Efron leaves his comfort zone in 'The Paperboy'

[May 25, 2012]  CANNES, France (AP) -- Zac Efron says he felt uncomfortable filming his revealing role "The Paperboy" -- and that's the way he wanted it.

The "High School Musical" actor moves into grown-up territory with the film by "Precious" director Lee Daniels, which is screening at the Cannes Film Festival.

It's a swampy slice of Southern gothic set in the 1960s, with Efron as an aspiring writer helping his journalist brother (Matthew McConaughey) investigate a possible miscarriage of justice, and falling for Nicole Kidman's sultry femme fatale.

Efron spends much of the film in his underpants, but says he didn't mind the scrutiny.

He told reporters in Cannes Thursday that his character "is learning the ways of the world, and that can be very uncomfortable. But it's exciting."

[Associated Press]

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