Zachary David Alexander Efron (/ˈɛfrɒn/; born October 18, 1987) is an American actor. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s and rose to prominence as a teen idol for his leading role as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical trilogy (2006–2008). During this time, he also starred in the musical film Hairspray (2007) and the comedy film 17 Again (2009).