Zac Efron is an upper classman – at last. The BMOC (Big Man on Campus) is now filming High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

“When I got there everyone was calm, collected. They were working really hard,” Efron, 20, told People about the new production while at Sunday’s MTV Movie Awards, where he won the prize for best breakthrough performance for his role as heartthrob Link Larkin in last year’s movie musical Hairspray.

As for resuming his role as Troy Bolton in Disney’s third HSM installment – which will be a feature rather than a TV movie – Efron says, “It felt like the first two movies all over again. We just kind of can’t go wrong with Kenny Ortega as our director and leader and our great cast and crew. We’ve got no squabbles to get through.”

As for making the leap to the big screen, “Everything’s been stepped up a few notches, all the dances, and I think the songs are pretty catchy this time around. And it’s our senior year, so we’ve got graduation and prom to look forward to. All fun things to have in a movie.”

A Kiss from Vanessa
Efron attended the MTV event at California’s Universal Studios with Vanessa Hudgens, who planted a kiss on him when his name was announced. Winning, said Efron, was “frightening. It’s crazy. It’s the last thing you expect. I was up against so many fantastic performances – the entire cast of Superbad, almost, which was one of my favorite movies of the year.”

On the red carpet, Efron also received a lot of attention from fans – especially the female ones. “You never know with teenage girls. It’s funny,” he said. “But they’re always, most of the time they’re pretty respectful, and I love ‘em. I’m very grateful.”

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Zac Efron is determined not to be drawn in by the Hollywood party scene, saying that he can have fun without going to the clubs.

The High School Musical star would rather lead a grounded existence, and is repulsed by the thought of joining the debauched Hollywood party circuit.

He says, “I don’t find myself drawn to that scene. I think acting is a tradition that far pre-dates celebrity and, today, the two are just meshing. It’s not even that I’ve made a conscious decision not to party. I don’t think clubbing is a choice you make. You can have fun with friends without part of that scene.”

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A real-life Persian prince is bidding to beat Orlando Bloom and Zac Efron to the lead role in forthcoming Disney adventure movie Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.

Wannabe actor David K. Zandi has circulated an online poll, which he claims has attracted millions of votes, backing his attempt to land the lead part in the big-screen adaptation of the popular computer game.

He tells the New York Post, “Most people are fascinated that a real Persian with royal lineage could be hired to play this role.” But Disney and director Jerry Bruckheimer insist Zandi – who claims to be one of the last male members of the Zand dynasty which ruled the Persian Empire from 1747 to 1779 – has no chance.

A representative for the studio tells the Post, “There is absolutely no truth. The speculation is self-created.”

High School Musical star Zac Efron has been forced to hire a bodyguard after he was mobbed by teenage fans on the Isle Of Man.

The 20-year-old is currently filming new movie Me And Orson Welles in the capital city of Douglas – but is being distracted by a number of raucous fans.

A 24-hour security detail is now accompanying the star wherever he goes throughout the British isle, reports British tabloid the Sunday Mirror.

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Splash

Yesterday Zac Efron headed out to the gym with pal Bubba Lewis for a workout.

Efron & Bubba were spotted on their way in Los Angeles, and they looked like they were ready to hit the weights.

The HSM hottie is having quite the year!  It’s no wonder he makes staying in shape a priority.  He’s still filming “Seventeen” with Matthew Perry, and later this year he’ll star in “High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” as well as “Me and Orson Welles.”

If only I was a teenager again …

Below are the winners of the Screen Actors Guild Awards, held Sunday at L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium:

FILM

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Julie Christie, Away From Her

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
No Country for Old Men

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Kevin Kline, As You Like It

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Queen Latifah, Life Support

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
James Gandolfini, The Sopranos

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Edie Falco, The Sopranos

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Sopranos

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
The Office

Among those on the red carpet, were Eric Dane and wife Rebecca Gayheart (above), Nicollette Sheridan, James Marsden, Jeremy Piven, Eva Longoria, Ellen Page, Diane Lane, Zac Efron, Ryan Gosling, Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Vanessa Williams, Woody Harrelson, Marcia Cross, Cate Blanchett, Amanda Bynes, America Ferrera, Christina Applegate, Debra Messing, Rebecca Romijn, Kate Beckinsale, Sophia Bush, Ashley Tisdale, Brittany Snow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Lisa Rinna, Ellen Pompeo and Teri Hatcher.

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