Will Zac Be the First to Re-Disneyfy His Image?

When a former Disney star ships off to rehab, the future generally looks grim. However, Zac Efron's post-rehab life is looking positive, so the question remains: can he re-Disneyfy? Here's what I mean: "Re-Disneyfication" is when a star who was formerly of the twee, healthy, House of Mouse, descends into to Hollywood darkness (see Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Shia LaBeouf) but then reverts back to the original, squeaky-clean image.

Efron might be the first man ever to pull off a re-Disneyfication. He seems like the only well-known former Disney star who is ostensibly making moves to maintain a positive, clean image. Sure, LiLo has a documentary about her road to recovery, but having a documentary capitalizing on your rise from your fall kind of reinforces the idea that yes, you are a mess.

Sources who spoke to People said that Efron was "totally committed to being sober" and that "he has cut most everyone out of his life who were part of the party scene." He's back in Hollywood doing just fine, apparently, as he showed up to the Oscars sans a sober coach (doin' a-okay on his own!), and was just at SXSW promoting his new movie Neighbors, which while obviously is not Disney fodder, looks like a pretty good movie.

And while he may not completely go through re-Disneyfication, because as a 26-year-old-actor, he may be more interested in acting in more serious fare, he still can potentially possess a family-friendly image. To re-Disneyfy doesn't necessarily donning your Even Stevens garb (I'm lookin' at you, Shia), but it does mean making a blatant attempt to have a positive image in the media. Stars like Miley Cyrus, for instance, have made it clear that they want to appear in a rebellious light, and while that's working for her, Efron sees a different route to success.

It's disheartening to watch former teen superstars take a downward spiral, and while sometimes we hate-watch things, it's a lot more fun to watch a star revamp — or more accurately, reclaim — a previously positive image. It's remarkable that Efron's sources are openly discussing his path to positivity, and it's exciting to see a re-Disneyfication finally in process.