Actor Zac Efron is putting the persistent rumors that he got plastic surgery to bed once and for all after the fixation on his expanded jawline recently gained traction yet again.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight while promoting his new film The Greatest Beer Run Ever, Efron revealed that he "almost died" from a devastating jaw injury nearly a decade ago, and the resulting surgery and recovery process resulted in a much more muscular jawline.
Zac Efron Says He Almost Died From Jaw Injury That Sparked Plastic Surgery Rumors (Exclusive)youtu.be
According to Efron the incident occurred in November 2013, and it marked the end of a year-and-a-half-long recovery from a number of injuries, including tearing his ACL, dislocating his shoulder, breaking his wrist, and throwing out his back.
Efron also expounded on the accident in a recent interview with Men's Health, revealing that he slipped while running through his home and hit his face on the corner of a granite fountain, breaking his jaw. When he regained consciousness after being knocked out, his chin bone "was hanging off his face."
\u201cHe's been a child star, a fitness pinup, an onscreen himbo, and an environmental activist. But @ZacEfron hasn\u2019t always been healthy. Now he\u2019s reinventing himself again, and he wants to do it right. \n\nRead our October cover story here:\nhttps://t.co/CiOAWkKRJ1\u201d— Men's Health Mag (@Men's Health Mag) 1662555619
After beginning physical therapy for his facial injury, he was forced to take a break for a press tour. He says that during that time, the chewing muscles—known as the masseter muscles—started to overcompensate for the other injured areas because the muscles in the face all work together "like a symphony." The masseters simply grew to be, in his words, "really, really big."
Twitter reacted mostly with empathy for Efron's plight.
\u201cI feel bad for Zac Efron. Every time the man shows his face, all people care to bring up is how different he looks. Even after explaining he had broken his jaw and needed surgery. Leave the man alone fam.\u201d— Cotto (@Cotto) 1663129068
\u201cfr zac almost died after he broke his jaw and people still wanna make jokes about his appearance and say he\u2019s lying \ud83d\ude2d leave him alone \ud83d\udde3 @ZacEfron\u201d— alyssa \u2661 (@alyssa \u2661) 1663271630
\u201czac efron has been open about needing reconstructive surgery for his jaw and everyone is still being awful about his appearance. i hate people\u201d— bre (@bre) 1663073923
\u201cSo Zac Efron shattered his jaw which is why his face looked like that back then and everyone made fun and still makes fun of him because of it\u2026\u201d— V (@V) 1662585350
\u201c@Le_cotto305 Honestly! Aside from his jaw breaking, people also age. Why do people act like he\u2019s immune to aging\u2026\u201d— Cotto (@Cotto) 1663129068
Some people still insisted he had plastic surgery, though.
\u201cWhy did zac efron get plastic surgery like that man was flawless now he looks hella weird. No I don\u2019t buy that \u201cbreaking his jaw\u201d story sorry\ud83e\udee0\u201d— \ud83d\udda4\ud83d\udc96 (@\ud83d\udda4\ud83d\udc96) 1663049060
But injury or surgery, he's still quite an attractive man!
\u201ci hate to say it but i feel bad for zac efron! everyone\u2019s always pointing out how weird his face looks meanwhile he smashed his jaw and almost died so he\u2019s truly lucky to even look like that! he\u2019s still a hottie in a new way. let him be!!!\u201d— maddie (@maddie) 1663305302
\u201cZac efron magically getting more beautiful after tripping and shattering his jaw is giving handsome squidward after he was slammed in the face by Sponge bob\u201d— La fabiola (@La fabiola) 1663265052
Finally, one Twitter user summed up the whole discussion.
\u201ctwitter: ZAC EFRON\u2019S HAD PLASTIC SURGERY \n\nzac: no i just broke my jaw so the muscles have just grown really big \n\ntwitter: YOU\u2019VE STILL HAD PLASTIC SURGERY\n\ny\u2019all need to calm down and leave this poor man alone\u201d— charlotte \ud83c\udf42 (@charlotte \ud83c\udf42) 1663174474
And yes, injury or plastic surgery, Twitter can agree that he still looks good.