Before he was the king of the teenyboppers, Efron had a lead role on the WB show Summerland. Starring across from Jesse McCartney and Lori Laughlin, Efron played the best friend and love interest of Kay Panabaker. Starting off as a recurring character, his on-screen counterpart, the son of an alcoholic, got the upgrade to main cast member. Following the show’s cancellation, Efron participated in small guest starring roles on TV before landing his eventual big break.