'Lorax' Star Zac Efron Laughs Off Red-Carpet Condom Drop

Efron tells 'Today' show that he now has a 'pocket-checking policy.'
By John Mitchell

Zac Efron on the "Today" show
Photo: NBC/ Getty

At last week's "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" premiere, the movie's star Zac Efron caused quite a stir when he pulled his hands out of his pants pockets and accidentally dropped a condom on the red carpet. Unfortunately for the handsome star, just a few days later, he was scheduled to hit the talk-show circuit to promote the animated flick, which in these gossipy times meant fielding questions about the embarrassing snafu.

His first stop was "Today," where a blushing Matt Lauer asked Efron about the condom drop and, well, the journalist seemed to be having a harder time talking about the incident than the movie star.

"Your name brings a lot of attention to this role and this movie, and there's something else that brought a lot of attention to this movie recently, Zac, at the premiere," Lauer said with a smile. "Yeah," Efron answered reluctantly, knowing where the conversation was headed.

Lauer then asked the "High School Musical" breakout to "take me through it." Efron didn't exactly want to do that, but he did assure the anchor that he "never really had a pocket-checking policy when I was going on the red carpet before, but now we've fully instated one."

"You dropped a ... a condom on the red carpet," Lauer elaborated, just to make sure everyone was on the same page, though he was clearly uncomfortable.

"That was really hard for you to say," the 24-year-old star observed.

Clearly embarrassed by the conversation but maintaining his cool, Efron agreed with Lauer that the "better to be safe than sorry" message he was sending was "a great message to add to the many messages of the film."

That's when things took a turn for the super-awkward. Lauer tried to move straight into a conversation about Efron's production company. "You've got your own production company," Lauer started before laughing. "And that's a bad pun, by the way: your own production company."

Get it? His own production company.

Related Videos

• MTV Rough Cut: 'The Lorax'

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'The Hobbit' Is Going To Be 'Amazing,' Star Says

Benedict Cumberbatch tells MTV News working with Peter Jackson was 'extraordinary.'
By Kara Warner

Benedict Cumberbatch
Photo: MTV News

For those who have been keeping tabs on the comings and goings surrounding Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," there is a unique level of excitement building around the film. The die-hard Jackson fans and "Lord of the Rings" loyalists are eager to see anything helmed by the Oscar-winner, particularly when it involves a faithful adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's beloved book, which has a different tone and fanbase from "LOTR."

This excitement level is not just for fans like us, but everyone involved with the production as well. When MTV News caught up with rising star Benedict Cumberbatch recently, who is playing not one but two roles in the film, he was full of praise for Jackson as well as his friend/co-star Martin Freeman.

"I was very lucky [to work] with Pete," Cumberbatch told us at Elton John's Oscar-viewing party. "As far as the experience, what an extraordinary one it was because at the time I was in my work; I was in isolation with him and this incredible tag team. And at the very cool place with that technology doing mo-cap for two characters, Smaug the dragon and another character, which will remain nameless, and it was an awful lot of fun."

Cumberbatch went on to say that he hasn't seen any finished shots from the film since he worked mainly by himself doing voice-over work and movements for the characters.

"It's a sort of wonderful ongoing process," he said. "I spent a lot of time recording voice as well as doing movements. So, it was sort of freeing; it was fun. It was like playing a game. It's going to be an amazing film; it's going to be a real treat. I watched 'The Lord of the Rings' again before I started working, and the way those films grow in depth of craft on every level are extraordinary. Their mark is for that."

The "War Horse" actor admitted that the only trouble he had while on set was keeping a straight face when he saw his friend and "Sherlock" co-star Martin Freeman in costume as lovable Hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

"It was great. I got to hang out with him, and I kept a straight face for a bit and then I started giggling because I know Martin, I don't know Bilbo," Cumberbatch said with a grin. "For Martin to be sitting there playing Bilbo is amazing. He's going to be amazing, he's going to be fantastic in this film."

What are you looking forward to most in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"? Leave your comment below! Check out everything we've got on "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Andy Samberg 'Psyched' To Be Adam Sandler's Son

Trailer for 'That's My Boy,' starring the 'SNL' duo, debuts Thursday on MTV.com.
By Josh Wigler

Andy Samberg and Adam Sandler in "That's My Boy"
Photo: Columbia Pictures

Peanut butter and jelly, popcorn and movies, baseball and springtime — all winning combinations that never fail to put a smile on your face. On June 15, 2012, you'll be able to add another prized combo to that list: Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg.

The two "Saturday Night Live" legends are joining forces for a new Happy Madison comedy called "That's My Boy," hitting theaters this June. In the film, Sandler stars as a down-on-his luck man trying to reconnect with his estranged son (Samberg) on the week of his kid's wedding. It's a bizarre setup — after all, Sandler is only 12 years older than Samberg in real life — but, as one would hope, the film offers a reliably ridiculous explanation for the small age gap.

If the basic premise and the involvement of actors Sandler and Samberg don't have you fired up for "That's My Boy," just wait: The first official trailer is set to drop on MTV.com on Thursday, and Samberg himself couldn't be more excited for it.

"I never thought I would actually get to be in a movie with Sandler, certainly not playing his son," Samberg told MTV News ahead of the trailer's release. "For me, I've been such a huge fan of his for so long; I used to listen to 'Billy Madison' on audio cassette in my Walkman. I'm a real-deal Sandler fan. I'd definitely put [this experience] up there with being cast on 'SNL' or any of the other things I've gotten to do — making [Lonely Island] records with my buddies — things I've always dreamed of happening but never thought they would. I'm pretty psyched."

As a self-declared "real-deal Sandler fan," Samberg was far from disappointed when it came to watching the comedy legend do his thing on the "That's My Boy" set.

"Sandler is basically on fire in this movie," he said. "In real life, he's about the sweetest dad I've ever seen. But in the movie, he's a bit of a train wreck. If we were making a documentary, it would be called 'Sweet Loving Dad.' But I think ['That's My Boy'] is going to be a little bit more entertaining and edgy than that."

Stay tuned to MTV News on Thursday for the "That's My Boy" trailer premiere!

Check out everything we've got on "That's My Boy."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Lorax' Star Zac Efron Laughs Off Red-Carpet Condom Drop

Efron tells 'Today' show that he now has a 'pocket-checking policy.'
By John Mitchell

Zac Efron on the "Today" show
Photo: NBC/ Getty

At last week's "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" premiere, the movie's star Zac Efron caused quite a stir when he pulled his hands out of his pants pockets and accidentally dropped a condom on the red carpet. Unfortunately for the handsome star, just a few days later, he was scheduled to hit the talk-show circuit to promote the animated flick, which in these gossipy times meant fielding questions about the embarrassing snafu.

His first stop was "Today," where a blushing Matt Lauer asked Efron about the condom drop and, well, the journalist seemed to be having a harder time talking about the incident than the movie star.

"Your name brings a lot of attention to this role and this movie, and there's something else that brought a lot of attention to this movie recently, Zac, at the premiere," Lauer said with a smile. "Yeah," Efron answered reluctantly, knowing where the conversation was headed.

Lauer then asked the "High School Musical" breakout to "take me through it." Efron didn't exactly want to do that, but he did assure the anchor that he "never really had a pocket-checking policy when I was going on the red carpet before, but now we've fully instated one."

"You dropped a ... a condom on the red carpet," Lauer elaborated, just to make sure everyone was on the same page, though he was clearly uncomfortable.

"That was really hard for you to say," the 24-year-old star observed.

Clearly embarrassed by the conversation but maintaining his cool, Efron agreed with Lauer that the "better to be safe than sorry" message he was sending was "a great message to add to the many messages of the film."

That's when things took a turn for the super-awkward. Lauer tried to move straight into a conversation about Efron's production company. "You've got your own production company," Lauer started before laughing. "And that's a bad pun, by the way: your own production company."

Get it? His own production company.

Related Videos

• MTV Rough Cut: 'The Lorax'

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In the wake of her heartbreaking miscarriage and crumbling relationship with fianc� Jeremy Calvert, the reality star claims she was viciously attacked by three women in an Elkview, W. Va., parking lot on February 19. ?The women started screaming, ?Look, it?s that bitch fromTeen Mom!?? an insider tells In Touch, adding that they followed Leah, 19, and Jeremy, 22, and then beat the mom of twins to a pulp.

Left with a bruised face and chest, ?Leah?s now terrified to leave her home,? the insider says. ?There are just so many haters.?

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Bachelorette Winner Helps Stranded Mother and Son

It wasn?t a rose that saved skiers Hilary Skye and her son Dylon Arnold on Friday, but rather season four Bachelorette winner and professional snow boarder Jesse Csincsak.

Skye and Arnold were skiing the Blue Sky Basin at Vail Mountain when a wrong turn set them on course away from the ski area they intended to return to. When they reached the bottom of the mountain, they realized they had traveled too far into the Colorado backcountry.

Luckily, Jesse and six others were traveling the area on snowmobiles and noticed the stranded skiers. Jesse gave the two rides and helped them return back to the ski area. ?They definitely were not out of their ability level. They just dropped into a zone they didn?t realize how dangerous it really was,? Jesse says. Jesse had rescued a stranded snow boarder in the exact same area more than a year ago.

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Watch: Disney Releases A First Trailer For Tim Burton?s ?Frankenweenie?

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Lana Del Rey to sing at Lovebox this summer

Wow, is it just us or has Lana Del Rey?s hair suddenly got ridiculously long hair? We know she normally has her hair slightly wavy but still, it never normally looks like this, does it?

We caught up with the pouty singer as she was leaving a hotel in Los Angeles, dressed in an odd dress and trainer combo, wearing no make up.� She almost looks a bit like Nicole Kidman in these pics, don?t you think?

Meanwhile Lana or LDR (as she sometimes signs off on Twitter) has joined the line up for Lovebox, which takes place in Victoria Park, London in June.

She?s playing a long side the likes of Hot Chip, Kelis and Emeli Sande to name a few, so if you fancy being depressed by her dulcet tones there?s your chance.�

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