Zac Efron has praised late Friends actor Matthew Perry for motivating him to reach the next stage of his career after starring together on 17 Again, during a speech at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The High School Musical star, 36, was honoured with his own star on the iconic Hollywood road, which he described as "so surreal" and "just insane."

During his speech, he also opened up about his time working with his 17 Again co-star Matthew, who passed away in October, aged just 54.

He said: "I really also want to mention someone that is not here today, and that’s Matthew Perry, who was so kind and generous with me when we worked on 17 Again."

He continued: "Collaborating with him…it was so much fun and it really did propel me and motivate me in so many ways.

"It really pushed me into the next chapter of my career, for that, thank you so much Matthew. Thinking about you a lot today."

Zac, who played Troy Bolton in the High School Musical films, also said he was “eternally grateful” to the director Kenny Ortega, who was sitting in the audience.

“I still think about it everyday, I still sing the songs in the shower. Go Wildcats,” he said.

Actor Miles Teller, who starred alongside Zac in That Awkward Moment in 2014 , praised his talents, describing him as a "triple threat".

"There isn’t a type of film Zac that you haven’t starred in and excelled in," the 36 year old Footloose actor said.

"He’s sung and danced and held his own opposite Hugh Jackman, which if you’ve seen Oklahoma! or (The) Boy From Oz, that is really impressive."

He also told Zac that Matthew – who played Chandler Bing in Friends – admired his younger co-star's acting talents.

"Matthew Perry had since said that he was so impressed with your comedic abilities working with him that he said if there was ever to be a biopic on him, he would want you to play him. And I know how much that meant to you. He’s one of the all-time greats."

Zac became a household name starring in Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel film High School Musical in 2006, reprising his role in two sequel films.

Since then, he has had a varied career from starring as notorious serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, to playing Zendaya’s on-screen love interest in hit musical film The Greatest Showman.

He also appeared in Baywatch opposite Dwayne Johnson, Neighbours 2 with Seth Rogen and 2007 hit musical Hairspray with a host of famous faces including John Travolta.

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