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Zac Efron has gone through many roles since his High School Musical days. From saving lives in Baywatch to swinging from a trapeze with Zendaya in The Greatest Showman, (and his latest project, which tells the disturbing story of serial killer Ted Bundy), he’s taken on a host of different characters. We've also seen him put his acting skills to use when hopping over rooftops, balancing atop skyscrapers, and filming the most dramatic cologne spritz ever. With each new project, he's learned a lot of unexpected things from his time in front of the cameras — some of which he shared with us when we recently caught up with him. To kick off the launch of Hugo Urban Journey, Zac told us everything we ever wanted to know about his affinity for tiger sharks, thoughts on self-care, and general life advice.
The most important thing he’s learned along the way? “Be comfortable with who you are, and wear a lot of sunscreen.” Preach, Zac.
Teen Vogue: If you had a free day in any city of the world, how might you spend that day?
Zac Efron: I would love to just explore. I'm a huge foodie, so I could definitely visit the top restaurants and be jazzed. In every city, there's great music and there tends to be a music subculture that falls there, whether it's Chicago or Memphis or Tennessee. I love hiking, backpacking, or any sort of nature. And I love riding the underground. I rarely get to do it.
TV: I've also heard that you're a thrill seeker. Do you have any stories you'd be willing to share?
ZE: I've done some pretty crazy stuff, like jumping out of a helicopter from 4,000 feet with Bear Grylls. That one was cool. I've gotten more into cycling and when you start going fast on a bike, it’s kind of like you're driving a motorcycle nowadays — because they go so fast and you're so streamlined. I've done a few triathlons, and every time you finish one of those, you definitely feel like you've gotten away with something amazing. In Hawaii, I got to dive with tiger sharks, which I would not recommend to anyone. Don’t try it. Those are man-eaters. But I kind of made a friend out there, in a tiger shark. And I survived to tell about it, so that was pretty cool.
TV: Beyond thrill-seeking and getting ready for roles, does fitness play any other role in your life? Does it play into your self-care at all?
ZE: It's more than just training. When I was younger, it was a sense of stability, and something that I had to accomplish every day — one of the few things I could go do and know that I was doing my homework; I felt like I was staying on track when I was training. Now, it's turned a lot more into a lifestyle and philosophy. I think that I want to be able to do what I'm capable of now, when I'm 50, 60, 70 years old — like my great-grandfather, who is still skiing and swimming 20, 30 laps in an Olympic-sized pool every single morning, with one lung!
TV: Switching gears, do you think the role that grooming plays in your life has changed since your High School Musical days?
ZE: Just like everyone else, I wake up, look in the mirror, and I see the imperfections and the bags under my eyes, and think, "Oh, man, is this really the best I've ever looked? I'm getting older? What the heck?” Recently what I've started doing is searching for the cure inside that's causing the symptoms of what I'm getting on the outside. Getting more sleep has really taken away the bags under my eyes, so I don't need to worry about it as much. There are other lifestyle changes — I've been experimenting with eating purely vegan. That's completely changed the way that my body works, and the way that I metabolize food, the way it turns into energy, the way that I sleep. It's been brilliant. It’s been great for my exercise, and great for my routine.
TV: Can you walk me through your daily grooming routine? Any tips or tricks that are worth sharing?
ZE: When I'm filming a movie, my beauty regimen is intense. It requires two or three professionals to make me look that good. But, when I'm at home or if I'm working and not wearing intense makeup, I think it gets a lot easier. I think you have to learn how to groom, and learn how to shave properly. I learned that from a really cool barber I know, how to do a proper shave, that helps my skin a lot. And then also sometimes I love to let it all go out the window, and take a break from grooming for the entire week. And I love to be the guy that, three hours into my day, somebody close to me will be like, "Dude, what's on your mustache?” And I'll be like, "What the heck?" And it'll be the smoothie that I drank an hour ago, before all of my meetings, that nobody chose to tell me about! I kind of just relax with it all. I don’t really care as much anymore.
TV: Is there anything that you do as a part of your routine that gives you an extra boost of confidence to make you feel red-carpet-ready?
ZE: A well-tailored suit always feels great before you go out, and a lot of deep breaths before the red carpet. Getting your picture taken — standing in this place and then told where to turn — is the most awkward you’ve ever felt, so you have to mentally prepare for that. Luckily, when I get to do it, I'm doing it in a cool suit, so I feel happy.
TV: Speaking of grooming transformations, the hair and makeup in The Greatest Showman was really spectacular. Did you pick up any cool tips on set?
ZE: I think the biggest beauty tip I got was probably from Keala Settle's performance as the bearded woman — and that's just to be proud of who you are, regardless of anything. I'm me. It's just me. That song ["This is Me"] is really a beauty tip in and of itself. Be proud of the way you look and who you are because nothing can take that away from you. You’re very important, and you're beautiful.
