Los Angeles Times

Olympics’ star-struck star

- — Christie D’Zurilla

“Just call me mrs. efron already.” So tweeted Simone Biles after she and the rest of the “Final Five” U.S. gymnasts got to meet her crush, Zac Efron, on the “Today” show in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

The winner of four Olympic gold medals and one bronze revealed last week that she’s nuts about Efron, to the point where she has a life-size cutout of him in her bedroom. And there he was, backstage, live, to visit with them, when the ladies thought they were simply going to do another interview.

The show hid the actor in a room backstage at the Internatio­nal Interview Center for hours, and then he and host Hoda Kotb watched Biles compete in the floor exercise and accept the gold medal.

“I totally have butterflie­s,” Efron said before the 19-year-old started. He even got a little emotional when she was awarded her medal.

With Efron still hiding off camera, this time in what he called “a closet,” the team was brought into the room. “Do you remember,” Kotb asked Biles, “when we did the interview last time, you said that if a certain person showed up, you would need a defibrilla­tor?”

“Stop,” the gymnast said in disbelief. “If you bring him out, I think I’m gonna pass out. Stop.”

Then Efron showed his face and the screaming started. Laurie Hernandez rushed in for the first hug, then Biles, then Aly Raisman, then Madison Kocian.

“I’m shaking I’m so [screeeeeee­eam!],” Biles squealed, popping out briefly from her hiding place behind Raisman.

“I don’t know,” said Efron, 28. “I’m the one with butterflie­s. I was nervous too.”

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States