Zac Efron is on the cover of May's GQ as he continues to get out there and promote 17 Again before its release this weekend. Fresh off hosting SNL, Zac is continuing in his quest to transition from teen idol to serious actor. He sat down with the magazine to discuss mature topics like meeting Hollywood A-listers, marriage, and what he was like as a kid — all while using some colorful language. Here's more:

  • On doing theater in high school: "It was the worst possible thing you could do in high school. Kids who are in musical theater tend to be self-confident in a quirky kind of way, and when kids who are really self-conscious see somebody doing that kind of thing, they try to bring them down. I used to do random things, man. When I was a kid? I dyed my hair silver, to look like Sisqó in the 'Thong Song' video. I just didn’t give a f*ck. I didn’t care."
  • On keeping his reputation clean: "I wasn’t programmed by Disney. It’s common sense. If you’re gonna be drunk with your friends, don’t get wasted at the Chateau Marmont and hook up with some famous chick. It’s not rocket science . . . I don’t want to be famous for my personality. If anything, I keep that under wraps."
  • On marriage: "That was such bullsh*t. I’m definitely not getting married. In this business, you’re either getting married or they want you to be pregnant. I’m not getting married until I’m 40. If ever. The thought never crossed my mind . . . Maybe not 40. Maybe not until I’m 30."

To see photos of Zac, as well as what he has to say about meeting Sean Penn, Leo, and his family, just read more.

  • On meeting Sean Penn: "He was, uh, not in top form. Or maybe he was in top form. He was in rare form. Anyway — he told me to go skydiving. That’s all. Just—'Go skydiving.'"
  • On his lunch date with Leo: "I thought I was gonna ask him questions. He ended up asking me questions, and in that, he told me a lot. He said, 'There's one way that you can really f*ck this all up. Just do heroin. If you steer clear of that—the other obstacles you’ll be able to navigate.' And that makes sense, dude."
  • On his parents: "They’re both pessimists. They’ll give it to you real. They don’t blow you up with excess confidence. I didn’t grow up thinking I was the greatest kid in the world. And they completely believed that there was a one-in-a-billion chance I would ever be successful. And that was ingrained in the back of my head: I will fail. I’m going to fail. They managed my expectations. I was always prepared to fail. So it was kind of confusing when things started to work out."

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