'He Totally Ruined His Image': Teen Idol Zac Efron Shocks Users with His 'New Face' at 36 at the Venice Film Festival

Zac Efron sparked a stir online with his striking appearance at the Venice Film Festival, which comes after the actor's swimming pool incident. Efron has left many wondering what happened to his face.

Exuding an effortlessly cool and chic vibe, teen idol Zac Efron, 36, stepped out in style to attend the amfAR Gala Venezia in Italy on September 1. Donning an all-black ensemble, the Hollywood star quickly caught attention. However, eagle-eyed observers were less fussed about what the actor wore and more focused on his seemingly different visage.

For the prestigious film event, Efron sported a black shirt, which he covered with a sleek suit jacket. He also wore dress pants, and formal shoes, and paired his outfit with dark sunglasses.

Several photos shared online show the "High School Musical" talent enjoying his time at the gala, interacting and laughing with fellow Tinseltown stars like Richard Gere, Mohammed Al Turki, and Swizz Beatz.

Famous Italian influencer and content creator Jessica Matarrelli also took a picture with Efron. She shared a sweet snap of the two of them smiling for the camera at the venue. "Zac Efron, ladies and gentlemen ✨," penned the influencer in her caption.

Additionally, Matarrelli shared a short video of her interaction with Efron at the Venezia Gala. Her post started by showing footage of her twirling around in another location with a smile on her face. Layered over the video is text that reads, "Boys at school never look at me."

The video then cuts to show Matarrelli and Efron speaking at the Gala with overlaid text that expresses, "But Zac Efron did."

When social media users saw media of Efron at the event, many expressed how remarkably different he looks from the movie star heartthrob they have come to know. "What's wrong with his face [?] 😮. He used to be handsome," wrote a netizen on Instagram.

Expressing a similar sentiment, another echoed, "Not the kid we know and love." "With a whole new face once again," noted an observer.

"He totally ruined his image," asserted a user. Adding to the flurry of comments, someone else pondered, "What did this child do to his face [?]"

Suggesting that Efron may have had some work done, a Facebooker exclaimed, "You were perfect the way you were!!! Stop the surgeries!" An Instagrammer added, "So much surgery."

Speculating that the 36-year-old may be dealing with some issues, a spectator stated, "The guy is clearly going through something 🤷‍♂️." On the other hand, a fan who thinks Efron still looks good swooned, "Forever crush ❤️."

A news outlet reported last month (August) that the "17 Again" actor was previously hospitalized in Spain as a result of a swimming pool incident.

According to TMZ , while he was on vacation in Ibiza, Efron dove into a swimming pool and hit the floor with his chest. He also ingested a lot of water, and following the accident, showed visible signs of distress, such as being momentarily dazed.

After security, who were onsite at his Ibiza villa, pulled him out of the water, Efron was transported to a hospital as a precaution.

The next day, however, he was back working out and was seen enjoying a nice dinner on a Sunday evening after the incident. By Monday, the star was on a flight back home.

After his Ibiza trip, Zac Efron was spotted at an airport in Miami with his face all covered up by a black cloth-like material. He also wore shades.

Efron's appearance at the Venezia Gala comes after this swimming pool mishap. While there were many comments made about his face looking different, the recent buzz is not the first time the "Baywatch" actor has been called out over his seemingly altered appearance.

After watching his 2024 Netflix romantic comedy, "A Family Affair," fans questioned the actor's appearance. In the movie, Efron's jaw looks wider, and his facial features look altered.

Replying to a publication that covered Efron's story about his face, one reader said, "He's beyond recognition. He has crossed the line." Another person stated, "He has spoilt his good looks; he was so handsome."

Someone else lamented, "He ruined his looks," before likening him to another "Baywatch" alumnus, saying"David Hasselhof [sic] 2.0 now." A person who'd seen the changes in the actor before shared, "I was stunned by his face when I watched him in 'The Iron Claw.'"

They also complained, "So many of these [good-looking] actors do this, and I can't understand it. My theory is that it's part of the deal they make when they sell their souls." The same person continued, "I especially think that about [Nicole] Kidman, look how many movies she is in."

Their lengthy post concluded, "You don't get to that level without compromising yourself. I personally do not buy the 'I slipped in my socks' story." Someone else who noticed the change said, "His face does look different yet he also looks about 46, so if he wanted to age 10 years then he's gone the right way about it."

Another observer who was shocked by what they saw judged Efron and his "A Family Affair" co-star, Nicole Kidman. This person wrote, "Can't believe he's only 36, looks far older than that, and what on earth has Nicole Kidman done to her face, no movement in it whatsoever. Plus she's far too thin, just no shape at all."

Someone else also criticized both stars remarking, "Both Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman's faces were totally different. It was the most notable thing in the film. Nicole's face hardly moves." In the past, Efron has discussed his different-looking face.

Speaking on the matter, he noted, "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."

Instead of taking the plastic surgery rumors to heart, Efron said he found them "funny," but seriously noted that a past accident, which occurred before his facial features changed, nearly killed him.

In January of this year (2024), his fans got a proper look at his changed looks. His jaw and chin looked enlarged when he attended the National Board of Review Awards Gala on January 11, 2024, in New York City.

March saw the star posting a thrilling clip on social media; showing off the muscle mass he has. He uploaded a video of him and his sister enjoying the water at a beach. He was seen kissing her cheek as he celebrated the beginning of Spring.

In June, the celebrity's jaw and changed looks were on display. At the time, he was attending the premiere of "A Family Affair" on June 13, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. The star had grown his beard and mustache to cover his jaw and mouth.

Efron looks quite different from what he looked like when he was still a young boy and teenager, with the biggest change arguably being his muscle gain.