Zac Efron in talks for a supporting role

To each his own, of course ...but

Did you ever seen him as Troy in High School Musical? He was very charming and was an excellent performer, even if he was just in his teens then. He could emote, sing( baritone and not tenor range), and really, really dance! And play basketball, too ...Did you see him in Hairspray?...I understand he was also in a few theatre projects when he was much younger ( "He performed in shows such as Gypsy; Peter Pan; or, The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up; Little Shop of Horrors; and The Music Man") but not on Broadway, of course. I thought he could be a good addition to the cast because he adds a bit more gravitas ( and a large fanbase ) to this film project because of his musical talent.

If you are referring to Aaron Tveit in particular ( who was supposed to have had a workshop for this movie) - hmm...I have seen him on Broadway in Catch Me If You Can ( based on the Leo DiCaprio movie) -where he did his triple threats -- sorry to say that I was somewhat disappointed - not about the singing or the dancing ...but there was no charisma that reached out to me. He didn't get a Tony nod, but his co-star Norbert Leo Butz did and won for Best Actor, even if he was just in a supporting role. In Les Miserables- he was a serviceable Enjolras and could act but I did not think he epitomized the Enjolras of the novel nor was he like the impressive Michael Maguire ( the very first Broadway Enjolras who won a Tony for the role - you could see him in the 10th anniversary concert, although at that time he was already much older and was supposedly ill during that performance). I have also watched Aaron once on TV - sorry, but I wasn't particularly impressed. Maybe he could fit the role in GREATEST SHOWMAN, but if the role is now in discussion with Zac, it could be that Zac was the preferred choice. I think when they say someone is "in talks" for the role -- it means that he is not just auditioning but that there are already active negotiations between producer(s) and actor for the role ( maybe some changes in the proposed role, maybe over salary and perks, maybe over promo work if needed, etc). We'll see how negotiations end up. Could end in a negative way and they might look for another actor?

Or are you thinking of another Broadway actor? Jeremy Jordan ( who impressed in Newsies but I am not sure if he is not tied up in another project after Harvey Weinstein replaced him with Matthew Morrison? Matthew Morrison ( I saw him in Hairspray on Broadway - hmm...)-- I would rather have Aaron over him plus he is now attached to Finding Neverland?

Or someone else?

Unless they are also film / TV actors or fully trained in dramatic theatre, I am afraid musical theatre actors tend to overact somewhat when facing the film medium, against the large landscape of a theatre stage where they need to project their emotions or notes to the last row of a theatre arena.

Of course there could be theatre actors who could learn to blossom on the big screen (e.g., Hugh Jackman). But Hugh spent 3 years in drama school at WAAPA and another year at the Actors Centre.

But I am glad that casting possibilities are already being seriously handled at this point of the project.

Zac is a triple threat actor though, he can sing (check out his duet with Taylor Swift) he can dance.. High School Musical proves that, along with his own dance moves when he was doing Ellen Dance Dares with Taylor Swift, and he can truly act.... (Watch his Indie Films.)

Zac Efron isn't the problem here. Zendaya is.