He dribbled his way into our hearts as the loveable, talented and incredibly handsome Troy in High School Musical on the Disney Channel. He made the hearts of tweens everywhere beat fast and was instantly a hit.
His relationship with fellow Disney star Vanessa Hudgens made teens and parents alike coo with envy and it looked like things were going well for Mr. Efron.
That being said, the limelight can last only so long. After the release of the last installment of the High School Musical Trilogy, it seemed for an instant that Efron simply disappeared.
Life After Disney
This transition was especially hard for Efron as he and his long time girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens were rocked by scandal not long after they began to branch out into adult movies.
In 2007 several nude pictures of Hudgens were released on the internet that were intended for Efron’s eyes only.
These photos created quite a stir as both stars were still in contract with Disney for future projects.After the photos dropped however, both Efron and Hudgens were on their own and destined for two very different movie careers.
The film roles that Efron was able to land post Disney were still somewhat soft. With parts in love stories like Charlie St. Cloud, Efron was unable to shake his good boy Disney past in favor of the juicier roles that garner larger awards. Efron disappeared from the spotlight for a time only to resurface a few years later with plenty of baggage to contend with.
2013 Stint In Rehab
Late in September of 2013 Efron voluntarily checked himself into rehab. Though there are no official reports as to what his addiction was, many sources speculated alcohol while others contended it was for cocaine addiction. Never the less, the young star served his time and has since reemerged a much healthier and much more mature young man.
Post Rehab Career
Much like Robert Downey Jr. who many speculated would be finished with his movie career post rehab, Efron has risen like a Phoenix from the ashes. With several movies both in the works and coming to theaters soon, his prospects seem brighter than ever.
The much anticipated comedy “The Neighbors” is set to release in spring 2014 where the young star plays a fraternity leader opposite stuffy parents Seth Rogen and Rose Bryn. His movie “The Awkward Moment” is set to hit theaters soon in which he is also the comedic lead.
Efron has emerged a new man and says that he is ready to take on more challenging roles and prove to both himself and his fans that he is the star that everyone believed him to be the first time they saw him.
Though there is no gauge to determine his success, it stands to reason that Efron is ready and willing to change and become the great actor that everyone knows he can be. Look for him in several new movies this year. Some people truly can turn their lives around, let’s just hope the change is permanent.
