Zac Efron was `bashful` around Michelle Pfeiffer

The 24-year-old actor starred alongside Michelle, 53, in 2007 musical Hairspray and will soon be seen with her again in new film New Year's Eve - and he says he was much less intimidated working with her the second time round.

In an interview on British TV show Daybreak, he said: 'I had the chance to work with her on Hairspray, but I was very young and I was a little bit nervous to work with her, so I tended to say all the wrong things and I was very bashful around her.

'When I found out that she wanted to play this role, I was in 100 per cent, and it was really great.'

Zac also insisted he is not fed up with being asked about hit movie High School Musical as he has fond memories of the film series.

He added: 'It's lovely to reflect. I'm very, very grateful for those days - they are some of my fondest memories and I'm still very close with all my friends so we get a good laugh every time we see it come on TV or anything like that.'