For Zac Efron, his upcoming Quibi documentary series Killing Zac Efron may have been just a little too close to accurate for comfort. The actor was reportedly rushed to a hospital in Australia after contracting a life-threatening bacterial infection while shooting the documentary in Papua New Guinea. According to Australia’s Sunday Telegraph, (via The Cut) Efron was airlifted from Papua New Guinea to a hospital near Brisbane, Australia last week.
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According to the report, Efron became ill with what is believed to be a form of typhoid while filming Killing Zac Efron. The series is described as being an adventure series similar to Man v Wild in which the actor ventures “deep into the jungles of a remote dangerous island to carve his own name in expedition history” for 21 days “with nothing but basic gear, a guide partner, and a will to survive.”
“I tend to thrive under extreme circumstances and seek out opportunities that challenge me on every level,” Efron previously told Variety. “I am excited to explore any uncharted territory and discover what unexpected adventure awaits.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria that causes typhoid is found in contaminated water and food in Papua New Guinea. Their website lists typhoid as one of the vaccines suggested for most travelers to the area. Symptoms of the illness include high fevers, weakness, stomach pains, headache and more. The illness can be fatal and has a seven-to-ten-day recovery period. Multiple outlets have since reported that Efron spent several days in the hospital in Australia and was allowed to return to the United States on Christmas Eve.
Earlier this year Efron starred in Netflix’s Ted Bundy biopic, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Efron played Bundy in the film which reportedly sparked bidding war at Sundance. The film tells the story of the infamous serial killer from the perspective of his girlfriend Liz (played by Lily Collins_ who took quite some time to believe that he had committed the horrible crimes he was accused of, though it was eventually proven that he did. The film shows not only her journey to the truth, but also highlights Bundy’s trial, one of the first ever to be televised.
As for Killing Zac Efron, it’s unclear how far into filming Efron was when he became ill. The series was previously expected to air on Quibi, the upcoming short-form streaming platform, sometime in 2020.
