Zac Efron to star in 'Footloose' remake

Posted Wednesday, July 11, 2007 at 2:32 PM Central

by Tim Briscoe

You've probably heard of the movie star linking game known as "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." Well, rising young star Zac Efron is going for a different kind of Kevin Bacon connection. Efron is set to star in a remake of Footloose as Ren McCormack, the role made famous by Bacon.

Wait a second, you've never heard of Zac Efron? Well, ask any 12-year-old girl you encounter. Zac created a soft spot in the hearts of pre-pubescent girls with his starring turn in the made-for-TV mega hit High School Musical.

Efron's popularity with the Tiger Beat set has led him to his big screen debut in the upcoming Hairspray, a musical version of John Waters' cult classic 1988 film. Coincidentally, the new Footloose movie will be a totally musical reworking of the '80s teen dance film. (Both Hairspray and Footloose were first adapted into successful Broadway musicals.)

Perhaps Efron will follow in Kevin Bacon's footsteps (no pun intended) and we'll one day be playing "Six Degrees of Zac Efron."

(In case you are wondering, you can link Bacon to Efron through Queen Latifah. She starred with Kevin in Beauty Shop and she also stars with Zac in Hairspray.)