Zac Efron Received Career Advice From Tom Cruise

Zac Efron once received some career advice from Tom Cruise.

While some people probably think that seeking a little direction from the Mission: Impossible star is a giant step in the wrong direction, it’s worth noting that Cruise has a pretty solid career. As long as Efron isn’t looking for advice on his personal life, tapping Tom for some Hollywood pointers isn’t really a bad idea.

E! Online reports that Zac Efron was severely disappointed that his turns in the dramas Charlie St. Cloud and Me and Orson Welles didn’t receive much acclaim — or attention — from most of the majority of moviegoers. Feeling a little down in the dumps, the Neighbors star reached out to Cruise for help.

While promoting his new comedy, Efron told news.com.au about his encounter with Cruise. Unfortunately for those who want to hear the actor’s words of Hollywood wisdom, Zac stopped short of discussing what his mentor said.

“I won’t talk specifically about those conversations but I think they were pretty candid and common sense driven. You have to be aware—and I am—of who you are and what you bring to the table and even more importantly how you are perceived,” the High School Musical alum explained.

He added, “You really have to take into account what your place is, how you can shape that to what you want it to be in the future and what the steps are to get there.”

Following his appearance in the aforementioned Disney movies, Zac Efron tackled a handful of indie dramas. Since those endeavors didn’t receive much attention, the actor set his sights on the world of comedy. Efron starred in both That Awkward Moment and Neighbors this year, though some believe the actor needs to pick a path and stick with it.

The Washington Post writer Emily Yahr explained:

“It’s completely logical for Efron to try a bunch of different things. But by going in these short-lived phases, it simply makes him confusing to audiences — is he the rom-com guy? The frat bro? It’s no secret that he hasn’t had as much big-screen success as one might have expected based on his worldwide popularity during the ‘High School Musical’ phase. As of now, he still has fans that are willing to follow him anywhere, but at the moment, he needs to pick a lane first so they’ll know where to find him.”

If Zac Efron wants to make a name for himself in comedy, then he certainly picked the right vehicle. Neighbors ended at the top of the US box office last weekend, beating out Marc Webb’s big-budget superhero flick The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Instead of doing a similar film, the actor signed on for director Adrian Lyne’s adaptation of John Grisham’s The Associate.

What do you think about Zac Efron receiving career advice from Tom Cruise? Do you feel the actor is spreading himself between too many genres?

[Image via The Huffington Post]