The 12 Best Zac Efron Movies, Ranked
Zac Efron has accomplished a feat that Disney stars historically struggle with: making a smooth transition from teen idol to adult actor. For a decade and counting, Efron's name has been nearly synonymous with the word "heartthrob." Ask someone who their celebrity crush is, and there's a good chance they'll name the "High School Musical" alum. But over the last 17 years (yes, you heard that right), Efron has charted a steady and increasingly impressive path for himself in the film industry, proving he's here to stay.
Efron has carved out a niche that suits his talents, starring in primarily comedies and musicals, and while his catalog includes plenty of films that weren't critical or commercial hits, his talent shines through regardless. Further, with starring roles in dramas like "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" and "The Iron Claw," Efron is currently making a major transition to serious, dramatic work. It's a challenge he's proven he can handle. Breaking free from his Disney image has been no easy feat, but Efron's filmography proves he's a multi-talented force to be reckoned with. Here are, as of this writing, his best films.
12. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Coming off the success of "Neighbors," Efron starred in the raunchy 2016 comedy "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates." It's certainly nothing groundbreaking, but the film confirmed Efron's ability to anchor a mainstream comedy, proving his brilliance in "Neighbors" was no fluke.
The film, based on a true story, follows Efron and Adam DeVine as brothers who turn to Craigslist to find wedding dates. As a pair of troublemakers who can't go to a family gathering without accidentally causing a scene, Efron and DeVine have effortless natural chemistry. With Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick in the mix as the women who sign up to be their dates, the four young talents all get a chance to bounce off each other and flex their comedy chops. Efron proves he can thrive amidst fellow rising stars; his chemistry with DeVine in particular stands out, making the film worth watching. "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" marks the tail-end of a string of comedies on Efron's filmography, all of which are so tonally different from his musical roots that even the worst of them are important parts of his career, establishing his versatility as an actor.
11. That Awkward Moment
The 2014 comedy "That Awkward Moment" stars Efron, Miles Teller, and Michael B. Jordan as three millennial besties. After Mikey (Jordan) is served divorce papers by his wife, his roommates drag him out for a night on the town to cheer him up. They meet women, and complicated romantic entanglements ensue. If that sounds like a weak plot, that's because it is. The film received a pretty poor reception, but it's on this list for a reason: The chemistry between three young actors makes the entire endeavor worthwhile.
A running thread in Efron's filmography is his ability to generate chemistry with seemingly anyone. To see him pair up with two of the hottest up-and-coming actors of the time is a delight and a smart choice on his part. He blends in with Teller and Jordan seamlessly, and their bromance popped off the screen both in the film and the subsequent press tour. The film is one of Efron's most poorly-received comedies, but it's salvaged by the dynamic between Efron, Teller, and Jordan — a trio with charisma by the truckload.
10. We Are Your Friends
The directorial debut of Max Joseph, one of the brains behind the MTV phenomenon "Catfish: The TV Show," "We Are Your Friends" was Efron's first venture into arthouse territory. He plays a mid-20s DJ trying to make it in the California festival scene, stumbling into temptation, romance, and trouble along the way. The 2015 indie was a pivotal stepping stone for Efron, in line with his musical roots but featuring far more adult subject matter than his Disney trilogy.
"We Are Your Friends" was met with mixed reviews, but a captivating central performance from Efron grounds the film. It has a superbly curated soundtrack that captures the edgy, artistic atmosphere of the Los Angeles music scene. Efron's natural musicality is on display in the many dance floor scenes, and he's utterly convincing as a prodigious young DJ who can control a crowd with his music. The film has several standout scenes that showcase Efron's gift for conveying a vast spectrum of emotions through his facial expressions, including one in which his character trips on PCP at a party and the world around him turns into a psychedelic cartoon blur. As surreal and abstract as the sequence is, Efron anchors it in truth.
9. 17 Again (2009)
One of his most popular projects as a leading man, "17 Again" cemented Efron's status as a bona fide heartthrob. His charisma and charm ooze through the screen as he portrays a young Matthew Perry who wakes up as a teenager after a freak accident. Rocking his signature side-swept hair and a leather biker jacket, Efron showcases the effortless cool that made him one of the biggest young stars of his time.
The film proved that Efron could lead a mainstream project outside of Disney, as it was both commercially successful and loved by audiences. Efron is swoon-worthy, yes, but he also gets to flex his comedic muscles in the role, foreshadowing a streak of impressive leading performances in mainstream rom-coms and raunchy comedies. There's a memorable dance sequence that you just can't help but smile at while acknowledging that Efron has a natural sense of rhythm and musicality. Like Troy Bolton, Efron's character is a popular kid and basketball team captain, but he has entirely different nuances and subtleties. The 22-year-old Efron takes on the challenge of embodying a 37-year-old and makes it look easy, imbuing the character with charm and impeccable comic timing. His ability to bring warmth and likability to the common "jock" archetype proves his potential for more complex roles.
8. The Greatest Showman
After a string of comedies that ranged from successful to critically panned (cough, "Baywatch," cough), "The Greatest Showman" came at the perfect time, reestablishing Efron as a multi-talented performer capable of greatness when given the right material. The musical based on the life of P.T. Barnum was a massive hit, garnering a plethora of awards buzz, including three Golden Globe nominations.
As playwright Philip Carlyle, who falls in love with trapeze artist Anne Wheeler (Zendaya), Efron plays a pivotal role in the film, and has several emotional and complex scenes. The standout musical number "Rewrite the Stars" features dazzling acrobatics and stellar vocals from both Efron and Zendaya. It's arguably the film's catchiest song and its most impressive sequence. Efron and Zendaya's characters' storyline is a standout, with their doomed romance anchoring the film with genuine, heart-wrenching emotion. "The Greatest Showman" proved Efron's natural vocal and musical talents for anyone who had doubts, and smartly let the actor return to his musical roots to balance out his raunchier comedies.
7. Hairspray (2007)
Efron couldn't have asked for a better follow-up to "High School Musical." "Hairspray" wasn't a grand departure from the Disney phenomenon that put Efron's name on the map, and that's exactly what made it such an excellent bridge to more adult projects. He stars in the film as '60s dreamboat Link Larkin, a dancer on the popular teen program "The Corny Collins Show." As is characteristic of Efron, he elevates the heartthrob stereotype, crafting a character who is layered and multidimensional. Link's romance with Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) is the beating heart of the film, illustrating Efron's gifts for portraying a young person falling in love and generating genuine chemistry with his scene partners.
"Hairspray" was the perfect transition to more mature projects for Efron, allowing him to play off his teen idol status and prove that his musical skills are the real deal. A more adult musical than "High School Musical," it showed that he could deliver a compelling performance outside of Disney and that it was time for him to take on increasingly dramatic roles.
6. High School Musical
It's a classic that we all know. Many of us can still recite the lyrics for "We're All in This Together"; more than a few of us still remember the dance moves, too. "High School Musical" put Efron on the map and made him the star he is today. Its relevance persists over 15 years later, and it remains one of the best Disney Channel original movies. With a heart-melting central romance between Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and an abundance of catchy musical numbers, "High School Musical" gave Efron everything he needed to achieve stardom. The second he picked up the karaoke mic in the opening scene, a new American heartthrob was born.
As the popular captain of the basketball team, Efron's Troy Bolton is charismatic, compelling, and shows a surprising amount of depth as he grapples with his interest in the unpopular nerd Gabriella (Hudgens) and the school musical. The film is the rare example of a Disney Channel movie that becomes a childhood classic and gains mainstream relevance. With a message about defying social norms and societal expectations to follow your heart, "High School Musical" is important and timeless.
5. The Beach Bum
The starkest deviation from Efron's mainstream fare at that point in his career, "The Beach Bum" showed the actor's willingness to play weirder, more outside-of-the-box characters. With bleached hair and a beard with horizontal lines shaved through it, Efron embraces the absurdity of his character with full conviction, unafraid to look both ridiculous and unattractive.
From the mind of arthouse auteur Harmony Korine, "The Beach Bum" was the buzzed-about follow-up to Korine's prior endeavor, "Spring Breakers." The 2019 comedy follows Matthew McConaughey as the uniquely bizarre poet Moondog. He crosses paths with Efron's character, a stoner obsessed with lighting things on fire known as Flicker, and together they embark on a night of mayhem. The film allowed Efron to play a character totally different from anything he'd done prior, and it shows that the A-list actor doesn't take himself too seriously. It also establishes Efron's ability to deliver one of the most memorable performances in a film despite appearing in only a few scenes, an impressive feat given the movie's roster of great actors.
4. Neighbors (2014)
Well-received both commercially and critically, the sharp and witty script for "Neighbors" provides the perfect showcase for Efron's comedic talents, and the film marks another turning point in his career. Here, Efron plays Delta Psi Beta president Teddy Sanders, who faces off with his neighbor Mac (Seth Rogen) when his fraternity moves in next door. "Neighbors" was a breakthrough moment for Efron as an actor, becoming his first major blockbuster as a leading man.
"Neighbors" defines Efron's career so strongly both because of its financial success, but also because of his performance opposite Seth Rogen. Rogen, arguably one of the foremost voices in modern cinematic comedy, and Efron go head-to-head, and Efron doesn't miss a beat. While Efron's character, a popular frat boy, doesn't seem like a huge stretch for the actor on the surface, he gets to sink his teeth into genuinely sharp comedic material. "Neighbors" proved that, if Efron could hold his own next to Rogen, he could act opposite some of our greatest actors and still stand out.
3. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
The 2019 crime drama "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" was a transformative moment for Efron. It was his first leading role in a serious dramatic film, and he delivered tenfold. His jaw-dropping performance as the infamous murderer Ted Bundy showed audiences that he's more than capable of darker work, leaving us hungry for more.
While a departure from Efron's prior characters, the role makes expert use of Efron's innate charisma and ability to charm. He effortlessly portrays Bundy's manipulative side, but it's the character's more sinister side that reveals the vast depths of Efron's range. His layered performance carries the film, as does his chemistry with Lily Collins, who plays Bundy's partner Liz Kendall. The nuances of their relationship as it changes throughout Bundy's murder trial allow "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" to transcend what could've been another tired true-crime endeavor. The courtroom scenes are particularly transfixing, affording Efron the chance to deliver a chilling monologue during Bundy's sentencing.
2. High School Musical 2
The summertime follow-up to "High School Musical" is arguably even more memorable than the first. The film follows the students as they take summer jobs at a country club and figure out their college plans. Notably, the sequel allows Efron to sing more (in the original movie, Drew Seeley provided many of Troy's vocals) and show his range. The sequence for the song "Bet on It" remains one of the most memorable things Efron has done, producing viral memes and becoming a pop culture touchstone. In the sequence, Efron galivants through a golf course while overcome by heartache and angst, belting out the lyrics. It's outrageously melodramatic, but if Efron is going to do one thing, it's to give his absolute all to a performance with commendable abandon.
The number is simultaneously brilliant and utterly absurd because of Efron's commitment to the bit. He raises his hands in fury and clenches his fists as he sings through his anger. As hilarious as his performance is, though, "High School Musical 2" shows Efron's willingness to commit to a role, fully surrendering to a character no matter how ridiculous or over-the-top the part may be.
1. The Disaster Artist
Efron's role in "The Disaster Artist" is small, but he's integral to one of the funniest scenes in a film full of hysterical moments. The 2017 dramedy from A24 chronicles the making of the infamous cult favorite "The Room," known as one of the worst films ever made. Efron plays Dan, an actor who shows up for a bit part and goes totally method, scaring the daylights out of Philip (Josh Hutcherson) and stunning the crew. In this memorable, laugh-out-loud sequence, Dan arrives on set with a ferocious intensity, punching the wall to prepare for his scene. He screams obscenities at Philip while holding him at gunpoint, leaving his scene partner rattled even after the director calls cut.
Efron's turn in "The Disaster Artist" encompasses everything that makes him such an interesting actor. Despite his fame and heartthrob status, his performances lack any ego or self-seriousness. Unafraid to look ridiculous or take a cameo-sized role, Efron has been able to carve out a steady career full of memorable performances. With each new part, he continues to find new ways to surprise audiences. From bringing a magnetic warmth to the school's star basketball player to portraying a serial killer with sickening charm, Efron always manages to defy expectations.