Zac Efron Explains Why He Packed on so Much Muscle
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Zac Efron has never looked beefier than in his latest role, with the actor admitting “I did not look anything like me.”
Speaking on the red carpet for the premier of The Iron Claw, in which he plays professional wrestler Kevin Von Erich, Efron told The Hollywood Reporter, “In the best way possible, I did not look anything like me. It was jarring at first, but we kind of put it together piece by piece.”
Not only did Efron embark on an intense workout regime in order to emulate the buffed up physique of a pro wrestler, but he also had to don some questionable costumes. All of it was necessary in order to completely transform.
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“Individually,” continues Efron, “the wig by itself looks kind of ridiculous. By themselves, the clothes look pretty crazy. When you put them all together in the sets that our team built and get out there in the ring under those lights, it looks like the Von Erichs, man, and that’s was our goal. I think it added a lot to it.”
The Iron Claw is based on the true story of larger-than-life wrestling family the Von Erichs. Set largely in the early 1980’s, it explores their tortured family dynamic, ruled with a heavy hand by patriarch father Fritiz (Holt McCallany), as well as the fallout of an unforeseen tragedy.
While filming was challenging, the premier presented its own difficulties. Kevin Von Erich himself was in attendance, which gave Efron cause for concern.
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“Over the course of filming this movie, that was pretty much all I could think about. It’s something that you try and kind of push back a little bit, you’re trying to just do the work and get it done, but it’s always in the back of your mind, ‘What’s Kevin really going to think of this?'” said Efron. “To meet him, to spend time with him, to have him be out here with us on the carpet, it feels incredibly gratifying, more so than anything I’ve ever done in my entire life.”
Check out The Iron Claw trailer here.
The Iron Claw releases in cinemas December 22nd.
