Mega-gorgeous HSM star Zac Efron is sitting across from me! The 22-year-old and I are kickin’ it at the beach in Marina, Del Rey, Ca. where he has agreed to tell us all about his new romantic drama film “Charlie St. Cloud” in which he plays a small-town hero who withdraws from life when his little brother dies. We are learning what Zac likes about his leading lady Amanda Crew, how he dealt with his most embarrassing fan encounter moment on the streets of L.A., where he, Vanessa and pals would love to sail (now that he’s learned how for the film) and how he’s changed since we first met him in 2005!

Zac’s “Charlie” director has only praise for his hard-working young star and reminded us that, for the film “17 Again,” Zac practiced spinning a basketball and passing it to the tips of his fingers, until those fingers bled! This is one dedicated actor. He was just as determined to learn to sail like a pro for “Charlie”. Sitting down with Zac to get the latest, we went all retro and handed him a digital pic we took of him in 2005 before HSM ever came out. He was 16.

I took this of you in 2005 at a ‘meet and greet’ for young stars of tomorrow. You had finished HSM but it hadn’t even been on TV yet. You were sitting there alone. I decided to come over and talk to this cute young guy and you told me all about ‘High School Musical’.
Zac: Oh Wow! [he laughs] That’s so funny! That’s very cool! [I hand him the picture and he keeps looking at it].

Who were you then? Who are you now? And what do you miss about the teen in that picture?
Zac: Oh man! [looking at the picture] I think right there it was just the naiveté. There was always a ‘best case scenario’ that was next and you were pointed in the right direction and you would either get that project or you wouldn’t. It was very simple at that time.

And now?
Zac: Now, I’m being privy to so much more information and being behind the scenes of a lot of stuff, it’s become more of a full-time job for me. I think here [at age 16], not to say it was less work but, look at me! I don’t have a care in the world here [we laugh]. Now I’m running my own ship more. Then I was waiting for that big surprise and I was still in high school. That’s one thing that’s been great is I’m not having to wake up early for class all the time.

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