The Lucky One star Zac Efron graces the May cover of Men’s Health (on newsstands April 17) and opens up about his transformation from a Disney Channel all-star to a leading man with a Marine’s work ethic. Says Zac: “I was never a natural at anything, but I could always outwork everybody.”
Zac on choosing a variety of roles and projects…
“Look, I was just a musical-theater guy. I would have been happy to do that for the rest of my life. But there’s something about me that’s always searching for the more challenging route, and the actors that I really admire are always picking things out of their comfort zones, trying to stretch to see where they can go. It just seems like the road less traveled.”
Zac on his work ethic: “I could pick up almost anything. If you put it in front of me, I could always find a way to tackle it. I was never a natural at anything, but I could always outwork everybody.”
Zac met with the Marines to prepare for his role in The Lucky One: “They were my age. 23, 24, even younger. And most of the staff sergeants were not huge guys. They were about my height, 5’9″, 5’10”, some shorter, but all very stocky. And I’m there in a backward hat and Vans, walking around like I’m still in college.”
He was surprised by his own body! “By the end of the movie I didn’t recognize myself. You hear about guys like Christian Bale who dive into it and are really able to transform. I’ve always wondered if I had the willpower to actually do it. And I’ll always have pride around the sense that I can.”
He worked hard to become a believable Marine for his role in The Lucky One:“I didn’t feel like I was the type of guy to actually portray them accurately. There was a lot I’d have to learn.”
Lifting heavier weights has it’s benefits: “You get this strange sense of power as those weights increase.”
