Two former Disney stars join Zan Efron in his new A24 thriller, in which he plays two roles. Efron started his career in the early 2000s and rose to fame as a teen idol for his role as basketball star Troy Bolton in the High School Musical films. The first two films were released as Disney Channel Original Movies, but the third installment got a theatrical release by Walt Disney Pictures.
Efron’s most notable movies besides High School Musical include Hairspray, 17 Again, The Greatest Showman, and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. In 2023, Efron starred in the A24 film The Iron Claw as professional wrestler Kevin Von Erich, which was praised as a career-best performance. He is reuniting with A24 for another film, playing two roles.
A24’s new thriller, Famous, is directed by Jody Hill with a script written by Chad Hodge based on the 2010 novel by Blake Crouch. The film follows a man who looks exactly like a movie star and heads to Los Angeles to chase his dream of becoming famous. Joining Efron in the cast is Phoebe Dynevor, who plays the diamond of the ton, Daphne Bridgerton in Bridgerton.
Nicholas Braun and Debby Ryan have joined the cast, and both have a history with Disney Channel. While Braun is now best known for Succession, he had earlier roles in Sky High and the Disney Channel Original Movies Minutemen and Princess Protection Program. Ryan had starring roles in The Suite Life on Deck, 16 Wishes, Jessie, and Radio Rebel. The cast also includes Stephanie Koenig, best known for her role in English Teacher, and Cory Michael Smith, who was recently in the Saturday Night film.
It is a possibility the upcoming A24 movie could be casting former Disney stars to explore the complex transition of being a teenage celebrity to the darker sides of fame. As young celebrities themselves, they have an understanding of the pressures that come with growing up in the spotlight. The film could highlight the exploration of the highs and lows of celebrity culture.
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