Zac Efron has come a long way since singing in the hallways of East High.
A new teaser for the Australian survival thriller film, Gold, dropped Jan. 31, featuring a rough, gritty version of the High School Musical alum. In the clip, the 34-year-old actor is barely recognizable as he's seen covered in dirt and injuries and sporting a scruffy beard and tattered clothes, surrounded by a vast desert landscape.
Efron posted the teaser on his Instagram and got candid about his time on set.
"Filming this was brutal— but I love this [s--t]," he wrote. "So proud of everyone involved and thank you to everyone who has watched so far."
According to the film's synopsis on IMDB, Efron plays a desert drifter who stumbles across a giant gold nugget, As his partner agrees to leave to find excavation equipment, his character stays to guard the gold and in doing so, endures a series of hardships which test his mental and physical endurance.
Recounting his experience of shooting in the south Australian desert, the Baywatch star admitted he had never been anywhere quite like it.
"When we drove out to the location I was just blown away by the scenery and sort of feel and the vibe of the area," he said in a behind-the-scenes interview during the teaser. "Unbelievably mesmerizing. Very desolate and dry and very harsh conditions."
Efron recalled filming through "massive dust storms," which ended up making their way into the movie.
"We filmed through some of the gnarliest conditions I've ever witnessed in my life," he said. "It showed a lot of solidarity and teamwork on behalf of the crew and our production. It was really really fun.
Director Anthony Hayes echoed Efron's's take on the difficult conditions on set, which took place in November 2020, during Australia's hot summer season.
"It was a real challenge," he said. "It was probably the most brutal shoot I've done in 35 years. It was extraordinary."
Although The Greatest Showman actor's resume is filled with romantic-comedies, Hayes told The Age it was the challenge of the intense role that drew him to cast Efron.
"It was a performance he'd never given before. It was extremes he'd never worked in before," the director told the Australian outlet. "But with A-list actors who are used to a level of comfort, you never know what's going to happen once you get into the desert. It's easy when you're just on a Zoom call."
He added, "Once Zac got out there, he was just the hardest working dude you could get. He didn't complain once."
Earlier this month, Efron reiterated his thirst for adventure when he spoke with E! News about his travel docuseries Down to Earth with Zac Efron.
"Travel is one of my greatest passions in life," he said. "I love to explore new places and immerse myself in their culture and learn different ways of life."
The show's second season, which was filmed solely around Australia, is set to stream on Netflix later this year.
As for his goals for 2022, Efron told E! News he is more determined than ever before to live life to the fullest.
"I am honestly just grateful for good health and happiness coming out of this pandemic," he shared. "In terms of goals and resolutions, I always want to challenge myself, personally and professionally, be more mindful and take time to appreciate the simple things in life."