Zac Efron is a certifiable heartthrob and has been for well over 15 years now. Unlike many male actors, Efron has actually been open about his body image and his own negative thoughts about his own body. No matter how physically attractive others find you unless you have the confidence in yourself, none of that really matters.
Zac knows that as an actor a large part of his appeal is his looks, and that level of perfection is very hard to maintain. Usually, it's women who feel this need to stay physically attractive and thin, but poor body image isn't gender exclusive, and Efron has spoken publicly about the pressure he has felt to maintain a level of attraction.
Efron became a household name after starring in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical in 2006 and he has been making us squeal ever since (and yes Efron was already 18 years old making that movie).
His boyish good looks got him noticed, and he has been working steadily ever since.
He soon grew from a cute teenager into a man with a buff body that women and men of all ages have come to appreciate. Now in his mid-30s, Efron rocks what we call a 'dad bod' despite not having kids of his own.
Zac has gone through a lot of body transformations over the years but is now apparently happier with himself and doesn't really care what his fans think anymore. He is living life for himself.
Zac Hated Maintaining His Six Pack Abs And Muscles
For movie roles in his 20s, Efron was required to have 6-pack abs and no fat on his body. For his role in Baywatch back in 2016, Efron played a lifeguard and had to work really hard to maintain high muscle and little fat. This requires planning precisely what you eat and working out for multiple hours every day.
It's a commitment and lifestyle that isn't for everyone and doesn't seem like it was for Zac.
As much as his female fans loved Efron's physique at the time, he hated it. Efron has said multiple times that getting in shape and staying in shape was miserable for him. In fact, he was quoted as saying that he "never want(ed) to be in that good of shape again" So when the era of needing to stay buff ended, he chose not to keep it up.
Zac Cried Over Not Being Able To Eat Pasta
While taking a break from acting, Efron filmed his own adventure reality show, Down to Earth with Zac Efron. This gave viewers a new side of Zac that wasn't the fancy actor but a young guy about the world with his friends.
Fans saw many new sides of Zac but one really stuck out and struck a nerve. In a very relatable moment, Efron opened up about his body image and the pressure men have on their bodies. He got emotional discussing the foods he had to avoid and felt like he was depriving himself, especially while filming Baywatch.
Efron made pasta with locals from Sardinia, Italy, and enjoyed those delicious carbs alongside them. While enjoying the freshly made pasta, Efron nearly cried when he expressed how happy he was to eat pasta and carbs. Apparently, he had to avoid all of that for six months for Baywatch and that was enough for him.
Fans Have Defended Efron's New "Dad Bod"
Efron's looks and body have been long discussed by fans. While he was fawned over since he was a teenager, it was the Baywatch era that fans loved.
It's been over five years since Baywatch came out, and Efron is not only older but wiser. The dad bod phenomenon is a male physique that isn't just pure muscle and maybe has some extra fat on it.
Efron has certainly gained weight and lost muscle since Baywatch but especially after he opened up about his poor body image, fans stepped up to defend him and his changing body. Bodies change, people age, and there comes a point, where we all need to live our lives to be happy.
It seems that Zac Efron's happiness involves pasta and not hitting the gym for hours every single day. Fans may be disappointed that his rock hard abs won't be making an appearance anytime soon, but Efron seems to be happier with himself.
So while he has transformed his body for specific roles, it seems like Zac is reluctant to do that as he matures and pursues opportunities in roles other than "heartthrob." It seems as if he's done worrying about what anyone says, even his fans, because he's so much more than just his looks.
