Spare a thought for poor Garrett Clayton. Though the 25-year-old former Disney star did a respectable job of playing male lead Link Larkin in last night's performance of Hairspray Live!, viewers couldn't overlook one glaring issue: He's not Zac Efron.
Efron, of course, played Tracy Turnblad's love interest in the 2007 film version of Hairspray, and some fans just couldn't accept that he wouldn't return for the small-screen remake. We assume none of these people have seen the original 1988 John Waters film on which the musical is based, because then they'd be spending their time bemoaning the loss of Divine, not harping on about which boy is prettiest. No offense, Efron, but #perspective.
Anyway, Team Zac would not go quietly into the night. It's all very "Imma let you finish, but Zac Efron was the greatest Link Larkin," no?
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stop hyping up that guy who played link larkin in hairspray live I'm sorry but no one will ever beat zac efron idc
— abby cunningham (@abby_malik12) December 8, 2016
Zac Efron will forever be the best Link Larkin #hairspray
— Alexandra Bode (@AyyBode) December 8, 2016
When I saw Zac Efron in Hairspray in 4th grade I was like "woah what is this feeling" I now know it was a very sexual feeling. Beautiful.
— Lizzy Murray (@LizzyAMurray) December 8, 2016
nothing beats Zac Efron in #hairspray pic.twitter.com/ljHwWWZ4eP #HairsprayLive
— Olivia Rudensky (@livrudensky) December 8, 2016
*watches Hairspray live* *complains about Zac Efron not being Link the entire time*
— Skateboard P (@growupjazmin) December 8, 2016
Then there was this hilariously but mathematically impossible little gem. Sorry, conspiracy theorists, but Clayton is only four years younger than Efron. Preschool is not that exciting.
The kid playing link Hairspray Live looks like the spawn of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
— pizza drew (@ibiles98) December 8, 2016
Exhibit A: pic.twitter.com/5K9SLRr3An