As Showbiz Cheat Sheet notes, procedurals like "NCIS" are fertile ground for up-and-coming actors looking to show off what they can do. "Law & Order" has a reputation for featuring virtually every New Yorker at some point, as Elizabeth Banks quipped after her own appearance, but "NCIS" is similarly flush with talent.
Zac Efron starred in a Season 3 episode of the hit show entitled "Deception," as a character named Daniel, who's hauled in for questioning after unintentionally getting himself involved in the kidnapping of an officer, per The Express. According to Hello! magazine, Efron was just 19 at the time. It was a small role, but the actor's demonstrable talent shone through, and indeed just a short while later "High School Musical" dropped, setting Efron on course for the career he has today.
Although the actor has mostly left his musical roots behind, Efron subsequently starred in "Hairspray" and "The Greatest Showman." He's eager to show off more of his skill set, however, revealing during a 2019 appearance on "The Graham Norton Show," while promoting "Extremely Wicked" that, despite having "reservations" about playing Ted Bundy, Efron "knew" he could do it.
The actor explained, via USA Today, "I just didn't want to jump at something that could be seen as a desperate shot at trying to change my image," adding, "It was a unique experience and not what anyone expects. It makes me proud."
