Zac Efron Banked On The Fact His De Niro Impression Would Be So Bad It Would Be Hilarious In Neighbors, But He Was Shocked By Dave Franco’s

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As a dedicated gamer and avid movie buff, I can’t help but be impressed by Zac Efron‘s latest interview in Vanity Fair, where he shares his memories of filming Neighbors and the hilarious impression battle between himself and Dave Franco of Robert De Niro.

In the realm of pop culture, doing an impression of Robert De Niro or Matthew McConaughey has become a common practice. However, according to Zac Efron, who has had the opportunity to work with De Niro personally, Dave Franco delivers the most spot-on De Niro impression. This revelation came to light during the filming of “Neighbors,” where Efron was anticipating that his own attempt would be so poorly done as to be amusing.

Decades may have passed since the raucous comedy featuring a neighboring frat house and a newborn couple, including Zac Efron, was released. Yet, the “Baywatch” actor recalls the experience as if it were only yesterday. In an interview for Vanity Fair’s Scene Selection, Efron was asked to revisit the scene where Teddy Sanders attempts an impression of Robert De Niro at a frat party. However, Efran found it surprisingly challenging to accurately portray the acting legend.

In this specific scene, I recall not having a particularly impressive De Niro imitation, not even a good one. Instead, I found myself improvising with the hope that my lackluster attempt would add to the humor. Fortunately, it paid off.

Zac Efron, a graduate from “High School Musical,” has a knack for convincingly taking on the roles of real-life figures in films. Notably, he brought Kevin Von Erich to life in “The Iron Claw” and gave a chilling portrayal of Ted Bundy in “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.” His impressive acting has left an impression – even Rob Lowe expressed interest in Efron playing him in a biopic, and the late Matthew Perry wished for Efron to portray his younger self in “17 Again.”

During the shooting of “Neighbors,” Zac Efron found it challenging to perfectly deliver the iconic line “You talking to me?” as effectively as Gerard Butler did in “Nerve.” In contrast, Dave Franco outshone Efron and impressively portrayed his own rendition of Robert De Niro’s character from “Meet The Fockers.” Efron admitted that he struggled to match the brilliance of Butler’s performance.

He strongly resembles De Niro. I was right up front imitating “Taxi Driver” De Niro. Then he appeared and said, “Yeah, you, Focker. I’m addressing you.” I was taken aback, thinking, “Did you rehearse that?” The humor was palpable. I found myself exclaiming, “Wow, Dave is nailing it!”

Dave Franco puts in an impressive performance in his impersonation, going as far as adding a mole to his face and adopting the distinct facial expressions of the Fockers characters. His portrayal is uncanny and accurate, but what truly sets it apart is the unexpected moment when he scolds Seth Rogen’s character for upsetting his Jinxy cat, all while holding up the stuffed cat he had been carrying throughout the skit. You can enjoy the whole hilarious clip here: [link]

As a huge fan of Dave Franco’s work, I was thoroughly impressed with his acting skills during that particular scene. The question now lingers in my mind: did Franco actually mimic Mark Ruffalo’s voice for that scene in “Now You See Me,” or was it a voice-over? Given Franco’s impressive performance throughout the movie, I wouldn’t be shocked if he managed to pull off an authentic Mark Ruffalo impression. I can hardly wait to see Franco reprise his role as Jack Wilder in the upcoming third installment of the “Now You See Me” franchise, scheduled for release in November 2025.

In the film “Neighbors,” the actor from “The Little Hours” was just one of many talented comedic actors in the star-studded cast. Zac Efron later praised his fellow co-stars and mentioned several other movies throughout his career, showcasing not only his love for comedy but also his graciousness towards his colleagues when they deserve recognition.

If you have the urge to watch Neighbors or its 2016 version, you can now purchase or rent them on various digital platforms for your convenience. Additionally, consider checking out Zac Efron’s latest film, titled “A Family Affair,” which made its premiere in the 2024 movie lineup and is accessible with a Netflix subscription for streaming.

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2024-07-15 03:07