The Iron Claw star Zac Efron has reflected on his experience working with the late Matthew Perry on the comedy movie 17 Again.
In a Variety video that tested Efron’s ability to recall some of his memorable lines from throughout his career, the actor recalled his time with Matthew Perry and the impact the Friends star had on him.
“I had the benefit of being able to watch Matthew my whole life before that movie started,” Efron explained. “It’s not like we hammered home how to do the jokes or the character. I had to make it true to myself and be able to make it happen. But there’s those things that Matthew Perry just invented. The way he kind of just brought humor to camera, they’re like ingrained in me. I think they’re a huge part of why I’m here, is comedic timing from Matthew Perry for years and years and years.
“I could kind of go though a scene in my mind and be like, ‘Oh, he’d definitely do this, oh, he’d definitely do that.’ That was really all it took — that, and putting yourself in your dad’s shoes, which was really crazy. Yeah, thanks, Matthew.”
You can watch the full video on YouTube below:
When was 17 Again released?
Zac Efron and Matthew Perry co-starred in the 2009 comedy movie 17 Again, which saw Efron play a younger version of Perry’s character after he is transformed by a janitor into his 17 year-old self. The film was a commercial success, making $139.5 million on a $40 million budget.
