Since the moment he stole the hearts of girls and boys alike by bringing the character of Troy to life in ‘High School Musical’, Zac Efron has been asked about his sexual orientation. He’s got impeccable style, perfectly coiffed hair, and a suave way of speaking that leads many people to wonder: is Zac Efron gay?
Zac Efron is not gay, but he is a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and is extremely thankful for his fans in the gay community. Though he has played a gay character on screen, Zac is heterosexual and has dated many women throughout his career.
He’s long been a pin-up model for men and women all over the world, but it seems only the latter has a shot at tying Zac Efron down. Read on to find out all there is to know about Zac Efron’s sexual orientation, his connection to the LGBTQ+ community, his first gay experience, and his colorful dating history.
Is Zac Efron Homosexual?
Rumors and questions about Zac’s sexual orientation have plagued the actor practically since the day he entered the limelight in 2006 when he nabbed the leading male role in ‘High School Musical’. Zac is straight, or heterosexual, and has always been this way inclined.
Zac views being homosexual as “just another way that you can be” and has been bumping elbows with gay people since the age of 12 when he started doing local theater.
When the subject of Zac being gay came up yet again on his 2008 Details profile, Zac responded to Perez Hilton’s never-ending online speculation by saying, “Honestly, if the worst he can say about me is that I’m gay, then I think I’ll be fine. I can handle it.”
When this response was brought up in Zac’s iconic interview with Advocate in 2012, Zac stated that he doesn’t like to “live in fear about things like rumors and backlash to begin with” and said, “I just can’t see what’s so wrong about being gay.”
Zac Efron’s Connection To The LGBTQ+ Community
Zac has long been a friend and ally to the LGBTQ+ community, and he opened up about his reasons why in the Advocate interview. When asked about his presence in the gay blogosphere, Zac admitted that “It’s very flattering. After High School Musical and Hairspray, I’ve always felt embraced by the gay community, and I feel incredibly grateful and honored.”
He continued, “I really felt that support after High School Musical. I think the gay audience related to my character Troy, because it really was a story of embracing who you are, no matter how different you might be, and not being afraid to show it. That’s a universal theme for everyone, but it specifically resonated with the gay community, and I felt very proud of that.”
When asked to share his thoughts on marriage equality, Zac said, “It’s an issue that affects so many people in my life – a lot of my close friends and some of the most influential people around me. I just want them all to be happy. It would make me so happy to see them able to live their lives and do what they want to do.”
Has Zac Efron Ever Had A Gay Experience?
Zac may be straight by nature, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t had a gay experience before. Zac’s first gay experience was caught on camera for fans to enjoy, as he shared a kiss with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in the 2017 remake of Baywatch.
When talking with James Corden, Zac jokingly revealed that “it was an awesome kiss” and jokingly said that it’s “One off the bucket list. Unforgettable. What a dreamboat. Honestly fantastic, just fantastic.”
Before revealing to the world that The Rock tastes like “cherry Chapstick” and “a Winterfresh commercial,” he admitted that “kissing a dude is weird at first… but how many guys can say they’ve kissed The Rock? I’m gonna wear that as a badge of honour.”
Zac Efron’s Dating History
Though there are no men in Zac’s dating history, that’s not to say he hasn’t led a full and active love life since finding fame. Most notably, Zac’s dating history began when he was dating his ‘High School Musical’ co-star Vanessa Hudgens. The pair dated from 2005 to 2010 and remain on good terms.
Next, Zac began casually dating his Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile co-star Lily Collins, from 2012 to 2013 when their fling fizzled out.
The next year, Zac took his relationship with model Sami Miró public. The pair called it quits in 2016, and Zac removed all trace of the relationship from his social media pages and unfollowed Sami, leaving many to conclude that the relationship ended badly.
In the years to follow, Zac reportedly enjoyed flings with Alexandra Daddario and Sarah Bro, though neither relationship has been confirmed by any involved. Zac’s last known relationship was with Vanessa Valledares, which lasted from 2020 to 2021 when Zac’s grueling schedule saw the pair grow apart.