Teenage heartthrob Zac Efron was born October 18, 1987, in San Luis Obispo, California.When he was just 11 years old, Efron began taking singing lessons, which led to roles in several theater productions.He later guest starred in television series such as Firefly, ER, and CSI: Miami and landed a recurring role on Summerland.In 2006, Efron starred in the hugely popular Disney Channel movie High School Musical.He plays a guy named Troy who falls for a girl named Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) when they meet at a karoke contest.The well-rounded actor's hobbies include golf, skiing, rock climbing, snowboarding, and playing the piano and guitar.He has two Australian Shepherds and a Siamese cat. Actor Zac Efron's career began when he was just 11 years old, and his parents took note of his tremendous singing talent. They let him audition for a production of +Gypsy, and he won a small roll. The show ran for 90 performances, and Efron took to the stage like a fish to water. He graduated to larger roles in other plays like +Auntie Mame, +The Music Man, and +Little Shop of Horrors, before eventually making the transition to TV. Before long, he'd scored a recurring role on the hit series Summerland in 2004. This would seem like his big break, but an even bigger role would come the next year, in the hugely popular Disney feature High School Musical. Efron immediately earned a strong, loyal fan base, and by 2007, he was appearing in the highly anticipated remake of the John Waters musical Hairspray.Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide