What in the Zac Efron?! — Beth Collier Communication, Creativity & Leadership Strategist

I’m curious about a lot of things.

It is very easy (and common) that I will read an article or a book, and then fall down a curiosity rabbit hole about an unrelated person or event from history.

I read, and read, and read.

And lately I’ve been reading about a famous bank robbery that happened in Stockholm in 1973.

While most people aren’t familiar with the details of the robbery, they may have heard the term ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ which was derived from it.

And on a recent trip to Sweden, I decided to visit Norrmalmstorg Square where the bank robbery took place.

The bank is long gone, and has been replaced with a fancy hotel.

I walked in, wanting to see if I could imagine how it might have looked 50 years ago when it was a bank.

But when I popped into the hotel’s stylish lounge, something else stood out to me.

The picture hanging on the wall:

The artwork of the Nobis Hotel caught my attention

Is that Zac Efron?

Looking around the room, I was curious why this hotel had chosen to honor the man who first found fame as Troy in High School Musical.

Maybe this was part of some teen heartthrob collection on the hotel’s walls?

But as I turned the corner, there was no picture of James Dean.

No 1990s Luke Perry or a Top Gun-era Tom Cruise.

No Timothee Chalamet…

And no women either.

I had a limited amount of time in Stockholm, and had fikaing to do, so left the hotel with this Zac Efron mystery unsolved.

But a week later, when I was back home, I was still thinking about that image of Zac Efron.

I wondered if Efron was to Sweden what David Hasselhoff is to Germany, and went to google looking for answers.

I shared my photos with friends, and asked if they knew of some strange Swedish connection Efron had that had somehow escaped me.

But other than a tenuous link between Efron and a 2010 deal to remake a Swedish film (that hasn’t yet happened), I was getting nowhere.

And now I was really curious.

Had he been a guest of the hotel? Maybe during something Greatest Showman-related? Or what about that travel show he was doing…Could there be a connection there?

Or maybe the hotel’s owner or manager just really loved Troy and those Wildcats.

My imagination was in overdrive, and I had to get to the bottom of this mystery.

So I decided to contact the hotel directly, and politely ask why they chose to hang an image of a former Disney star in their hotel, and if he had a special connection to the hotel.

Thankfully, they were quick to offer a reply and take me out of my misery.

“He doesn’t have any connection to the hotel,” they wrote.
“The painting is made to be a conversation piece.
“A design choice as well.”

This line was followed with a smiley face emoji.

So there you have it.

I thanked them for their response, and told them they had succeeded.

The picture certainly became a conversation piece for me — and everyone else I shared it with!

I am still researching the history of the famous Stockholm robbery, but at least this Zac Efron mystery is solved.

If you want to find out more about the power of curiosity (including the origins of Stockholm Syndrome), sign up for my Substack newsletter, Curious Minds.

Though the robbery happened long before Zac Efron was born, it does involve a man who, like Efron, had a lot of admirers…

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Beth Collier loves writing, pop culture, and following her curiosity about obscure topics and moments from history.

She also loves helping companies, leaders, and teams improve their communication (and creativity and leadership) through consulting, coaching, and workshops.

Her clients benefit from Beth’s global corporate experience, Midwestern practicality and enthusiasm, and an endless supply of pop culture references.

To find out how Beth can help you become a more confident, creative, and compelling leader – or improve communication in your company – visit www.beth-collier.com or drop her a line at beth@beth-collier.com

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