Zac Efron shows willingness to play ‘mentor’ Matthew Perry in biopic

Zac Efron reflected on his time working with the late Friends star Matthew Perry in 2009 comedy 17 Again while expressing willingness to play him in biopic.

Honouring the late actor as his “mentor,” The Iron Claw actor said it was “surreal” to work with Perry in the Burr Steers directorial.

In a conversation with People Magazine, he reacted to playing Perry in actor’s biopic, after entertainment reporter Athenna Crosby revealed he wanted Efron for the role.

"I'm honored to hear he was thinking of me to play him," Efron told the publication. "We'll see. I'd be honored to do it."

"He was a mentor to me, and we made a really cool film together," he continued. "I looked up to him, I learned comedic timing from that guy.”

“I mean, when we were filming 17 Again, it was so surreal for me to look across and have him be there, because I've learned so much from him, from his whole life."

Following Perry’s death, Crosby revealed that the actor, who rose to prominence with his portrayal of Chandler Bing in the hit NBC sitcom, wanted to make a movie on his life.

He told the publication that Perry “wanted to make a movie about his life and have a biopic made,” adding that he “wanted Zac Efron, who's played him already, to play him again because he said he did such a good job.”