What happened to Zac Efron’s face after social media users say they ‘can’t focus’ on his new movie

Efron, best known for his roles in High School Musical and The Iron Claw, has recently returned to the big screen alongside Nicole Kidman and Joey King in Netflix’s newest rom-com, titled A Family Affair.

“An unexpected romance triggers comic consequences for a young woman, her mother, and her boss, grappling with the complications of love, sex, and identity,” reads the official description of the movie.

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The flick, which was officially released last week (June 28), became a talking point online – not just for its risqué content – but for Efron’s appearance.

Credit: Charley Gallay/GettyNetflix

Over the past few years, the 36-year-old has been subjected to some harsh comments online, and while you would think people would finally let it rest, his looks seem to keep cropping up as the main topic of interest.

A recent snippet taken from the movie was reposted to X (formerly Twitter) by the popular account ‘non aesthetic things’.

In the clip, which has now been viewed over 4.3 million times, the actor can be seen delivering his line over a text overlay that reads: “Zac Efron? I can’t focus on the movie[.] How is this him?”
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The caption also doubled down on the overlay: “What happened to Zac Efron? He looks like an entirely different person.”

Thankfully there were people out here ready to put this to bed once and for all, commenting about the star’s accident that left him needing reconstructive surgery on his jaw.

Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images/Getty

It comes after the 17 Again star got candid about the change in his appearance amid rumors that he underwent a botched cosmetic surgery.

Speaking to Men’s Health back in 2022, he recalled how he slipped on a pair of socks while running at his home, causing him to smash his chin into a granite fountain.

He explained that he lost consciousness and woke up with “his chin bone hanging off his face.”

The actor told the publication that as a result of his injury, his chewing or “masseter muscles” had to overcompensate, saying: “The masseters just grew,” adding: “They just got really, really big.”

Credit: Christopher Polk/WWD/Getty

Efron added that he deliberately keeps away from social media and was unaware of the uproar online about his appearance until he received a phone call from his mom.

He told Entertainment Tonight: “My mom told me. I don’t really read the internet, so I don’t really care.”

He added that if he did pay attention to all the whispers, he wouldn’t be able to do the work he does.

A Family Affair is now available to watch on Netflix.