With the release of The Lucky One, Zac Efron can add another name to his list of onscreen leading ladies: Taylor Schilling.
In the film, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, Efron, 24, plays Logan, a US Marine who returns from Iraq and goes on a search for the woman he believes was his lucky charm. Schilling, 27, is Beth, the lucky charm who lives in North Carolina.
If the steamy trailer for The Lucky One is any indication of what the rest of the film will entail, fans of Efron will be in for a treat. (We're referring to all those bedroom shots in the trailer, which were actually filmed some five months after Efron and Schilling were introduced to each other).
We had great chemistry . . . we knew each other every which way, it felt great, Efron told E! News at the film's Hollywood premiere last week.
We were so comfortable with each other. Honestly, I was more nervous about some of the more emotional scenes than I was about [the bedroom ones], Schilling added.
Schilling isn't the first leading lady to share the screen with Efron (although she might be the first to stick her hand down his briefs onscreen). Despite the High School Musical alum's young career, Efron has been blessed with some of industry's most talented actresses, including Claire Danes (Me and Orson Welles), Michelle Pfeiffer (New Year's Eve) and Nicole Kidman (The Paperboy, which comes out this year).
In celebration of Efron's latest picture (one that has unofficially moved the actor from the child to adult category), here's a look back at his onscreen female co-stars.
The Lucky One, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, opens in theaters Apr. 20.
Taylor Schilling is the latest actress to join the “Zac Efron’s Onscreen Leading Ladies Club,” thanks to her role in “The Lucky One.” The film opens in theaters Apr. 20.Warner Bros. PicturesZac Efron shared the screen with Vanessa Hudgens for three “High School Musical” films, and dated in real life for five years. To date, Hudgens is the only lady co-star Efron has dated off set.REUTERSIn Garry Marshall’s “New Year’s Eve,” Zac Efron plays the love interest to Michelle Pfeiffer’s character, who hires him for a day to help her complete a series of New Year’s resolutions before the stroke of midnight.“I was so excited . . . to do this movie with her. It was more of a chance for us to reconnect and really have some good scenes,” Efron said on “The Today Show” in December.
Warner Bros. PicturesIn the 2009 period piece “Me and Orson Welles,” Zac Efron takes on the role of Richard Samuels, who finds himself in a love triangle with Claire Danes’ character, Sonja Jones, and Christian McKay, who plays Orson Welles.Freestyle ReleasingAltogether now, “LINK!”REUTERSWhile Zac Efron and Taylor Swift don’t share a single scene on screen in “The Lorax,” the two provide the voices to Ted and Audrey, who are love interests in the Dr. Seuss film.When Efron and Swift were promoting the film, dating rumors were bubbling from Twitter to the “Ellen DeGeneres Show.”“You’re just such a cute couple,” the talk show host told the pair.“We’re not, though,” Swift interjected during the February interview.“Were not a couple . . . he’s awesome, we are not a couple though. You hear people get together when they’re shooting movies, co-stars. But not like animated movie co-stars,” Swift said.REUTERSIn “17 Again,” Zac Efron is Matthew Perry, at 17, trying to win back his family and his wife, played by Leslie Mann. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film went on to gross more than $136 million at the box office.New Line CinemaBefore reaching the level of level of maturity demanded by “The Lucky One,” Zac Efron starred in “Charlie St. Cloud,” a romantic drama based on yet another bestselling book of the same name. Amanda Crew (“She’s The Man,” “Final Destination 3”) plays Tess, a sailor who has big dreams, and a soft spot for Efron’s title character.Universal PicturesWhile its unknown whether or not their characters are love interests in “The Paperboy,” Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman will have plenty to talk about when the film has its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The Lee Daniels-directed picture, based on the 1995 novel of the same name, also stars Matthew McConaughey, John Cusack and Nick Nolte.Millennium Films
