--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was in the final running for the Zac…" description: "\"I was in the final running for the Zac Efron role in 'High School Musical.'\" — Matt Lanter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/matt-lanter-15475_actor_i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-e_3103070.png" --- # I was in the final running for the Zac Efron role in 'High… ![“I was in the final running for the Zac Efron role in 'High School Musical.'” quote by Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/matt-lanter-15475_actor_i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-e_3103070.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/matt-lanter-15475_actor_i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-e_3103070.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/matt-lanter-15475_actor_i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-e_3103070.png) > “I was in the final running for the Zac Efron role in 'High School Musical.'” [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Competing for a major role can be intense, yet the experience itself is valuable. **In simple terms:** Competing teaches growth even if you don’t win. Key Takeaway Value the journey over the outcome. Themes career competition growth learning entertainment Mood reflective optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - acting auditions - career advancement - networking Key Concepts audition process personal development industry insight Questions to Reflect On - What did you learn from the audition? - How can you apply this experience to future roles? A Different Perspective Success isn’t guaranteed despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [Right when 'High School Musical' was taking off, one of my little cousins called and was really excited to tell me there was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/right-when-high-school-musical-was-taking-off-one-of-my-little/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [ Well let me tell you what \[High School Musical\] is really about. High School Musical is about this group of boys who are all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/well-let-me-tell-you-what-high-school-musical-is-really-about-high/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I feel 'Britannia High' is aimed at an older audience than 'High School Musical.' 'Britannia High' is more of a serious drama, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hewer/i-feel-britannia-high-is-aimed-at-an-older-audience-than-high-school/) [Mitch Hewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hewer/) > [We shot 'High School Musical' in eight weeks. I spent longer rehearsing for 'Hairspray' than filming 'High School Musical'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/we-shot-high-school-musical-in-eight-weeks-i-spent-longer-rehearsing/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [This is going to sound really funny. I have a poster of Zac Efron on my wall! I think every girl has a poster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/this-is-going-to-sound-really-funny-i-have-a-poster-of-zac-efron-on/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) > [With 'That Awkward Moment', you could argue I'm just playing the girlfriend of Zac Efron, but the director was such a creative force and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-poots/with-that-awkward-moment-you-could-argue-i-m-just-playing-the/) [Imogen Poots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-poots/) > [Zac Efron is like a brother who's just goofy and crazy. He plays a lot of practical jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/zac-efron-is-like-a-brother-who-s-just-goofy-and-crazy-he-plays-a-lot/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) > [Ive never been like Zac Efron. I am a bit of an asshole. I have a dark side. Im a bit of a ruffian.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/ive-never-been-like-zac-efron-i-am-a-bit-of-an-asshole-i-have-a-dark/) [Shia Labeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [Police: Anything you say can or will be held against you. Me: Zac Efron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/police-anything-you-say-can-or-will-be-held-against-you-me-zac-efron/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“After three glasses, Cynthia flung the windows open and announced, “Zac Efron, I love you!” to the whole of Chelsea, while Lesley was crouched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerstin-gier/after-three-glasses-cynthia-flung-the-windows-open-and-announced-zac/) [Kerstin Gier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerstin-gier/) > [I'm always surrounded by good-looking guys, like Zac Efron, so I have to be with someone who's not going to get jealous about any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/i-m-always-surrounded-by-good-looking-guys-like-zac-efron-so-i-have/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) > [Zac Efron! What a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-condor/zac-efron-what-a-man/) [Lana Condor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-condor/) > [Yeah, I know you. I made you up. This is my dream. You're a mixture of Zac Efron and Johnny Depp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yeah-i-know-you-i-made-you-up-this-is-my-dream-you-re-a-mixture-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Zac Efron is my obsession, we're the same person. We're not actually here, it's like Janet and Michael Jackson. He just puts on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/zac-efron-is-my-obsession-we-re-the-same-person-we-re-not-actually/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I go to school with a boy who looks like Zac Efron. With some faces he makes, he look just like him. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/i-go-to-school-with-a-boy-who-looks-like-zac-efron-with-some-faces-he/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) ## More by Matt Lanter > [I don't really like the word 'religion.' To me, that's like rules and regulations and paying money to send up prayers. That kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-don-t-really-like-the-word-religion-to-me-that-s-like-rules-and/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [Six months after I moved to L.A., I booked the ABC pilot 'Commander-in-Chief' with Geena Davis. I played her son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/six-months-after-i-moved-to-l-a-i-booked-the-abc-pilot-commander-in/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [If someone is going to give me a job looking younger than I am, I'm not going to turn it down. There are worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/if-someone-is-going-to-give-me-a-job-looking-younger-than-i-am-i-m/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [I remember watching 'Quantum Leap' when I was a kid with my family, so I think that's fun and nostalgic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-remember-watching-quantum-leap-when-i-was-a-kid-with-my-family-so-i/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [If I wasn't an actor, I probably would've tried to get a job with the Braves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/if-i-wasn-t-an-actor-i-probably-would-ve-tried-to-get-a-job-with-the/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [It's a high honor to be a part of the Star Wars universe and such a long running show. Our talented writers, animators and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/it-s-a-high-honor-to-be-a-part-of-the-star-wars-universe-and-such-a/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [Let's face it: 'Twilight' is kind of an easy thing to make fun of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/let-s-face-it-twilight-is-kind-of-an-easy-thing-to-make-fun-of/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [I wrestled in high school, so I actually have a bit of a base in grappling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-wrestled-in-high-school-so-i-actually-have-a-bit-of-a-base-in/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [A lot of people might gawk at it, but I really love 'Revenge of the Sith' because of what happens to Anakin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/a-lot-of-people-might-gawk-at-it-but-i-really-love-revenge-of-the/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [Leaving high school. It's sad and you're going to miss all your friends. You're going to miss your life and you've been doing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/leaving-high-school-it-s-sad-and-you-re-going-to-miss-all-your/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [I'm a bit of a gadget freak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-m-a-bit-of-a-gadget-freak/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [I don't want to get too much into my personal relationships but I will say I am actually doing the single thing right now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-don-t-want-to-get-too-much-into-my-personal-relationships-but-i/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [Soft lips are big for me. Not a whole lot of lip gloss. You don't want your first good kiss to taste like strawberry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/soft-lips-are-big-for-me-not-a-whole-lot-of-lip-gloss-you-don-t-want/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [Voice acting is very creative, especially 'Star Wars' voice acting, because there's so much you have to imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/voice-acting-is-very-creative-especially-star-wars-voice-acting/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [Film, you get to go to other locations and live the culture for a little while. You also form a strong bond with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/film-you-get-to-go-to-other-locations-and-live-the-culture-for-a/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) [Explore all 43 Matt Lanter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was in the final running for the Zac Efron role in 'High School Musical.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matt Lanter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-efron-role-in-high-school/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-efron-role-in-high-school/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/matt-lanter-15475_actor_i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-e_3103070.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/matt-lanter-15475_actor_i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-e_3103070.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/matt-lanter-15475_actor_i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-e_3103070.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was in the final running for the Zac Efron role in 'High School Musical.'” — Matt Lanter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Matt Lanter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was in the final running...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-efron-role-in-high-school/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/i-was-in-the-final-running-for-the-zac-efron-role-in-high-school/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```