different. Seeing how different his jaw looked, netizens wondered if the actor had cosmetic surgery.

In the 2022 interview, the star explained that in 2013, he injured his face and had to get his mouth wired shut. In the past, he’s also broken his wrist, torn his ACL, thrown his back out, and dislocated his shoulder.

His facial injury occurred while he was running through his house wearing socks. Zac revealed that he slipped into a puddle of water he hadn’t seen near the entrance of his home. He landed on his face on the corner of the granite fountain before losing consciousness.

When the actor awoke, his chin bone was broken, and he had a gash that needed stitches. The celebrity then shared that he’d been getting physical therapy to help rehabilitate his injury.

Because his facial muscles work in unison, his masseter muscles, used for chewing, had to overcompensate for the others who were ailing.

While in Australia, he stopped the facial treatment for some time. This happened to coincide with the time when he recorded Nye’s special. Zac Efron explained why he’d looked so different, stating, “The masseters just grew,” adding, “They just got really, really big.”

The actor shared that he wasn’t aware that netizens were talking about his jaw until his mother called him. She asked him if he’d gotten plastic surgery. Luckily, he isn’t the type to read what the internet says or allow online gossip to affect him badly.

He said he wouldn’t be in the entertainment industry if he allowed it to. Zac noted, “If I valued what other people thought of me to the extent that they may think I do.” The “Ricky Stanicky” star added, “I definitely wouldn’t be able to do this work.”

Instead, he felt the plastic surgery rumors were “funny,” but seriously noted that the accident nearly killed him. In the May 29, 2024, trailer of “A Family Affair,” was released on YouTube. Zac’s face was obviously different in the scenes.