Director Lee Daniels has come out to admit that he had hesitations when it came to casting actor Zac Efron in his recently released thriller ‘The Paperboy’ that also stars John Cusack, Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey. Daniels referred to the twenty-four year old ‘High School Musical’ alum as a “Disney boy”. Telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I was so scared for Zac because he came from another world. It wasn’t really about the acting, as I thought I could get the actor out of him, but whether he had it in him to work in the environment that I create that ultimately makes the magic on the screen.”

Taking the risk with Efron must have been difficult, especially since the director shared that he doesn’t deal well with bad reviews. In the end Daniels’ decision paid off for the helmer of ‘The Butler’ who received a standing ovation for ‘The Paperboy’ at the Cannes Film Festival and managed to develop a chemistry with the young Efron. “He was a trooper, man. First day, he was ready to go to combat,” Daniels shared about Zac’s time on set. Adding that Efron was willing to work through his “fear to find the truth.”