You’ve seen him as a teen heartthrob, a Hollywood heavyweight, and even as an environmental explorer, but one of the season’s biggest hits features Zac Efron as you’ve never seen him before – behind the wheel of the Mystery Machine!
SCOOB!, the origin story of Scooby-Doo and the rest of the clue-hunting crew, is available to rent later this season on Virgin Movies from €5.99. It sees Zac voice the role of Fred Jones, the owner of their trusty four-wheeled friend – which provided an immediate connection for the star. “I love vans,” he laughs. “While I was growing up, my grandpa had a van and I wanted to turn it into the Mystery Machine. I have a van now; I bought my own Sprinter and I take it all over. I love getting out and doing things; I don’t like to be sedentary.”
And while we somehow doubt that solving mysteries is high on his list of hobbies – you’re more likely to see Zac surfing waves, taking trips with his brother Dylan, or even learning about the natural world in his Netflix series Down To Earth – he admits that the adventures of Scooby-Doo’s iconic characters made an impression when he was young.
“I always felt that Scooby was there,” he says. “When I wanted to relax and go to my safe zone, there was this group of teenagers that you could look up to, that went on benevolent missions to help people and solve crimes.”
That the film – which also stars the likes of Will Forte, Gina Rodriguez and Amanda Seyfried – will be a hit with younger viewers is hardly surprising; Scooby’s been a favourite for more than 50 years, after all! But Zac’s also quick to confirm that it’s not all child’s play.
“For me, as an adult, I watch animated films now expecting to appreciate jokes that they make specifically for adults, and I think there will be a ton of those in this movie. Kids will have a blast but the adults will have fun too.”
“ I watch animated films now expecting to appreciate jokes that they make specifically for adults... there will be a ton of those in this movie.”
If there’s a sense of nostalgia that’s stirred up, then that’s at least in part down to director Tony Cervone. Zac says: “One of the things that attracted me to the project was Tony, just because of the way he cares for the material. He knows every reference that’s ever been made. He’s a real Scoob-a-phile, that’s for sure, and it shows.”
Handily enough, the feeling is mutual! “Zac brought so much to Fred and is so funny,” the director reports. “There is also a quality to Zac’s voice that can be earnest without being corny. We instantly get a sense of Fred’s heroism and concern for his friends, as well as a little bit of his being clueless, but he’s still super charming.”
Which, as it happens, is exactly what Zac had hoped for. “I wanted to pay homage to the way in which Fred has been portrayed all these years; thinking about it and practising, going through my lines. I really wanted Fred to sound authentic and feel real.”
So it turns out Fred is just like the man who plays him; very definitely the real deal!
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