Zac Efron has admitted he was left “devastated” after comments he made about Leonardo DiCaprio were  misinterpreted by the media.

In May, the High School Music star joked in an interview that DiCaprio had told him the only way he could ruin his career up was by taking heroin.

Speaking to The Times newspaper, Efron, 22, said he had meant his comment light-heartedly and that he still regretted the incident.

“It was a joke, it was meant completely in sarcasm, but it came across so differently in print. I was devastated,” he said.

“I tried to call Leo and say, ‘Dude, I’m so sorry, that’s not at all what I meant to say.’ It was the worst feeling in the world.”

Prior to Efron's comments, DiCaprio had praised the actor, saying his sudden rise to fame meant he no longer had the “burden” of being a teen heartthrob.

Efron is currently appearing in the movie, Me and Orson Welles.

Zac Efron vs Robert Pattinson