Zac Efron made quite the name for himself in the mid-2000s, as his dashing looks helped carry the wildly popular "High School Musical" film series.

But the actor's famously chiseled face was forever altered following an accident that completely changed up his looks.

We're going back to get a bit of insight at the chance mistake that changed the course of the actor's life ... and how he bounced back from a potentially career-ending event.

While much of Efron's physical transformation didn't take place until later in his life, he still took a few knocks during his early years. The performer gave much of his fan base a scare in 2013 when E! News revealed that he had broken his jaw in a fall at his home in Los Angeles.

It was reported the actor hadn't noticed a puddle of water that had formed at the entrance to his residence and slipped.

In addition to his broken jaw, Efron also required several stitches for a gash in his skin. Although his jaw was wired shut following the incident, he was able to make a full recovery.

The performer spoke about the incident during an interview with Men's Health, stating the unfortunate occurrence happened when he slipped while running around his home in socks.

He recalled that he hit his face against the corner of a granite fountain, rendering him unconscious, and after the actor came to, he found his chin bone "hanging off his face."

Efron went on to state that his masseter muscles -- which are typically used for chewing -- had to compensate for the loss of the use of his jaw following the accident.

The actor revealed that, while he did work with a specialist to mitigate the effects of the injury, he stopped after relocating to Australia to film a series. As a result of the pause in his treatment, the performer's masseters grew "really, really big."

Although his visage had changed, the actor managed to keep the effects of the accident hidden from his fans for several years. But the tipping point came in April of 2021, when he appeared in a promotional video for an Earth Day special hosted by Bill Nye.

Following his appearance in the clip, many of his fans took to social media to surmise whether Efron had undergone plastic surgery out of the public eye.

The performer later revealed he remained unaware of the public attention surrounding his looks ... until his mother called to ask if he had gone under the knife.

Efron also spoke to Entertainment Tonight following the emergence of the rumors, which he described as "funny."

The actor ultimately shrugged off the minor controversy over his looks and focused further on his acting career.

Efron went on to shock his fans even more in 2023, when he revealed his newly bulked-up physique to viewers in the sports drama film "The Iron Claw," in which he portrayed former professional wrestler Kevin Von Erich.

The former Disney Channel star put on a considerable amount of muscle mass while preparing for his role in the film, and he told Deadline he had always admired actors who were able to transform their bodies for roles in films.

Efron remarked that he found the idea of committing physically to a part was a "fascinating and special" concept.