Sad reason behind Zac Efron’s face transformation after fans mistakenly call him out

There is a sad reason behind Zac Efron’s face transformation that fans mistakenly called him out for.

After Netflix’s latest rom-com dropped last Friday (28 June), nasty comments were being made about the actor’s appearance in the film.

Efron stars alongside Nicole Kidman and Joey King in A Family Affair, as self-obsessed celebrity Chris Cole.

The flick actually had much more graphic title originally – Motherf**ker. And to be fair, it would have been quite fitting as Cole ends up sleeping with his 24-year-old former assistant Zara's (King) mum Brooke (Kidman).

Things obviously get fairly awkward when Zara finds them in bed together. But instead of all of the commentary online being about how great or cr*p the film is, there was a whole lot of chat about Efron’s ‘changing appearance’.

Users wrote online: “Trying to watch #AFamilyAffair with #ZacEfron, but I’m way too distracted by whatever he did to his beautiful face."

As one asked: “What did Zac Efron do to his face?”

Kidman and Efron in A Family Affair. (Netflix)

Others even said they were too ‘distracted’ by him to carry on watching on Netflix. But plenty of fans quickly came to his defence to point out the sad reason behind any change in his appearance.

Many pointed out: “It annoys me so much that people don't know Zac Efron was in like a serious accident and his face had to be put back together."

Yep, in case you’d forgotten (or were never aware), Efron was pretty badly injured over a decade ago. And he’s been forced to clarify it before.

The High School Musical star explained to Men's Health that in 2013 was 'running through his house in socks and slipped' resulting in him hitting his chin on a granite fountain.

Following the incident, he said: "The masseters just grew. They just got really, really big."

Masseter muscles are those located on each side of your jaw.

He explained it's all due to an injury. (Disney/Randy Holmes via Getty)

Efron later told Entertainment Tonight that he nearly died afterwards.

And when asked his thoughts of the ‘speculation’ around his changed face online, he said: “I don't really read the internet.

“It was funny. It sucked. I almost died.”

He also explained it was his mum who first alerted him to rumours about plastic surgery.

However, the actor explained that he tries his best to keep off social media, adding things would be harder if he didn’t

"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," Efron told Men's Health.