It looks like Zac Efron took his role as a big brother to British actor Harris Dickinson pretty seriously. The recent A24 wrestling drama, based on a band of brothers, has fascinated audiences with its captivating storytelling. In a candid interview with GQ, Dickinson shed light on Efron’s exceptional qualities as a supportive and caring co-star who is more of an elder sibling, highlighting their deep connection both on and off set.
This Is How Zac Efron Motivated His The Iron Claw Co-stars After a Rough Day!
The Von Erich family drama presented by A24 titled The Iron Claw, stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simons, and Harris Dickinson, in the titular roles of the four brothers striving to carve a niche for themselves in the fiercely competitive world of wrestling, guided by their grueling father. Thus, to embody these characters authentically, all the actors underwent rigorous training that not only honed their wrestling skills but also forged a deeper bond among them.
Zac Efron, being Zac Efron, maintained the spirits of his co-stars by sending uplifting messages in their group chat at the end of each challenging day. Harris Dickinson, in a recent GQ interview, stated,
“We had a group chat, and he would just send these really uplifting messages. At the end of the day when everyone’s knackered, he would always just message and be like, “You guys did so good today. Proud of you. Love you.” Just such sweet, easy stuff. But it does make a difference because you’d feel like, “Ah, yeah, all right. He sees us.””
Efron approached the role of the big brother with earnest dedication. Despite his larger stardom, he effortlessly erased any sense of hierarchy, going out of his way to ensure his co-stars felt completely at ease on set.
How Did the On-Screen Brothers Prepare for Their Roles Physically?
The film’s roles undeniably demand peak physical fitness from its actors. Consequently, these actors underwent some of the most grueling and demanding training regimens imaginable. Director Sean Durkin enlisted real-life wrestling legend Chavo Guerrero, Jr. to instruct the cast in the ways of authentic fighters. Thus speaking of Men’s Health Zac Efron revealed,
“It was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, physically, I was turning purple in parts—they would just cover it in makeup.”
Dickinson also revealed,
“I gained a huge amount of respect for the world of wrestling, ecause of the discipline and the sacrifices,”
Their trainer Guerrero also further confirmed how much the actors were in this thing,
“All the wrestling you see in this movie is done by our actors, -Any time they were in the ring, it was them doing the moves…wrestling is a lot more real than people think.”
Audiences have wholeheartedly embraced this movie, showering it with love through glowing reviews and exceptional ratings. The heartbreaking tale truly ended the year with a bang!
The Iron Claw is now playing in theaters.
