Zac Efron Insists He's 'Far From A Heartthrob' (PHOTOS)

PHOTOS: Zac Efron: 'I'm No Heartthrob'

Zac Efron has insisted he's "far from a heartthrob" in real life.

The US actor, who found fame and countless fans in the High School Musical films, told the New York Daily News that he doesn't see himself as a sex symbol and that his family and friends help him keep his feet on the ground.

"They know exactly who I am and I'm far from a heartthrob," said the 24-year-old. "That word kind of follows you around, but I don't know how exactly one earns it."

Efron, who plays a Marine in new movie The Lucky One, also revealed he knows how to keep his real life and his Tinseltown life separate.

He explained: "You kind of put [life] into two parts of your mind. There's the Hollywood section and then there's real life. One of them is more of a show but it never overshadows real life for me.

"As long as you can draw a comparison between the two, one of which you know to be more important, you're good. For me, the choice is very easy. One is where I work, one is where I live."

See for yourself just how far Zac Efron is from being a heartthrob in these pics...