Zac Efron has always had a powerful presence in Hollywood. He got his start as a teen on the WB's Summerland and quickly moved on to Disney's High School Musical empire. Zac has stayed busy ever since his days as Troy Bolton. He is usually quiet when he's not on camera, successfully keeping his private life private for many years.
In July 2020, Zac revealed a new side of himself with Netflix's Down to Earth with Zac Efron. The eight-part docuseries is a wellness-centered travel diary. Zac visits Iceland, France, Costa Rica, Sardinia, Lima, Puerto Rico, London, and Iquitos. Watch Zac's journey on Netflix with these awesome facts as a guide.
Health Expert-Approved
Zac is by no means on this journey alone. He is accompanied by author and health and wellness expert Darin Olein. Zac heard Darin on a podcast a few years ago, and knew he needed to get in touch with the guru. Darin guides Zac through every country, engaging with specialists in food, agriculture, climate, minerals, and more. Zac and Darin appear to be like brothers, taking in every aspect of their educational experience as a team.
Zac Narrates
Though his fans aren't accustomed to him in this role, Zac is an excellent narrator. The show reads like a diary, as Zac is the one telling the story the entire time. He gives background information and offers personal reflection where relevant.
Zac's Hollywood hustle-and-bustle is a far cry from an international wellness excursion, so he squeezes everything that he can out of the experience.
Zac is Multi-faceted
Both in his narration and in his dialogue caught on film, Zac shows that he has a lot of layers. He can be serious as he reads factual information or humorous as he finds levity in different situations, but he also really opens up about his fears. He mentions in episode four that he wants to get out of Hollywood because it is "not a place conducive to living a long, happy, mentally sound life."
Zac clarifies that he "would never" leave Hollywood. The topic comes up more than once, however. The star remembers the shock of seeing himself on Tiger Beat magazine for the first time when all he wanted to do with acting was make some money for college. Years into his career, Zac wants the secret to a long, fulfilling life, just like everybody else.
Life Hacks and Pipe Dreams
The whole point of the documentary exercise is to find "new perspectives on some very old problems." At some turns, the new perspectives are for practical activities. Other times, perspective broadens to encompass once-in-a-lifetime experiences that would be beneficial if they were accessible. In the first episode alone, simply titled "Iceland", Zac and Darin bake bread in a hot spring, walk around Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, visit a geothermal plant, and get a "fire and ice massage" at the Hilton.
Special Guests
The specialists Zac and Darin meet are essential to every episode, but Zac also invites a special friend to his project. As one of the executive producers, Zac must have had a good deal of creative control for his journey. In the second episode, Anna Kendrick meets up with Zac and Darin in LA before the duo heads to France.
Darin, Anna, and Zac enjoy a water tasting to learn about the minerals that water naturally offers the human body. Contrary to popular belief, purified water actually strips the body of its minerals. With the help of water sommelier Martin Riese, Zac and his friends get the scoop on the human body's most important nutrient: water.
Zac is a Health Nut
Zac eats what is put in front of him in Down to Earth, but he normally keeps up a strict low-carb diet. He notes in the "Sardinia" episode that he never eats carbs, especially on the set of Baywatch. The hunk's mind is blown when he tastes fresh pasta. Later on, in London, Zac test-drives a plant-based lifestyle with a knowledgeable food blogger. It sounds like Zac Efron is still discerning what his ideal dietary plan is.
More Food
A good portion of Zac and Darin's time is spent at restaurants. After all, everyone has to eat. A celebrity in California can probably get some pretty swanky reservations, but Zac visits some of the most exclusive restaurants in the world. He and Darin meet Michelin-star chefs and receive unconventional plates—like reindeer tartare—while learning about more sustainable dining. This show takes "farm to table" to a new level.
Nuggets of Wisdom
"Success without purpose" amounts to a "pretty meaningless life." "One of the best ways to get out of your own head is to help others." "Just like picking up garbage, change can happen one piece at a time."
Some might call these sayings platitudes, but Zac, Darin, and a few of their new friends are full of them. For a fish-out-of-water like Zac, it's probably hard not to get a little cheesy when summing up the exploration of a newly aware, holistic life.
Giving Back
In the "Puerto Rico" episode, Zac and Darin give back to a community that has been ravaged by Hurricane Maria. They help remove debris, rebuild a home, and learn from the hard-working mayor.
The episode, thankfully, doesn't smell too much like "voluntourism." Zac genuinely wants to help those in need throughout the series. He particularly likes talking with kids and inspiring them to achieve their goals.
Moving Forward
There are some somber setbacks on Down to Earth. Darin Olein's home burned down in the Malibu fires, along with over a thousand other structures. The closing credits capture Olein walking around the remains of his California home, distraught and cursing. Though this is incredibly sad, it is important to the theme of the series.
Human beings are connected to nature. Nature can be both a replenishing and destroying force. Zac can't get enough of it, and he shared an Earth Day post mentioning his involvement in Discovery's Great Global Clean-up. When the actor fell ill in Papua New Guinea in 2019, he was working on a reality television series called Killing Zac Efron where he is subject to the jungle. Life is full of tragedy, hope, wonder, and pain. Zac is doing his part to figure it out and make a difference.