Zac Efron has been shilling his new movie Neighbors like nobody’s business, and as all Hollywood stars know, you can’t make your way through a film’s promotion without a PR romance. Ok, not ALL Hollywood stars, but you’d be surprised by the number of famous romances that started out as red carpet dates.
Right now, Zac needs all the help he can get. Neighbors is getting good reviews, and Seth Rogen will definitely draw in his share of audiences, but Zac’s reputation is sliding in the toilet faster than you can say High School Musical. Everybody knows he went to rehab for drug addiction, and even though he claims to have come out of it clean, it’s pretty obvious that he’s still hooked on cocaine. Exhibit A: His coke bloat, which is obvious in every public event he’s attended over the past few months. Exhibit B: You don’t get into a ‘fight’ in a sketchy area of Los Angeles for no reason, especially when your excuses for being there in the first place are ridiculous.
But instead of being honest and upfront, he’s decided the best way to distract from the situation is to get himself a new girlfriend – and one that comes with the PR stamp of approval. Halston Sage is his co-star in Neighbors, and thus, he kills two birds with one stone. His new ‘relationship’ will draw the public’s attention away from his drug scandals, and it’ll also promote the movie. However, the audiences have become increasingly privy to ridiculous and fake Hollywood relationships, and I’m not sure how many people will buy Zac’s new romance.
However, it’s pretty difficult to blame the guy – I have no doubt that his reps and PR have been pressuring him to go along with this, and with everything that’s going on his life, can you blame him for agreeing? If he just gives up and goes back to rehab, it’ll be better for him in the long run. After all, Robert Downey Jr. is proof that you can recover your life and career, no matter how deep down the rabbit hole you go. But then again, Zac is 26 years old, and I doubt he’s thinking that far ahead. Right now, his sole priority seems to be his career, not his life. And that is truly a tragedy – and pretty much epitomizes what Hollywood does to child stars. PR romances come and go, but the screwed up perspective on your future always remains.
Neighbors Premiere held at the The Regency Village Theater in Westwood, California on April 28th , 2014. Zac Efron
Photo Credit: Juan Rico/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES