The image of Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White standing side-by-side in nothing but tiny wrestling trunks and a thick layer of baby oil basically broke the internet back in late 2023. People were obsessed. They were shocked. Honestly, they were a little confused how Troy Bolton and the guy from The Bear suddenly looked like they could bench press a small sedan.
But there’s a lot more to the Zac Efron Jeremy Allen White connection than just a viral photo of two jacked actors.
Behind that physical transformation was a pretty intense, slightly grueling, and surprisingly emotional journey that turned a group of actors into a legitimate brotherhood. If you think they just spent a few weeks lifting weights and eating chicken breasts, you’re missing the real story. It was way more complicated than that.
The Note That Started It All
Before a single camera rolled, Zac Efron did something that kind of set the tone for the entire production.
When Jeremy Allen White was officially cast as Kerry Von Erich, Zac reached out. He didn’t just send a generic "congrats" text through an agent. He sent a personal, "really lovely" note—as Jeremy later described it—that was essentially a call to arms.
"Get training, eat, keep doing what you’re doing, stay hard," the note said.
It sounds intense, right? But it was necessary. Zac knew what they were about to walk into. He’d already started his own transformation, and he knew that playing the Von Erichs wasn't just about acting; it was about embodying a level of physicality that would break most people.
40 Pounds of Muscle and a Lot of Waffles
Let’s talk about the bodies. Because everyone wants to know how they did it.
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Jeremy Allen White had to put on a staggering 40 pounds of muscle to play the "Texas Tornado," Kerry Von Erich. For a guy who is naturally lean—think Carmy in The Bear—that is a massive undertaking. He wasn't just "working out." He was eating constantly. Like, every two hours.
Jeremy has admitted in interviews that he was eating everything in sight. Waffles, almond butter, protein shakes—basically a never-ending buffet of calories. It sounds fun for about a day until you realize you have to do it while also training like a professional athlete.
Zac’s journey was a bit different. He’s no stranger to the gym, but his Baywatch days left him with some pretty heavy baggage. He’s been very open about how that 2017 role led to insomnia and a "pretty bad depression" because of the extreme diuretics and over-training.
For Zac Efron Jeremy Allen White and the rest of the cast, The Iron Claw had to be different. Zac approached this bulk-up with a focus on functional strength. He wasn't just trying to look "shredded" for a shirtless scene; he was trying to look like a powerhouse who could handle a 200-pound man jumping off a turnbuckle onto his chest.
The Trailer Gym
To keep the pump going, Zac actually set up a full gym right outside his trailer on the Baton Rouge set. This wasn't for vanity. When you’re filming 12-hour days and then have to step into a ring for a one-take wrestling match, you have to stay "warm."
Jeremy and Harris Dickinson (who played David Von Erich) would often join him. It became a communal space. That’s where the bond actually formed—not in a fancy Hollywood studio, but in the humidity of Louisiana, lifting heavy iron between takes.
The Reality of the Wrestling Ring
A lot of people think movie wrestling is all "fake" and padded. On The Iron Claw, it really wasn't.
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Director Sean Durkin made a choice that probably made the actors' lives miserable but the movie better: they filmed the wrestling matches in long, continuous takes in front of a live audience. No "cut" every three seconds to hide a missed punch.
They were doing the actual moves.
- The Iron Claw move itself: A high-pressure grip on the skull that required real forearm strength.
- The bumps: Falling flat on your back on a mat that is basically plywood with a thin layer of foam.
- The choreography: Learning a 10-minute "dance" of violence that had to look spontaneous.
Chavo Guerrero Jr., a wrestling legend, was the man responsible for getting them ready. He didn't go easy on them. He treated them like recruits. Zac, Jeremy, and Harris had to learn how to take a "bump" without internalizing the impact so much that they couldn't walk the next day.
Why the Brotherhood Felt So Real
There’s a reason people keep talking about the chemistry between Zac Efron Jeremy Allen White. It’s because the "curse" of the Von Erich family is a heavy thing to carry.
If you don't know the real history, it’s brutal. The Von Erich family suffered tragedy after tragedy—suicides, accidents, premature deaths. Kevin Von Erich (played by Zac) is the only surviving brother.
While filming, the cast had to navigate these incredibly dark themes of repressed emotion and "toxic" masculinity. In the 1980s, these brothers weren't allowed to cry. They were told by their father, Fritz, to be the toughest, the strongest, the best.
Jeremy and Zac have both talked about how "getting shaved and stripped down to their underwear" to wrestle actually broke the ice immediately. There’s no room for ego when you’re sweaty and exhausted in a pair of trunks.
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Zac became the "hype man" of the group. Even though he’s the veteran movie star, he was the one cheering the loudest when Jeremy or Harris nailed a complicated flip. He took on that "big brother" role in real life, which translated perfectly to his performance as Kevin.
What Most People Get Wrong About Their "Rivalry"
Whenever you have two massive stars like Zac Efron Jeremy Allen White in one movie, the tabloids try to invent a rivalry. "Who's more jacked?" "Who's the bigger star?"
Honestly? From everything we've seen on the press tour and behind the scenes, it was the exact opposite.
Jeremy was coming off the massive high of The Bear and was arguably the most "talked about" actor in the world at the moment. Zac was the established A-lister looking for his "serious" breakout. Instead of clashing, they leaned on each other.
Jeremy has credited Zac with showing him how to handle the "physicality" of a blockbuster set, while Zac clearly thrived off the "prestige" energy Jeremy brought from the TV world. It was a perfect trade-off.
Actionable Insights: Lessons from the Iron Claw Training
If you’re looking at these two and thinking you want to replicate that "wrestler" look, there are a few real-world takeaways you can actually use (without the 7,000 calorie diet):
- Prioritize Compound Movements: Their trainers focused on deadlifts, bench presses, and squats. These are the "big" lifts that build the thick, dense muscle seen in the film.
- Low Body Fat vs. High Mass: Zac stayed at around 9% body fat. You can have all the muscle in the world, but it won't look "cinematic" unless your body fat is low enough for the definition to show.
- The "Pump" Matters: If you have a big event (or a photo shoot), doing high-rep, low-weight movements right before can temporarily engorge the muscles with blood. That’s what they were doing outside their trailers.
- Recovery is Non-Negotiable: Zac’s past struggles show that you can’t redline your body forever. If you’re training hard, you need more sleep and better nutrition than someone who isn't.
The legacy of the Zac Efron Jeremy Allen White partnership isn't just a movie on a streaming service. It’s a reminder that even in Hollywood, some of the best work happens when people drop the ego, pick up the weights, and actually look out for each other.
To really understand the impact of their performances, you should look into the real history of Kevin and Kerry Von Erich. The movie is powerful, but the true story of how Kevin Von Erich eventually found peace—and how Zac Efron captured that quiet decency—is where the real value lies. Start by watching the original WCCW (World Class Championship Wrestling) footage from the 80s to see just how closely Zac and Jeremy matched the energy of the real brothers.