Wrestling Legend Who Zac Efron Portays in ‘The Iron Claw’ Speaks out on His Performance

The Iron Claw had its premiere in Dallas last week, and one professional wrestling legend loved the film. Kevin Von Erich, who is featured in the movie with the rest of the Von Erich family, was at the premiere and talked to reporters about Zac Efron playing him in The Iron Claw.

“He’s something else,” Von Erich told Chris Van Vliet on the red carpet. “I met him last night and we had dinner. These guys are devoted professionals. They looked into this and they were all about me. That’s what they do. I admire it. It’s a real craft.”

While speaking with Megan Ryte of Extra, Von Erich was asked if Efron contracted him for advice on playing him in the movie. “He’s a big big star. He didn’t need any help from me,” Von Erich stated. “I’m sure he would have been polite and listened to me, but he didn’t need it.”

While Efron didn’t reach out to Von Erich for research, the 36-year-old actor wanted to make sure he told his story right. “Playing somebody who’s real and still alive adds an extra layer of complexity, I think,” Efron said during a Q&A session at The Iron Claw‘s New York premiere on Monday, per PEOPLE. “As an actor, it’s a fine line. You want to do everything you can to make sure it’s an honest portrayal of the character, without going so hard that it’s an impersonation. And for this movie, just knowing that he was going to be out there and would ultimately see it, I didn’t know if I was going to do a good job or not. It was very motivating. It was incredibly motivating. That would keep me going in the gym and in the ring, just wanting to make him proud.”

Efron also talked about meeting Von Erich for the first time. “I got at least an hour and a half of just one-on-one time, and a lot of hugs,” Efron shared on Monday. “And we had a really great conversation just hearing what came across to him in the film. It just meant the world, man. It was so cool, he was so proud of all of us. It was a huge honor for me.” The Iron Claw also stars Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Maura Tierney, with Holt McCallany and Lily James. The film, which is written and directed by Sean Durkin, will hit theatres nationwide on Dec. 22.