Zac Efron breaks silence after hospital scare following pool incident in Ibiza

Zac Efron had a weekend scare that led to an unexpected hospital visit while vacationing in Ibiza, Spain. 

The High School Musical heartthrob, 36, addressed concerned fans on his Instagram Stories, posting a shirtless photo of himself lifting barbells on an exercise ball. "Happy and Healthy, thanks for the well wishes," the fit actor reassured his followers.

The incident, which occurred on Friday night, involved Zac being found unconscious in a swimming pool at a villa in Ibiza. 

According to TMZ, two staff members at the villa pulled him out of the water. Though the details remain unclear, Zac's representative confirmed that the actor was hospitalized "as a precautionary measure" following the "minor" mishap and was released on Saturday morning.

While his rep did not elaborate on why Zac required hospitalization if the incident was minor, the actor's return to social media with a positive message has calmed fans' concerns.

© Instagram

Before the pool scare, Zac was seen enjoying his time in Ibiza, including a lively appearance on stage with Dutch DJ Martin Garrix. The Disney Channel alum has been soaking up the European sun over the past few weeks, having also spent time on a yacht with friends and recently visiting St. Tropez.

This pool incident is not Zac's first encounter with injury. Over a decade ago, he suffered a severe accident at home when he slipped on a pair of socks, resulting in a shattered jaw. 

© Photo: Netflix

He detailed the harrowing experience to Men's Health Magazine in 2022, recounting how he lost consciousness and woke up with his chin bone hanging off his face.

Zac explained that his masseter muscles, which are responsible for chewing, had to compensate for the injury, causing them to grow significantly. 

© Joe Scarnici

This led to a noticeable transformation in his appearance, sparking widespread plastic surgery rumors. However, Zac has consistently denied going under the knife, attributing the changes to his jaw injury.

"I didn't even know that people were talking about it until my mom called me," he said. "If I valued what other people thought of me to the extent that they may think I do, I definitely wouldn't be able to do this work."

© Gotham

The rumors peaked in April 2021 when Zac appeared in a video for Earth Day! The Musical, showing a more pronounced jawline. Fans speculated about possible cosmetic procedures, but Zac's close friend, Australian radio host Kyle Sandilands, quickly dispelled the rumors, stating that Zac had not undergone plastic surgery.

"I would know if he’d had any plastic surgery," Kyle said on The Kyle and Jackie O Show. "It’s like getting a Picasso and having a kid finger paint all over it. Why bother?"

Zac’s new look recently sparked fresh discussions among fans after the release of his Netflix film, A Family Affair, co-starring Nicole Kidman.