One of the ways Hollywood recognizes the influence and talent of its stars is by giving them a star on the famous Walk of Fame. This time was Zac Efron‘s time, and although he was very excited and grateful for the honor, one thing that melted the hearts of fans was that he used his speech to pay homage to the late actor Matthew Perry, who passed away this past October, 28.
Accompanied by co-stars, family, and even the director of High School Musical, Zac Efron’s career was recognized. However, as Efron himself noted, there’s one person who supported him and inspired him at a very crucial moment of his trajectory, and that was Matthew Perry.
Zac Efron’s first big project after the High School Musical trilogy (which he also honored by shouting the iconic “Go, Wildcats!”) was 17 Again, in which he played a teenage version of Matthew Perry’s character. But the movie was way much more than that for the aspiring star.
Perry was one of the few who really mentored him during this evolution process: “I really also want to mention someone that’s not here today, and that’s Matthew Perry, who was so kind and generous with me while we worked on 17 Again,” he mentioned.
“Collaborating with him was so much fun, and it really did propel me and motivate me in so many ways. It really pushed me into the next chapter of my career, and for that, thank you so much, Matthew. Thinking about you a lot today,” Efron concluded.
As we’ve seen in these past months, Zac Efron and Matthew Perry did create a unique bond to the point that the Friends actor once mentioned he would like Zac to play him in a biopic. After his death, Matthew’s wishes spread through the Internet and got to Zac’s ears.
To the idea, Efron showed his excitement and declared: “I heard that, and it’s a huge honor. Matthew was just the best guy in the world. I had the best time of my life working with him, and to think that he was thinking of me for that role. I mean, I would be honored to do it, to be honest.”
It’s heartwarming when actors acknowledge their origins and the people who helped them and inspired them to grow in their careers. Zac Efron’s emotional speech is proof of the humbleness that’s always characterized him.
