Zac Efron refuses to 鈥渓ive in fear鈥 about rumours he is gay.

The 24-year-old actor 鈥 who has previously dated Vanessa Hudgens and Lily Collins 鈥 is happy to embrace his gay fanbase and does not worry if people question his own sexuality in the process.

He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 very flattering. After 鈥楬igh School Musical鈥 and 鈥楬airspray鈥. I鈥檝e always felt embraced by the gay community, and I feel incredibly grateful.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 like to live in fear about things like rumours and backlash to begin with 鈥 that鈥檚 the way I was raised 鈥 but I just can鈥檛 see what鈥檚 so wrong about being gay.鈥

Efron also supports gay marriage, because he believes it is important all people who are around him are allowed to be happy.

He told Advocate magazine: 鈥淚t's an issue that affects so many people in my life -- a lot of my close friends and some of the most influential people around me. I just want them all to be happy. It would make me so happy to see them able to live their lives and do what they want to do."