Whether he’s running shirtless down the beach with The Rock in Baywatch, or exploring the world in his Netflix documentary Down To Earth With Zac Efron, at 35 the former High School Musical star has transformed himself from a tween idol to a bona fide leading man. And in set photos from the upcoming Iron Claw he has the muscle to prove it – beefcake mode's been well and truly activated.
Always a fan of fitness, here Efron has added some serious size to his frame, bulking up like never before as he prepares to take on the role of Kevin Von Erich from the famous Von Erich wrestling dynasty, with The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White and Triangle of Sadness’s Harris Dickinson completing a fraternal beefcake trio.
The film’s title comes from their father Fritz Von Erich's finishing hold, which became the stuff of legend and was adopted by five of his sons who followed him into the ring. All but one of his children would die young, and Adkisson himself died at the age of 68 in 1997. So, a lot of familial drama to be had, then.
Harris Dickinson will play the third Von Erich brother David, and Lily James is also on board in an unspecified role. So far, it’s giving us Pain & Gain vibes, the 2013 Michael Bay crime comedy in which Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg grew to incredible size to take on the role of bodybuilders involved in crime. That film was more notable for its star's physiques than anything else, but with Iron Claw being directed by Martha Marcy May Marlene’s Sean Durkin, there’s likely to be more substance here.
Substance or not, Efron’s bod is sure to grab more headlines. He’s beefed up, and his abs are popping. It’s a new look for Efron, but the actor is no stranger to drastic transformations, having got down to single-figure body fat for Baywatch, an experience he recently says left him “depressed” after using diuretics to strip water from his body. Efron claims the workout schedule for the film left him feeling burned out and suffering from insomnia. Speaking with Men’s Health, he explained the Baywatch physique isn't “really attainable” – not to mention unhealthy.
While the likes of Christian Bale are known for going all out for a role, it’s refreshing to hear an actor of Efron’s popularity speak out against drastic body transformations at a time when actors completely overhauling their bodies has become the norm. That said, as long as Efron is bulking up responsibly – and we’re sure he is – there’s likely to be fewer health risks involved than slimming down to an unreasonable weight. However The Iron Claw turns out, we're intrigued to see where Zac Efron will take his physique next…
