Zac Efron honored with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES -- Zac Efron received his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday.

The San Luis Obispo native took time to thank his fans and industry colleagues during the ceremony.

Efron rose to fame playing Troy Bolton in the 2006 Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel hit, "High School Musical." He later went on to star in "High School Musical 2" and "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."

He thanked director Kenny Ortega for giving him his start: "I still think about it everyday. I sing the songs in the shower. Go Wildcats!"

He also gave a shout out to his passionate supporters, whom he described as his "first fans."

"Thanks for believing in me. You're the reason I'm here today," he said.

Efron is also known for his role in the 2009 film, "17 Again," in which he starred alongside late "Friends" actor Matthew Perry. Efron gave Perry credit for inspiring him and propelling his career path.

"He was so kind and generous with me while we worked on '17 Again'. It was so much fun and it really did propel me and motivate me in so many ways. It really pushed me into the next chapter of my career. Thank you so much Matthew," he said.

Also at the ceremony, fellow actor Miles Teller took the podium to congratulate his longtime friend.

"Zac didn't just want to be famous, he didn't care about being on the cover of all those magazines, he wanted to be an actor. And that is why we're here today. Because Zac has delivered on that promise. He's a true triple threat with the combination of immense talent, incredible work ethic, and an above average face," Teller said.

Teller gave Efron credit for shouldering fame at the young age of 18.

"Hollywood is a really tough place and there's a lot of stories where 20 years later they're not standing up here in this capacity so that's something I've always admired about you is your grit to be able to deal with that," he said.

Efron's next film "The Iron Claw" hits theaters Dec. 22. Jeremy Allen White, who also stars in the film, attended Monday's ceremony as well and spoke about his co-star's admirable traits.

"He chases challenge, he chases change. He is also devastatingly handsome. He's kind and hard working. But what I think I admire most about Zac is the way he supports his cast and crew. He champions us and wants us at our best at all times. To me he is selfless, and egoless. It's as if Zac Efron doesn't know he is in fact a movie star. So we're all here today to remind him," said White.

Efron also recently wrapped production on the romantic comedy "A Family Affair," starring Nicole Kidman and Joey King. That movie will be released sometime next year.

Efron's star is the 2,767th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is located at 6426 Hollywood Blvd.

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