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Zac Efron pays tribute to Matthew Perry in Hollywood Walk of Fame speech

Updated

The actor worked with the late 'Friends' star on the 2009 comedy '17 Again'

Zac Efron unveils his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Zac Efron unveils his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.SHUTTERSTOCK

Zac Efron paid tribute to Matthew Perry at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in Los Angeles.

The 36-year-old actor, best known for starring in the High School Musical film series, worked with the late Friends star — who died in October aged 54 — on the 2009 comedy 17 Again, and he admitted the experience "really pushed" as a performer.

"I really also want to mention someone that's not here today, and that's Matthew Perry, who was so kind and generous with me when we worked on 17 Again," Zac said at his star ceremony in Hollywood on Monday (December 11).

He played a younger version of Perry's character Mike O'Donnell, and he admitted his Walk of Fame ceremony made him think "a lot" about his late co-star.

"It was so much fun and really did propel me and motivate me in so many ways," he added. "It really pushed me into the next chapter of my career. And for that, thank you so much Matthew, thinking about you a lot today."

Elsewhere in his speech, Zac had kind words for High School Musical director Kenny Ortega, and joked that he still belts out hits from the Disney Channel movies.

"I still think about it every day. I sing the songs in the shower. Go Wildcats!" he admitted.

While he has been "acting, singing and dancing for as long as he can remember", the big screen megastar insisted he "never" expected the career he's had. "Never in my wildest dreams that I'd imagine I would be standing here today," he admitted.

Meanwhile, Zac recently responded to the idea of playing Perry in a potential biopic after it was revealed the late star wanted to cast him in a movie about his life. "I'm honoured to hear he was thinking of me to play him. We'll see. I'd be honoured to do it," he revealed to People.