Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile: Zac Efron denies new film glamourises serial killer Ted Bundy

Ever since the film’s debut at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, there’s been a debate as to whether the film fails to properly underline the horror of the crimes Bundy committed

Zac Efron has defended his new film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile from accusations it glamourises serial killer Ted Bundy.

Ever since the film’s debut at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, there’s been a debate as to whether the film fails to properly underline the horror of the crimes Bundy committed, while becoming too entangled in what the public perceived as a clean-cut, charming man.

Authorities believed that Bundy raped, murdered and dismembered more than 30 women before he was caught and executed at the Florida State Prison in 1989. The release of the project coincides with the 30th anniversary of his execution.

Appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Efron defended the film and its intentions, saying: “I am not into portraying a serial killer or anybody of this nature or glamorizing them in any way... it does not glamorize the killing. This is an important thing for people to hear.”

He also suggested that the film examines issues of white privilege when it comes to the criminal justice system, adding: “Ted Bundy was a clean-cut, white dude, white person, so talk about white privilege. What he got away with back then, nobody would be able to do today.”

The actor previously admitted that he had trouble disconnecting from the role. “I’ve never played a role in which I really have to separate myself from when I go home at night and it was almost impossible,” he said at the film’s UK premiere. ”I’d like to say that I did it successfully but I couldn’t.”

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is released in cinemas and on Sky Cinema on 3 May. 

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