Zac Efron’s Salary in Hit Disney Franchise Increased 50X in Just 2 Years, Was Reportedly Earning $5M by The Time He Was 21

Zac Efron's Salary in Hit Disney Franchise Increased 50X in Just 2 Years, Was Reportedly Earning $5M by The Time He Was 21
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What are the chances that Zac Efron is introduced to the world without any mention of his lead portrayal as Troy Bolton? Rare, right? Having started his acting journey in the 2000s, he got major breakthrough to play the Disney icon in the High School Musical trilogy. He subsequently got much recognition when he transitioned to the mainstream film industry but his role as a young basketball team captain who is among the most popular characters in the franchise is still a strong legacy.

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Zac Efron
American actor, Zac Efron in the High School Musical

Also Read: “Dude, what’s so great about this kid? I was jealous”: Zac Efron Hated Leonardo DiCaprio For Stealing All Girls’ Attention After His Romance With Kate Winslet

Given his teenage heartthrob character’s popularity, his paycheck was handsomely increased which might surprise you.

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The First Paycheck of Zac Efron to Work for The High School Musical Revealed!

High School Musical
High School Musical

Also Read: “Director never yelled ‘Cut’. Yeah, we went there”: Zac Efron’s Love Making Scene With Nicole Kidman Went Horribly Wrong in $12.5M Movie

The 35-year-old actor, Zac Efron got highly recognized for his portrayal of Troy Bolton, a singing basketball team captain in the High School Musical film.

Before the Disney movie, he was just a newbie in the industry which is why he was reportedly paid $100,000 to work in the first film. Being one of the Disney Channel Original Movies, it was a critical hit among fans who got hooked up with everything that went on in the film.

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Not just that, the film generated 7.7 million viewers in its US premiere broadcast which was a huge milestone for the network at the time. While the film received much acclaim, the actors associated with the project gained prominence which also affected their paychecks including our lead star!

Zac Efron’s Salary Skyrocketed After The Film’s Success

Disney's High School Musical
Disney’s High School Musical

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As soon as the film became a critical and commercial success, it heavily boosted the main protagonist’s paycheck which was none other than Efron. Not only the franchise went on to make it a trilogy but also made Efron the highest-paying actor among his castmates.

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By the end of the final installment of the famous film titled High School Musical 3: Senior Year, the Firestarter actor was reportedly making an estimated paycheck of $3 million to $5 million.

The third installment grossed $252 million worldwide which further helped the franchise in making a strong cult-following for the musical film franchise.

With such a fan base, it would be really beneficial for Disney to bring back the iconic franchise. It could turn the tables as the franchise last year announced that a fourth installment, titled High School Musical 4: The Reunion is in development. Meanwhile, a spinoff Disney series, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was released on Disney+ starring Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett among several others.

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While the release date of the anticipated project is yet to be unveiled, one can enjoy the series which is streaming now on Disney+.

Source: Stylecaster

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Written by Priya Sharma

Articles Published: 1088

Priya Sharma, Senior Content Writer and Social Media Manager at FandomWire and Animated Times. Having graduated in Journalism and Mass Communication, she possesses extensive expertise in crafting engaging and informative content. She has written over 2000 articles across Animated Times and FandomWire on pop culture, showing her dedication to delivering diverse and trending content to readers across the world. Apart from pop culture, she is quite enthusiastic about the Hallyu culture and is exploring the world of anime, expanding the horizons of her knowledge.