Q: Zac, all your fans recognize you for your fluffy hair.  What was the new hairstyle like? Slicked back and all?  Is that a look you’d ever want to do in real life for fun?

Zac Efron: Did I like the look? It’s different.

Brittany Snow: I liked it.  I was like, ‘You look so cute.’

Zac Efron: Oh, thank you very much.  The first time I got my haircut, it was the first time I felt clippers on my head since I was in 7th grade. I was like, ‘Omigod. I can feel my scalp.’ And I had ears. I was like, ‘Damn, they got big.’ (Laughs.) So, it was a reality check when you do something different like that.  It worked for the role and I love the fact I could change it up. I like changing looks for a role. I gained a little weight for ‘Hairspray.’  I was good about that too.  Not like Christian Bale or anything, but I gained ten pounds.

Q: How hard is it to now get out of this musical sphere when you are going to auditions? Do you feel you have to prove something?

Zac Efron: I don’t know. A lot of people ask me if I’m worried about being pigeonholed in musicals. It started with ‘High School Musical.’ ‘Are you worried about being pigeonholed in teen things?’ I dunno. I don’t like to worry about being pigeonholed, because if I’m worried about that, how can I be giving 110 percent in everything I’m doing?  I’m just lucky to be here. So, I’m just going to keep going wherever the road takes me.

Q: Your mom is obviously a big dance freak, so what did she say when she heard…

Zac Efron: She’s not a dance freak, that’s the thing.  (Laughs.)

Q: What did she say when you said you were going to work with Travolta?

Zac Efron: I think I was with my mom when I found out. My parents are so removed from this business. My dad is an electrical engineer in San Louis Obispo and my mom is a secretary up there. They had no background in the business at all. This really as much as it’s is a novelty for me, this is a novelty for my parents to go through.  They can’t believe its happening. But I’m sure she was just excited. I’d like to think she’s proud. (Laughs.)  It wasn’t a negative.

Brittany Snow: Oh, darn it. Working with John Travolta! We thought he would be a good boy.

Q: Can you talk about what you have coming up next?

Brittany Snow: Right after filming ‘Hairspray’ I did a film called ‘Finding Amanda.’  It’s a black comedy, it’s an independent with Matthew Broderick. And I play a prostitute in Vegas. But it’s funny.  So, it’s a little like ‘Election.’ It’s kind of in that way. And Matthew Broderick is my uncle.  And then, right after that I did a movie for Sony/Screen Gems called ‘Prom Night’ which is a thriller-type. Sort of in the vein of ‘Fear.’ My teacher becomes obsessed with me and it’s the same title as the original, but it’s a completely different script. And that was way different than the one before. And then, now I have coming up I start next week on a movie in New Orleans called ‘Black Water Transit’ which is a Tony Kaye film which is completely different than anything I have ever done or will ever do.  It’s very gritty -- I play another prostitute, so maybe I’ll become pigeonholed in that way, I dunno.  But, I’m a meth addict. Don’t use that clip as ‘I’m a meth addict’ by the way, the character is a meth addict. And it’s with Laurence Fishburne, James Franco and Kevin Bacon and Stephen Dorff and Alisya Tyler.  I dunno. We start next week, so it’s a definite departure for me.

Q: What about Tony Kaye.  Have you done rehearsals with him?

Brittany Snow: I have. I tried out for it probably six or seven times and now we’ve done rehearsals for two weeks.

Q: What has been your take on him as a director so far?

Brittany Snow: It’s funny, doing ‘Hairspray’ with New Line and doing a Tony Kaye film, it’s like, ‘Oh, I’m on both sides of the fence here on that whole thing’ which is a little awkward, but the first thing is maybe I am crazy too, because I think he is amazing. I think he is genuinely a very gifted, very brilliant man and he has been nothing but nice. He is definitely what people would call brilliant in different ways.  So, it’s interesting for sure, but this is the type of thing I want to do to further my career in a dramatic and challenging way.  So, he’s definitely the person to go to when I want challenging.

Q: Zac, what is your story?

Zac Efron: Well, after that, I am going to sound really lazy.  Right now, I’m just exploring different options and trying to figure out what is the right thing to do. I feel like there are a lot of projects I could have jumped into, but not what I want to be doing.  Not what I felt what was right at the moment. I am kind of sitting back and seeing if there is a cool, interesting character to play.  And hopefully can involve the audience that I’ve built and take them on new adventures.

Q: Can you talk about this being Nikki’s first film and your thoughts working with her?

Zac Efron: It’s funny, I was compared to Nikki, slightly more experience with the limited work I’ve done. I was kind of prepared to be helping her and encouraging her and maybe possibly teaching her something but from the first day I was extremely disappointed, I found myself taking tips from Nikki. She was so brilliant in everything she does.  She tries everything.  She is so courageous. So talented, you can say she’s never done anything before, but it’s almost not right. She’s been ready for this moment her whole life.  And thank god that everyone in ‘Hairspray’ was creative enough to look for her, because I’ll tell you what she deserves to be here more than any of us. 

Brittany Snow: It’s one of those things where you have to believe things were meant to b, because she is the perfect Tracy for this part.  I mean, there is nobody who has more excitement and just inner genuine love for this project like she does. She’s  born to do it and you can see it in her eyes when she’s playing the part. That’s how she was on set every day. It was kind of her dream come true.

Zac Efron: Everyday.

Brittany Snow: And she gave 110%. Everyday.  Everything could go wrong, the set would be falling apart, not literally, but kind of, something would go wrong and she ‘d be just completely happy working 17-18 hours and having all these lines and working on like songs.  She was just excited. And I think that inspired everyone. I think everyone was in awe of this professional and very poised girl.

Q: Girls like Amber are always the prefect girls in school.  Did either of you tangle with any girls like that?  Did you base her on anyone you knew?

Brittany Snow: Oh definitely. I didn’t base her on anybody. I kind of tried to follow Michelle’s lead and work off of her. So, kind of the little girl who wants to be like her mom, but doesn’t quite get it right. She’s kind of faking it because she think’s that’s what her mom would like her to do. But yeah, I had a really, it’s really cliché to say I had hard time in middle school and high school, but I really did. Cause girls were really mean, because kids really don’t understand when you are going to auditions and working in the business they think you are being conceited or egotistical. So, there was one girl in particular who made my life miserable.

Q: Would you like to take this opportunity to call her out…

Brittany Snow: Oh, no, I have done so many magazines. This is how crazy she is though.  I did an interview with Seventeen magazine or something and they were talking about girls being mean and I think it’s important that girls know that you get over it and girls are mean and I went over it. Well, I did this whole thing and one of my friends said that she put it up on her wall and framed it. It was like, ‘I was the girl who made Brittany Snow’s life miserable.’ That in itself is why you are crazy.

Q: Zac anyone weird in your school who totally was the Queen Bee?

Zac Efron: If they were I didn’t hang out with them. I’m sure they where there. There were always those three girls that are way too tall and too pretty and kind of rule the high school.

Brittany Snow: That’s basically because they loved you.

Zac Efron: I doubt it. I probably didn’t’ say two words to them the whole time I attended the school.  Yeah.

Q: Good luck with Tony’s movie.

Brittany Snow: Oh thank you, I know right? I need all the luck I can get.

Q: What is the movie about?

Brittany Snow: It’s about anti-gun and gun control in New Orleans. It’s set in New Orleans and hurricane Katrina is the backdrop. It’s about prostitution, guns and New Orleans and that whole underground world.