Zac Efron compartmentalises his life to cope with Hollywood fame.

The 24-year-old 'Lucky One' star - who found fame as a teenager in Disney movie 'High School Musical' - has to separate the glamour and red carpets from his home life to make sure he stays grounded.

He explained: "You kind of put [life] into two parts of your mind.

"There's the Hollywood section and then there's real life. One of them is more of a show but it never overshadows real life for me.

"As long as you can draw a comparison between the two, one of which you know to be more important, you're good. For me, the choice is very easy. One is where I work, one is where I live.

The hunky actor - who has recently been linked with 'Mirror Mirror' star Lily Collins - has been trying to shake-off his poster boy image for some time, but says his family don't see him as anything other than himself.

He told the New York Daily News: "They know exactly who I am and I'm far from a heartthrob. That word kind of follows you around, but I don't know how exactly one earns it.

"[My family are] not in Hollywood. They're in real life."