Director Richard Linklater has worked with his fair share of A-list stars in their younger years — Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey in 1993′s “Dazed and Confused” — and told MTV News that what all these upper-echelon actors possess is a quiet confidence in their own abilities. “He’s one of the least-conflicted actors I’ve ever met with his own talent,” Linklater said. “Some guys just got it. The guy is just a natural born performer, a natural song-and-dance man. He’s just a star. In this part I needed a leading man to go toe-to-toe with one of the biggest personalities of the 20th century [director Orson Welles]. I always say about Zac — don’t underestimate him. You’ll realize he’s way ahead of you.”

Co-star Christian McKay, who plays Welles, told MTV News that Efron had absolutely no ego on set. “I was playing opposite a genuine Hollywood star in my first film and he was wonderfully helpful and supportive to me,” the actor said. “I don’t like the fact that people want to pigeonhole somebody at the age of 22. Actors serve their apprenticeship, and to do that with such grace and humility in front a billion fans screaming at your every move and the world’s press is an incredible achievement. And he’s that kind of guy. He’s humble, he’s got his feet on the ground. And I, for one, am looking at all the wonderful performances he’s going to give in the future.” – MTV