Zac and Ashley at 2008 ALMA Awards

Zac Efron and Ashley Tisdale pose together backstage at the 2008 ALMA Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday in Pasadena, Calif.

Zac and Ashley were on-hand to present the special achivement award to Kenny Ortega for Outstanding Director of a Made for TV Movie. (Kenny Ortega recently direct Zac and Ashley in High School Musical 3.

Zac, 20, is looking to move forward after carving his initial niche in the acting world. “I want people to see that I have grown up and moved on. I know for sure — and I need a new start,” said Zac.

He added, “I’m looking for something new and exciting to do. I want to do something dark, or a comedy. There’s tons of icons that I would love to work with on something new and exciting!”