Zac Efron has dominated our television screens for almost two decades. Since then, he has starred in the short-lived series The WB as Cameron Bale, the adorable gap-toothed boy Summerland From 2004 to 2005, fans were drawn to every project he was involved in and the list goes on.

While some may remember him from the series on former network The CW, Efron’s breakthrough in the industry came when he played Troy Bolton, the sophomore basketball and theater lover High School Musicalin 2006 (we’ll talk more about this later). After what led to one HSM franchise and a swoon-worthy romance with his co-star and on-screen love Vanessa Hudgens, Efron became a heartthrob, a respected actor and an A-list star all in one.

Efron now has an impressive collection of leading roles, leaving his Disney days behind him and experimenting with other film genres. We’ve put together a list of the TV star’s nine best films that you should include in your next movie marathon, and we wouldn’t blame you if you started now.

The Iron Claw (2023)

After years of starring primarily in comedies and romance films, Efron took a more serious route and took on one of his most demanding roles to date. The California native portrays Kevin Von Erich, one third of the professional wrestlers, the Von Erich brothers, in the biographical film The Iron Claw. The film premiered in 2023, with Efron starring alongside Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Lily James.

Efron underwent a drastic physical change to resemble the wrestler in the role. He gained significant weight and wore a wig. “At best, I didn’t look like myself at all,” the movie star said The Hollywood Reporter at the film’s premiere. “It was jarring at first, but we pieced it together piece by piece.”

The That awkward moment The star’s dedication paid off, as fans raved that his performance was arguably his best, and many expressed disappointment that neither he nor the film were nominated for an Oscar (and, let’s be honest, so were we).

Gold (2022)

Fans once again saw a different side of Efron than in his romantic comedy.Baywatch era in his 2022 film Gold. In the film, Efron plays a con man who protects gold discovered in the desert from thieves and treacherous weather conditions. The A family affair The star was stunned by the role and committed to his character, who in the film appears blistered, sunburned and ragged as she looks after his stumbled fortune.

The Anthony Hayes-directed film earned a score of 65 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and Efron was praised for his moving performance. Hayes also gave Efron meaningful praise for his work ethic on set The Sydney Morning Herald in January 2022: “When Zac was out there, he was just the hardest-working guy you could get.”

Hayes said that too Dirty grandpa Star “didn’t complain once” despite the harsh temperatures they endured during filming.

Neighbors (2014)

You could literally be living under a rock if you haven’t seen it NeighborsThe 2014 comedy Efron stars Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne and Dave Franco. The film is a hysterical gem about a couple (Rogen and Byrne) who are forced to move into a frat house next door with their newborn, although they immediately regret their decision due to the endless parties outside their window.

Efron and Franco’s hilarious antics as frat brothers, coupled with Rogen and Byrne’s comic retaliation, make this a film you’ll want to watch again and again. The film did so well that it led to a sequel, Neighbors 2: Sisterhood Rises (2016), where much of the original cast reprized their characters.

Hairspray (2007)

One of the critically acclaimed films that Efron starred in is the Broadway musical HairsprayThe film premiered in 2007. The film has an all-star cast including John Travolta, Brittany Snow, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Marsden and lead actress Nikki Blonsky.

For those unfamiliar with the production: Hairspray is about dance-loving teenager Tracey Turnblad (Blonsky), who lands a top spot on a popular TV show in the 1960s and thus brings racial integration into the show. Efron plays Link Larkin, Turnblad’s charming love interest with perfectly styled hair and smooth dance moves. Fans raved about the film and critics gave it a top score of 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which we think is well deserved.

Extremely Evil, Shockingly Evil and Detestable (2019)

Efron terrified fans with his eerily realistic portrayal of serial killer Ted Bundy in the 2019 film Extremely evil, shockingly evil and despicable. Unlike other productions about the notorious murderer who claimed dozens of lives before his execution in 1989, this one told the true story of Liz, a single mother who falls in love with Bundy and doesn’t believe in his terrible crimes.

Lily Collins plays Liz in the film, which also stars Haley Joel Osment, Angela Sarafyan and Dylan Baker. Efron not only played the role, but also went to great lengths to match Bundy’s looks and enhance his charm.

In an interview with. in April 2019 Weekly entertainmentEfron revealed that he lost “a lot of weight” for the role and had false teeth to resemble Bundy’s appearance as much as possible. If that isn’t devotion, we don’t know what is.

17 Again (2009)

Have you ever wished you could go back in time and relive your teenage years, especially your 17-year-old self? That’s exactly what happens in the 2009 comedy 17 Againin which Efron embodies the younger self of Matthew Perry’s character and gets the chance to start his life over again. Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Michelle Trachtenberg and Sterling Night round out the cast of this laugh-out-loud film.

Over 15 years after its release, fans appreciate the film even more than before, thanks in part to Perry’s tragic death in October 2023, and let’s face it, it’s a masterpiece when it comes to comedic family films. Efron previously boasted in an interview with Perry Peoplein which he named them Friends The actor is his “mentor” and said he learned a lot from him and honestly, the same.

The Greatest Showman (2017)

Little did we know that we would like to see Efron and his friends The greatest showman Co-star Zendaya’s appearance in BT Barnum’s circus, but here we are. I still marvel at the duo’s incredible trapeze skills and vocals (we’re still singing “Rewrite the Stars” in our heads, thanks, songwriters), even years after the film’s release in 2017.

The film also stars Hugh Jackman, Keala Settle, Michelle Williams and Rebecca Ferguson, although some believe Efron and Zendaya stole the show. Efron also showcased his singing voice in other musical numbers such as “The Greatest Show” and “The Other Side.”

High School Musical (2006, 2007, 2008)

As promised, we want to highlight Efron’s groundbreaking role High School Musical and its sequels, High School Musical 2 (2007) and High School Musical: Senior year (2008), the latter was released in cinemas. Efron perfectly captures his role and the relatable conundrum he faces as he struggles between his love of basketball and the theater. As all Disney films end, there is a happy ending where everyone comes together singing and dancing, although the music and plot resonate differently with fans than any other film on the network.

The film was a huge success and its stars achieved new levels of fame. Although Efron later demonstrated his singing prowess in his films, the main character infamously gave his voice to Drew Seeley in the first part of the film. However, Efron returned and lent his singing voice to the second and third films in the series.

Ricky Stanicky (2024)

In 2024, Efron delivered another comedy in the Amazon Original Movie Ricky Stanickyalso with John Cena and Andrew Santino. The film follows a group of friends who hire an actor to play their fictional friend Ricky Stanicky after they get caught up in a big lie. The film is a piece of comedic genius and in some ways makes you wish you had your own fake Ricky Stanicky to attend events with.

The film remained in limbo for decades before finally hitting the screens, with names like James Franco and Jim Carrey attached to the project. “People were afraid to make it for a long time. But audiences are passionate about this kind of comedy,” revealed the film’s director, Peter Farrelly Associated Press in March 2024, referring to the sticky line that comedians have had to struggle to cross in recent years.

The wait seemed worth it, as the film was the third highest-grossing film the year it premiered, making it worthy of our list of Efron’s best performances.