“I Almost Died,” Zac Efron Explains What Really Happened to His Face and Responds to Plastic Surgery Rumors

In early 2021, the Internet exploded over how different Zac Efron seemed to look compared to previous years. His jaw looked wider than usual and his entire face appeared unrecognizable to some, which stirred plastic surgery rumors. After over a year of speculation, the High School Musical star finally put the rumors to bed and showed everyone why we should never just assume things.

Why Zac Efron stayed silent for so long

We first caught a glimpse of the actor’s new appearance in April 2021 when he showed up on Earth Day! The Musical, produced by Bill Nye. Though Efron’s involvement was brief, he managed to get the most attention. Fans ran wild with theories as to what could’ve happened to him, with plastic surgery taking the crown.

It wasn’t until September 2022 that we finally got answers from Efron himself. As it turns out, he mostly stays away from the Internet and wasn’t aware of the fan frenzy. As he explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, “My mom told me. I don’t really read the Internet, so I don’t really [care].”

The truth behind Zac Efron’s face changes

Finally, after over a year of speculation, the movie star shed some light on the uncomfortable truth of what really happened to him. Efron explained that changes in his jaw happened after he suffered an accident at his home. He was running through his house, slipped, and badly hurt his chin. The recovery was tough, and the actor explains that as a result, his masseter muscles, which are responsible for chewing, grew and “got really, really big.”

Despite the challenging accident and unfortunate rumors that followed his recovery, Efron remained optimistic and didn’t mind his fans’ theories too much: “It was funny. It sucks. I almost died, but we’re good.”

And even though Zac Efron dealt with the rumors like a trooper, this entire incident further reinforced his belief that it’s better to stay away from the Internet’s opinions. As he explained, “If I valued what other people thought of me to the extent that they may think I do, I definitely wouldn’t be able to do this work.”

Zac Efron is a wonderful big brother who took his siblings to the circus and spent Valentine’s Day with his little sister.