Zac Efron Was Touched To Learn Matthew Perry Wanted Him In His Biopic

Shortly after his death, it was revealed that Matthew Perry spent his final days brainstorming a movie about his life, which he wanted Zac Efron to star in. Efron previously played a younger version of Perry’s character in the 2009 comedy 17 Again, so he’s a perfect casting choice. And when Efron recently found out about Perry’s wish to reunite with him, the actor was honored, and said he’d totally be down to play Perry if a biopic ever does get made.

In the wake of Perry’s death on Oct. 28, his friend Athenna Crosby, who was one of the last people to ever speak to him, revealed to Entertainment Tonight that he was planning to adapt his recent memoir into a film about his struggles throughout the years. He specifically had Efron in mind to portray him.

“He said that he wanted to make a movie about his life,” Crosby said. “And he had worked with Zac Efron in the past on a movie, and he said that he wanted Zac Efron to play him as a younger version [of himself] and that he was gonna ask him soon to do that.”

Efron confirmed he heard about Perry’s movie plan and took it as a “huge honor” at the Nov. 8 premiere of his movie The Iron Claw. “I heard that and it’s a huge honor,” Efron told Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet. “Matthew is just the best guy in the world. I had the best time of my life working with him. To think that he was thinking of me for that role... I mean, I would be honored to do it, to be honest.”

He expanded on how much reverence he held for Perry in another interview with People at the event.

“He was a mentor to me and we made a really cool film together. I looked up to him,” Efron said. “I learned comedic timing from that guy. When we were filming 17 Again, it was so surreal for me to look across and have him be there, because I just learned so much from him, from his whole life. I’m honored to hear that he was thinking of me to play him. And we’ll see; I’d be honored to do it.”