Zac Efron takes his 'Friends' for a spin

NEW YORK — Here’s something only Zac Efron’s crew knows about him.

“A lot of people ask me what Zac Efron is like. And I tell them that he’s a really great freestyler," says Max Joseph, who directed Efron in his latest film, We Are Your Friends (in theaters Friday). "He can bust a rap off the top of his head that rhymes and is witty. It’s an amazing skill that I wish I had.”

So seriously, Efron could break into a rap at this very second, mid-interview?

He demurs. “The moment has to be organic,” says Efron, 27

Efron deals with discord of every kind in Friends, which has him playing an aspiring DJ while also navigating relationships he's had since high school.

He learned the craft for two weeks before shooting started.

“These guys look cool on stage. The good ones have a style to them. I went to a show with (DJ) Them Jeans. I wore a beanie. No one knew I was there,” says Efron. “I got to watch him spin.”

His own passions hit a different note. If the acting offers dried up, “I’d probably go and learn how to surf and chill in Hawaii for a little while,” says Efron. “I would want to be doing something with the outdoors. I’m really drawn toward nature. If you’re talking about a job, maybe photography, maybe shoot for National Geographic. I know a little bit about photography and I love being in the wild.”

What he’s less capable of is staying in touch.

"I found that as time goes on, I have less and less time that I’m not working. It’s really hard on friendships. I’m terrible at being on the phone,” says Efron. “I sort of lose touch. It’s the hardest with my parents.