Zac Efron is facing claims of cultural appropriation after posting a photo of himself with dreadlocks online.
The ‘Greatest Showman’ actor revealed his new hairstyle with a post on Instagram along with the caption “just for fun”.
It was immediately met with a negative reaction, with many people commenting that his hair was culturally insensitive.
“No dude. Don’t do this,” one person wrote “I say this as a white woman who grew up incredibly ignorant in North Dakota and had dreads when I was 19. Dont. Do. This.”
Another said: “Black men were told to cut their dreads if they wanted the job, now you all want to wear dreads and it’s fashion???”
Another added: “You all think it’s the hairstyle but it’s not, it’s the history behind the hairstyle.”
“For fun?!?!” another wrote. “It’s not the dreads that offend me it’s the caption! Nothing about my culture is ‘fun’...”
Another person said: “You have been afforded so much privilege and world experiences that should also inform you that dreadlocks on white people is cultural appropriation. It’s really that simple.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Zac’s representatives for comment, and is awaiting a response.
Kim Kardashian faced a similar backlash last month when she appeared at the MTV Movie and TV Awards with her hair in braids.
She later explained why she had them, saying: “I actually did that look because North [her daughter] said she wanted braids and asked if I would do them with her.
“So we braided her hair and then we braided my hair.”