For the upcoming Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, former teen heartthrob Zac Efron of High School Musical and Greatest Showman fame is very much cast against type as the murderous Ted Bundy. And while the star was attending the film’s London premiere, he admitted that he had some trouble leaving his role on the set.
Speaking to Daily Mail, Efron recalled how his character would stick with him when he went home every evening:
“I’ve never played a role in which I really have to separate myself from when I go home at night, and it was almost impossible. I’d like to say that I did it successfully, but I couldn’t.”
Playing one of the 20th century’s most infamous serial killers was certainly a change of pace from Efron’s usual roles. But while the actor tends to stay away from such sinister subject matter, he felt that the unique perspective offered by Extremely Wicked justified making an exception:
“I really wasn’t interested in playing a serial killer, I’m not in the business of glamorizing a horrendous person or his acts, but there is something unique about the way we went into the psyche of Ted, and his longtime girlfriend Liz. It’s a different perspective and not your run-of-the-mill serial killer cliché — body count gets higher and higher and oh the guy you always knew did it, did it.”
Indeed, Joe Berlinger’s upcoming flick tells Bundy’s story from the perspective of his girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer, played by Tolkien actress Lily Collins, who continued their relationship well past Bundy’s initial incarceration in 1976.
The new movie has been the subject of some controversy for its “hot” portrayal of a serial killer, with many arguing that the film glorifies Bundy and his horrific acts. Nonetheless, Efron, Berlinger and even one of Bundy’s survivors have gone on record arguing that the pic is simply an honest reflection of a man who hid his monstrous tendencies behind a charming façade.
So far, the critical reception to Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile has been a little mixed, though reviewers generally seem to agree that Efron was the right choice for the lead. You can judge for yourself though when the film arrives in theaters and on Netflix on May 3rd.
