Zac Efron Addressed Those Jaw Surgery Rumors And Said He Actually Almost Died

Zac Efron in Down to Earth with Zac Efron
(Image credit: Netflix)

Zac Efron grew up in front of the public’s eyes, starting young with projects like Summerland and the High School Musical trilogy. As such, fans feel like they truly know the 34 year-old actor, and especially his dashing good looks. And Efron recently revealed he actually almost died, after addressing jaw surgery rumors.

Over the past few years, the public has been debating whether or not Zac Efron got plastic surgery. Folks noticed his appearance had changed in recent projects like Netflix’s Down to Earth series. But it turns out that his surgery was far from elective, explaining to ET that he had a near death experience back in 2013 after shattering his jaw. Responding to the chatter and rumors online, he spoke honestly saying:

My mom told me. I don't really read the internet, so, I don’t really give a fuck. [...] It was funny. It sucks. I almost died, but we're good.

Well, there you have it. It looks like Zac Efron and his loved ones weren’t a big fan of the reports about his plastic surgery. Namely because he didn’t do anything like a face lift, and instead was fighting for his life. It’s through that fight that Efron’s signature handsome face was altered. Although there are still countless fans out ther who still consider him a sex symbol.

Zac Efron’s comments to ET help show how potentially damaging online rumors can be for celebrities. Because while he had a near-death experience that was no doubt sobering for both the actor and his loved ones, the internet had a less empathetic reaction to his appearance. And it upset the Baywatch actor’s mother enough that she eventually brought it to his attention. 

These comments about his medical history come as Zac Efron was promoting his new movie The Greatest Beer Run Ever, which recently had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. He didn’t offer too many details about his jaw injury, but he reportedly had a fall outside of his home back in 2013. His jaw was shattered and wired cut, which accounts for any change in the actor’s looks. That and getting older, as we all do.

It’s been truly fascinating to watch Zac Efron change as a performer and person over recent years. While he returned to movie musicals with Hugh Jackman’s wildly successful Greatest Showman opposite Zendaya, he’s also seemingly been stepping away from Hollywood. Case in point: he’s currently living in a van and exploring the world without being tied down to one location. Although some fans are hoping he’ll return to the High School Musical franchise sometime in the future. That, or a role in the MCU.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever will hit Apple TV on September 30th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.