Is Zac Efron Hollywood's Next Leading Man?
Freestyle Releasing
"We tried to do the musical version, but we couldn't get the rights."
—Zac Efron joking back when we asked about his choice to go for a role in Me and Orson Welles rather than another High School Musical or Footloose-type flick.
It's a major departure for dimpled and goody singer Efron. The 22-year-old wholesome type plays Orson's high-school kid Richard, who lands his dream role in illustrious film and theater legend Welles' production of Julius Caesar, only to be met with unexpected theatrical egos and chick problems. HSM15, this ain't.
But after checking out Efron in this pretty serious, yet oddly screwball period piece, we realized Z has the potential to take Hollywood—and not just teens—by storm.
And when we met with well-spoken Zac at the Welles junket at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bev Hills, he told us about his big hankering to "do something different."
But will it pay off?
Glee's Cory Monteith Screams: "I'm Not Zac Efron!"
Patrick Ecclesine/FOX
Supercutie Glee star Cory Monteith gave us all kinds of surprises the other night at the launch party for Assassin's Creed 2 (that's a video game, people) at Voyeur. Also, it's not R.Pattz-time or anything, but gotta say we now have a massive crush on the singing hunk.
First off, he's tall. Gotta say, that is impossible to find in this town, trust. And clearly we weren't the only ones who felt this way. The gals blindly flocked around Cory pretty much all night. And, man, was he into them (if you catch our gaydar drift). But more importantly, what did C.M. have to say about that daunting Zac Efron and his High School Musical crew?
Do read on:
Zac Efron Steps Out Solo...So Where's Vanessa?
BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM
Zac Efron just got back into town from filming The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud in Vancouver and has wasted no time hitting up the party scene.
Last Wednesday, he swung by Nylon's party at XIV solo, where his High School Musical costar Ashley Tisdale was also hanging. (The two had just lunched together on the Monday prior.)
And on Friday night, Zac was all over the place—first heading downtown to check out the opening of Hyde Lounge at the Staples Center arena.
The HSM hunk hung courtside at the Lakers game for a bit before swinging by the lounge, where he held court with three guy friends.
"The boys were really enjoying the game and not noticing the gaggle of girls trying to get his attention," a source tells E! News.
But it was another story back at a West Hollywood nightclub...
Zac Efron Thinks High School Musical Is Boring
Nylon Guys
It has been far too long since we've seen Zac Efron's adorable mug on the cover of a magazine.
And while the poses in Nylon Guys aren't exactly his most original—we've seen the High School Musical hottie's plaid shirts and downward glances plenty of times—they are an adorable way to start your Friday nonetheless.
Still, now that he's promoting a grown-up movie with Me and Orson Welles, he's subtly dissing the fluffy flicks that catapulted him into our hearts.
Exclusive
Attention, Tom & Justin! Do You Think You Can Judge?
Lester Cohen/Getty images; Steve Shugerman/Getty Images; Michael Williams/ Fox
If Katie Holmes can perform on So You Think You Can Dance, then hubby Tom Cruise can certainly be a judge, right?
So says SYTYCD judge Mary Murphy.
"He goes way back to Risky Business doing his thing," says Murphy, referring to Cruise's iconic gyrating underwear dancing. "He was on the hot-tamale train back then!"
She added with a laugh, "That hot tamale can come by anytime."
Also on Murphy's wish list? Justin Timberlake and another certain hottie...
Exclusive
Eclipse Cast's Sinful Future and Playful Present!
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Last time we chatted with Robsten pals and Twilight costars Michael Welch and Christian Serratos at the MTV Movie Awards, they said the Bella-Edward onscreen action was "only going to get hotter." So, just how hot is that?
"I doubt it'll go R-rated," informed Christian, when we dished with her and Mike at the Mi-6 club opening in West Hollywood. "But I think everyone is going to get exactly what they want [in the sequels]."
Guess Chris can't read our quasi-perverted thoughts, cause it definitely steps into triple-X territory. Maybe we should pick up one of these to sooth our nerves?
Keep reading for more dish from the Eclipse cast (and some other famous faces who are making public guest appearances with the Twi-crew), plus which vamp-playing babe has got everyone running scared...
Sucker Punch Scoop: Navy SEALs and Singing
Michael Desmond/ Summit Entertainment
No need to sound the alarm if you see Vanessa Hudgens lookin' a bit bruised and battered these days.
She and her costars in the upcoming Sucker Punch are getting their asses whipped in preparation for director Zack Snyder's shoot.
"We have Navy SEALs doing physical training, and then we have stunt and fight choreographers from Watchman and 300," says Jamie Chung, who will play Amber in the action-packed fantasy flick about a young girl in a mental institution in the 1950s. "It's going to be awesome."
Well, not so awesome for her legs, which have been left black-and-blue…
Heard the One About Zac and Vanessa Being Engaged?
Noel Vasquez/Getty Images
Tweens, put down your pitchforks and back away slowly: Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are not—we repeat not—engaged.
So you can stop boycotting Bandslam now.
Hudgens seemed to hint (in a very much taken-out-of-context quote) in Britain's News of the World over the weekend that she and her High School sweetheart would soon be walking down the aisle. The betrothal report even found its way into the vaunted pages of the Washington Post. But rest assured the report is false.
"Not true," Hudgens' rep tells E! News.
Phew.
But that doesn't mean the twosome isn't still very much together…and socializing, no less, with another pair of lovey-dovey costars who also seem to be no match for the rumor mill.
We speak, of course, of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.
Exclusive
Zac Efron: A Novel Idea for a Movie?
St. Martin's Press; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Zac Efron may be spinning into a theater near you.
I just got word that the 17 Again heartthrob's peeps are taking a look at turning first-time author Robert Rave's debut novel, Spin, into a feature film.
No deals have been made, but Efron would star as Taylor Green, a recent college grad from the Midwest who works for one of New York City's most wretched publicists. Think The Devil Wears Prada in the world of public relations...
Zac Efron Moves In on Rob Pattinson's Territory
Jun Sato/Getty Images
Zac Efron is stepping on Rob Pattinson's turf!
Zefron was spotted out with pals on Friday night to Opus Bar, a Vancouver hot spot popular with Pattz & Co. when they were in town shooting New Moon.
And clearly, Zac didn't mind being seen...
Jeremy Piven: Emmy-Winning...Pool Boy?
Tim Ogier / ABC
Zac Efron just finished filming a guest spot on Entourage, so it would only make sense for someone like Chace Crawford to be next in line…right?
Not if the hit HBO show's star Jeremy Piven has anything to do with it! The Piv has someone completely different in mind...
Zac Efron Gets the Robert Pattinson Cut?
Flynet
Zac Efron kicked off his long Fourth of July weekend by finally cutting off that greasy mass of hair that has slowly been swallowing his face for the past few months.
But wait a minute! Plaid shirt, new messy short hair? Could someone be channeling a certain sparkly vampire? Or maybe even a little SamRo?
Let's get another angle on this 'do before we throw these sorts of serious allegations around. Ahh! That one looks even more like a freshly showered Rob Pattz.
Anyone else see the Robert Pattinson resemblance? Are Zefron and Pattz doomed to be compared forever?! Do we all prefer Zac’s shorter, more manageable hair? Too many important questions to deal with after a three-day weekend.
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