Zac Efron has opened up about the high cost of getting his famous Baywatch body, admitting that the extreme routine left him unhappy and affected his mental health. The actor has since changed how he views fitness, saying he no longer wants to put himself through the same process to look that way again.
His comments resurfaced on 10 November, and brought attention to the pressure men face to achieve a certain body shape. Efron's experience shows that even a body admired by millions can come at a personal cost.
Why 'Baywatch' Was So Hard
Efron played lifeguard Matt Brody in the 2017 film, which also starred Dwayne Johnson. His role called for a very lean and muscular body, but the work needed to achieve it was far harder than many fans may have realised.
In an April 2020 interview for Hot Ones, Efron spoke about the pressure of keeping his body in top shape. He told host Sean Evans that he realised after filming that he did not want to look that way again.
'That was actually a really important time to do Baywatch because I realised that when I was done with that movie, I don't ever want to be in that good of shape again,' he said. He also explained that the process was extremely hard and left him worrying about small changes to his appearance.
Efron said he had little room to change his body during that time. Even the amount of water under his skin became something he worried about because it could change how his stomach muscles looked.
The Health Cost of Fitness
Efron shared more details about the experience in a September 2022 interview with Men's Health. This time, he spoke about the effects that his strict training and eating plan had on his physical and mental health.
The actor revealed that he had been working out too much, eating the same three meals every day, and getting very little sleep. On some days, he would wake up at 4 a.m. to exercise, even when filming had ended around midnight.
He also revealed that he used Lasix, a strong medicine that helps the body remove extra fluid, to achieve his Baywatch look. He later questioned whether that level of muscle definition was even realistic, saying it looked almost like something made with computer effects.
A Healthier Way Forward
Since then, Efron has spoken about finding a better balance between staying fit and looking after himself. He explained that he no longer wants to follow the same strict routine he used for Baywatch.
In the 2022 interview, he said he now prefers having an extra two to three per cent body fat rather than trying to maintain the extremely lean look. He also made it clear that he does not see the old routine as something worth repeating.
Efron has not said that he wants to stop exercising altogether. Instead, his comments show that he still enjoys pushing himself but wants to avoid the extreme steps that made his previous routine so difficult.
His experience has also raised questions about the pressure placed on male actors to look muscular on screen. While fans may admire the results of a major body change, the work behind it can be much harder than it appears.
The actor's comments serve as a reminder that a famous movie body does not always reflect a healthy or easy lifestyle. For Efron, looking after his health has become more important than trying to recreate the appearance that made headlines during Baywatch.
