Zac Efron lost ten pounds in three weeks for new film

Los Angeles: Actor Zac Efron lost ten pounds in three weeks to prepare for his role as a DJ in his upcoming musical-drama "We Are Your Friends".

The 27-year-old "High School Musical" star said he "started running every day" after the film's director, Max Joseph, ordered him to slim down to play DJ Cole in the movie, reported E! Online.

"Basically Max was just like, 'Dude, you have to lose weight.' And he showed me pictures of the best DJs out there. In the movie, Cole's a runner, and I just started running from that day forward.

"We only had like three weeks to prepare for the film. So, I just started running every day. And it worked! I lost like 10 lbs."

While Efron also "trimmed" his diet and "stopped lifting weights," he said running took a toll on his physique.

"At the end of the movie I had like shin splints. My knees hurt. It was gnarly. Running's hard."

"We Are Your Friends" follows a young man struggling for prominence as a music producer in the electronic dance music and nightlife scene. The film is scheduled to release on August 28.