In “Charlie St. Cloud,” Zac Efron proves he’s all grown up. Audiences have gotten used to seeing Zac Efron in basketball duds; after all, the triple threat suited up for the “High School Musical” trilogy, as well as “17 Again.” But this month the 22-year-old leaves his comfortable warm-ups behind to star in “Charlie St. Cloud,” in which he plays a young man with a promising future that’s compromised after a car accident takes the life of his younger brother, Sam. Zac, who explored his dramatic side with last year’s “Me & Orson Welles,” feels that his newest role is a departure for him.

“It’s much more emotional and a little bit older,” he says proudly. “It was what drew me to this particular film.” The part also called for Zac to become an experienced sailor, which required more than a few lessons. “I’d been before, but I wasn’t the one doing the sailing. I was playing Game Boy below deck,” he confesses. “Now I’ve got such an appreciation for the sport.”

The transition from teen heartthrob to bona fide movie star isn’t always a smooth one, but Zac seems fully prepared for the challenge. His next film (for which he’ll also pick up a producing credit) delves even further into adult subject matter: Zac plays a money-laundering drug runner.

Beyond that, he’s surprisingly mum on the details of his upcoming projects. “I don’t want to jinx it, you know?” he says. “My checklist is infinite. There’s nothing I wouldn’t try.” [Source]