Fans out in force, but no celebrities as heartthrob Zac Efron mobbed by fans at 17 Again premiere

He may have stolen the hearts and minds of millions of teenagers worldwide, but clearly young heartthrob Zac Efron has made less of an impression on Britain's celebrities.
The 21-year-old was mobbed by screaming girls in London as he attended the premiere of his latest film.
But the celebrity headcount was far from impressive, as the premiere attracted the likes of soap star Roxanne Pallett and glamour model Danielle Lloyd and unknown High School Musical actress Jemma McKenzie-Brown.


Blue-eyed boy: Zac Efron signs autographs for his fans in Leicester Square last night


Zac-mania: Teenage girls went wild for High School Musical star Zac

However, hordes of fans - some with their faces painted with lovehearts and the word Zac -made up for the lack of A-listers, some skipped school to queue in Leicester Square from 7am in order to catch a glimpse of the American actor.
By the time he arrived for the premiere of 17 Again, there were hundreds of excited girls, all pushing to get to the front.

Standing on chairs and benches, they screamed his name as the floppy-haired 21-year-old walked over to sign autographs.


It all proved too much for this young fan, who was attended to by paramedics

It all proved too much for some, with one girl needing medical attention from paramedics.
Zac found fame when he won the part of Troy Bolton in the made-for-TV Disney movie High School Musical.

The film quickly won legions of fans, and spawned two big budget follow-ups, making its stars heart-throbs for the teenage generation.
17 Again features Zac as the younger version of Friends actor Matthew Perry, who plays a father whose life hasn't gone to plan but gets a second chance when he wakes up in Zac's body.


Time for the film: Zac is escorted inside the cinema by his assistants

Zac, however, appears anxious to make a name for himself as a serious actor. He recently turned down the lead part in a remake of the film Footloose.

A source said: 'Zac wants to be in the business a long time — doing more musicals isn’t good for him long-term.'
In an effort to update his image, he was photographed in a steamy clinch with a completely naked model for the April edition of US magazine Interview


Not A-list: Diana Vickers leaving the Haymarket hotel, after attending the '17 Again' premiere aftershow party



Not just for teens: Zac's higher profile fans include Roxanne Pallet and Diana Vickers

Zac, who is in a relationship with his High School Musical co-star Vanessa Hudgens, admits he chose to do the shoot because of a desire to play with his clean-cut image.
'It was definitely different from anything I had ever done before,' he said.
'You know, everything I've done in the past has felt very safe, and it was great for a while, but now I'm looking for a place to take chances. I want to play with things.'

Party not so hard: James Corden and Ruth Jones didn't get bother getting dressed up for the after-party



High School Musical actress Jemma McKenzie-Brown (left) and glamour model Danielle Lloyd

The young star is acutely aware of his appeal and is determined to branch out no matter how long it takes.

'Most of the directors I'd want to work with don't even know who I am,' he said. 'Their daughters might.'


Teenagers began gathering at 7am, despite the rain, for a chance to meet Zac


Zac's fans weren't shy about expressing their adoration