last year when the 96th Academy Awards were in full swing and everyone was furious about who didn’t get nominated (see: Margot Robbie and Greta Lee for Best Actress, Charles Melton for Best ing Actor, Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor, and so on and so forth)? Indeed, it’s almost like there’s only so many nomination spots available, and so great artists and films will ultimately have to miss the cut for the sake of other great artists and films.

In any case, the single most painful example of this unavoidable tragedy is The Iron Claw, the Sean Durkin-masterminded, A24-distributed biopic that would have granted Zac Efron a rightfully-deserved Best Actor win in a more just world. For now, though, it’s settling for come hearty streaming success.

Per FlixPatrol, The Iron Claw is clawing its way up the Max charts in the United States at the time of writing, settling itself in at seventh place while the likes of Megamind (eighth place), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (third place), and The Hangover (10th place) offer up some thoroughly idiosyncratic company for this pulverizingly devastating sports drama.

The Iron Claw stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Stanley Simons as Kevin, Kerry, David, and Mike Von Erich; four brothers and the son of wrestling legend Fritz Von Erich, whose failure to secure the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship during his career has culminated in overbearing pressure on his sons to accomplish what he couldn’t. Desperate to win their father’s love, the boys step into the ring as the next generation of the Von Erich dynasty, having no way of anticipating the influx of tragedy that will soon descend upon them.

One may declare that the special sauce of The Iron Claw lies quite simply in its no-holds-barred robustness towards its artistic fundamentals. They would be mostly correct in doing so; the directing, writing, and acting are all masterful, and the added touch of having the actors perform the wrestling stunts themselves adds a sharp injection of kinetic realism that supplements the film’s honesty tenfold.

That said, all the creative competence in the world will only take you so far without a good story, but The Iron Claw soars in that department as well. Armed with the wisdom to sand down historical accuracy for the sake of building its emotional core, The Iron Claw paints one of the most sobering portraits of masculinity ever put to screen, rooting all of these brothers in the purest, most natural love before teeing them up against an apathetic world that no one prepared them for.

Those of you already familiar with the history of the Von Erichs know better than to expect a happy ending here, but we can’t underestimate the necessity of such sad stories. Honest emotional ruin plays a key role in our duty of accessing the breadth of our humanity, and few films from the last year invoke such a thing like The Iron Claw does. Have two boxes of tissues ready; one for the film as a whole, and one specifically for the afterlife scene.

The universe saw how much we were all still struggling to cope with The Iron Claw, and decided to send us the most hilariously adorable puppy pictures ever.

Yes, Zac Efron‘s performance in the devastating sports drama was memorable (and deserved that Oscar nomination, goddamn it), but then so was his hairstyle. Every film fan re where they were when the first pictures of the actor’s time on the set of The Iron Claw came out. The shaggy bowl cut, the short jorts, and the type of brawn that would make He-Man jealous.

Curiously, the casting for a live-action Masters of The Universe film was recently announced, and netizens were shocked Efron wasn’t the studio’s immediate choice. The Idea of You‘s Nicholas Galitzine got the part instead.

I know what you’re thinking — “Where is that puppy? I came here for the puppy!!.” You would be absolutely correct, but we needed you to see those set pictures of Zac Efron first to understand just how accurate the comparison is. Either way, you should definitely watch The Iron Claw if you haven’t. When a movie is heartfelt and poignant enough to make an outfit that ridiculous cause tears instead of giggles, then you know it’s Best Picture material. But enough of The Iron Claw propaganda. Here’s the puppy!

As one commentator astutely captured, “Paw. The Iron PAW. You had one chance and you blew it!.” Now we’re going to need to see a remake of Sean Durkin’s film starring this superstar, as well as puppy substitutes for Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Stanley Simons. In the meantime, you can find us watching the guys’ BuzzFeed puppy interview.

A celebration of one of wrestling’s most prominent families headed to the big screen in 2023, in the form of The Iron Claw.

The film tells the story of the Von Erich family. Well, technically it tells the story of the Adkisson family, pro wrestlers who took on the Von Erich moniker in honor of their father, who first took to wrestling in the ’50s.

This family’s had a massive impact on the wrestling world and their gripping, tragic tale ensured the movie was met with considerable hype. But these men are known for their impressive statures and fans were excited to compare the heights of the film’s cast to their real-world counterparts.

Who’s in The Iron Claw?

Even without the captivating story of the real-life Von Erichs to lean on, The Iron Claw is audience bait. That’s largely due to its stellar cast, which highlights stars like The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White, The Greatest Showman‘s Zac Efron, Beach Rats‘ Harris Dickinson, and Mindhunter‘s Holt McCallany.

White and Efron serve as the film’s leads, displaying flawless chemistry as they bring brothers Kevin and Kerry Von Erich to life. They certainly look the part — that awful hair is a perfect replica — but they can’t match everything about the real-life siblings.

In the real world, Kerry and Kevin stand at the same height, an impressive 6’2″. Movie magic can do a lot — including making White and Efron look several inches taller — but can it make the two actors look like they share a height?

Jeremy Allen White’s height

White certainly has the muscles to pull off that pro-wrestler look, but does he have the height? The Shameless and The Bear star isn’t short, by any means, but he never quite managed to crack six feet. He stands at around 5’7″ according to numerous sources, which leaves him a fair few inches short of the Von Erich’s 6’2″.

It also leaves him a touch shorter than his co-star, Zac Efron, which likely demanded some creative filming behind the scenes.

Zac Efron’s height

White and Efron’s heights don’t differ enough to present any major hurdles for the team behind The Iron Claw, with Efron’s 5’8″ a match for White’s 5’7″. This discrepancy of a single inch between the actors, made it easier to tackle than the far larger gap between them and their other brother, David, played by Harris Dickinson. The actor stands a good six inches taller than Efron — at 6’2″ — but his height in the film as David was a full 6’8″ when he was alive.

Warning: This article makes multiple references to suicide. Viewer discretion is advised.

The Iron Claw has been met with acclaim from critics and audiences since its theatrical release in late December 2023, with much of the praise being directed at the performances surrounding the four brothers of the real-life wrestling family, the Von Erichs. The A24 biographical film has also been lauded for its examination of masculinity and mental health in the rise and fall of the iconic wrestlers, and the ultimate tragic deaths of all but one Von Erich brother, occurring between 1984 and 1993.

As is often the case with films that draw from historical and biographical works, The Iron Claw took several creative liberties to fit its desired cinematic narrative – including a more simplified biography of the Von Erichs, a controversial take on Fritz Von Erich’s parenting, as well as a missing brother. The facts surrounding the fates of the family differ from what was depicted on screen.

Fritz Von Erich (1929 – 1995)

Fritz Von Erich, the patriarch of the Von Erich family, started his career in college football. Fritz, born Jack Barton Adkisson Sr. never played the sport professionally after graduating, despite relocating to Canada to the Canadian Football League — something which soon turned out in his favor. While visiting the country, he was tapped by legendary wrestler-turned-trainer Stu Hart.

An icon of the wrestling world, Hart saw Adkisson’s potential as a “heel” — the primary villain in wrestling. His size and natural athletic ability made him a perfect match for a German villain, and in 1952, Adkisson and Walter Sieber started their iconic run as the Von Erich brothers, a role they would play until 1959.

During that time, Adkisson and his wife welcomed their first son, Jack Jr. At the age of 6, Jack Jr. died from an electrical shock that led to an accidental drowning death outside of the family’s Niagara Falls home. Jack was the first son of the Adkisson family to die, and by the time of Frtz’s death in 1997, he had outlived five of his six sons.

While Jack Sr. never stopped pursuing his career as a wrestler, he stopped touring the East Coast and left the region to his former partner. Adkisson continued his career grind, becoming a wrestling promoter and inheriting World Class Champion Wrestling (WCCW) after his business partner died of a heart attack in 1969.

He continued to tour the country scouting talent for WCCW while participating in matches, and even travelled overseas to rebuild the Japanese wrestling scene in the 1970s. Jack’s “Iron Claw” grip, a move involving gripping an opponent’s head before slamming them down, became one of the most popular moves in wrestling, helping to combine Japan’s predominant “Puroresu” Sumo style of wrestling with the more theatric elements of televised American wrestling. 

Adkisson’s last match came in 1986, just as the WCCW talent pool was running dry. By 1989, his company merged with the Continental Wrestling Association. Shortly after, Adkisson and his wife divorced in 1992 after 42 years of marriage.

Jack Adkisson died of brain and lung cancer in 1997. While holding an overall positive view of The Iron Claw film, Kevin Von Erich, the sole Von Erich son who survived Jack by the time of his death, stated that the film’s depiction of his father as an abusive mentor was inaccurate. The now 66-year-old stated that addiction, rather than upbringing, played a much larger role in his brothers’ premature deaths.

Kevin Von Erich (1957-present)

Kevin Von Erich, the then-eldest living Adkisson son, made his wrestling debut in 1976. With his natural good looks and charming personality, he was frequently used as a headliner for the WCCW, which he spent most of his life wrestling for. His first major success came in the late 1970s, as part of a tag team with his brother David. He wrestled for the WWF and the NWA and made a name for himself in the singles category by taking down Bruiser Brody, a hardcore brawler known for making his opponents bleed.

The Von Erich’s multi-year-long feud with the Fabulous Freebirds is still considered to be one of the best-worked stories in wrestling and one of the most memorable long-term feuds to date. David’s untimely death in 1984 put an end to the Freebirds story, but Kevin wrestled for years after, even mentoring a young “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in the late 1980s.

Adkisson never approved of his father’s decision to sell the WCCW at the turn of the decade, and took a brief hiatus in the early 1990s to focus on rebuilding the brand. His attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, and within the year he was forced to close it down yet again. He took a hiatus from wrestling during the venture but returned to the sport in 1991 when he ed the WWF.

Kevin retired in 2005, but two of his sons have continued on the Von Erich line. In 2017 at the age of 60, Adkisson made a brief comeback after a 22-year-hiatus when he appeared with his sons at The Rage Wrestling Mega Show. Kevin Von Erich was the only member of the Adkisson family to live to accept his induction into The WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, alongside his brothers posthumously.

Kevin Von Erich was not ed by The Iron Claw’s director, Sean Durkin, until after the screenplay had been finished. Kevin praised the final cut of the film, Zac Efron’s performance as him in particular, and even revealed plans to go on a trip with Efron to celebrate their newfound kinship.

David Von Erich (1958-1984)

With a fiery disposition that led to memorable interviews, David Von Erich was an instant hit after his mainstream debut in 1977. He made his first, and only, WWF appearance that year before transitioning to Florida and following in his father’s footsteps as a heel for Champion Wrestling. During his time in Florida, he teamed up with wrestler Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin, and the two began a year-long feud, becoming nemesis for the remainder of their season. By 1983, Von Erich had returned to Texas to compete with the Fabulous Freebirds in the first-ever Six-Man Championship, with his brothers, Kevin, and Kerry.

Just a few weeks later, David Von Erich died in a Tokyo hotel. While some have claimed that David’s sudden death at the age of 25 could have been from an unintentional overdose, the official coroner’s ruling cites enteritis, swelling of the small intestine, which the Von Erich family also believe to be the case. The disease can be contracted by several factors, such as underlying autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease, or contaminated food and drink. In The Iron Claw, David was portrayed by actor Harris Dickinson.

Kerry Von Erich (1960- 1993)

Kerry Adkisson spent more than a decade working for his father’s company, the World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). He made his debut in 1978, and had a consistent running feud with Ric Flair, one that would tie into the Fabulous Freebirds storyline. Kerry defeated Flair in 1984, just three months after David’s death, declaring the victory a tribute to his late brother. He lost the championship belt just 18 days later in a controversial match, although it was later revealed that the short reign was agreed upon before the match. 

In 1986, Kerry was in a near-fatal motorcycle accident that left his right foot mangled. According to Kevin, doctors managed to save his brother’s foot, but Kerry exacerbated the injury while attempting to walk after surgery. The resulting damage resulted in amputation, a fact only revealed posthumously.

He continued to wrestle after the accident, working for various promoters across the globe, winning several championship titles despite his hidden injury. During this time, Kerry developed an addiction to painkillers in order to continue wrestling after his injury.

Kerry died by suicide in 1993 at the age of 33, becoming the third Von Erich brother to die in this way. According to wrestling contemporary Bret Hart, Kerry felt that God had called upon him to his brothers at what he deemed to be the “right” time, which Hart believes occurred following a depression after the breakdown of his marriage.

In The Iron Claw, Kerry’s belief surrounding his predeceased brothers is depicted in one of the final scenes. When Kerry (played by Jeremy Allen White), is reunited with David, Mike, and Jack Jr.

Mike Von Erich (1964-1987)

Mike Adkisson made his wrestling debut in 1983, just before the Von Erichs’ famous family feud with the Fabulous Freebirds. The feud made up most of Adkisson’s career, but the young wrestler found success in international wrestling federations. Though his brother Kerry tried to give Mike a feud of his own after his 1986 accident, Mike never lived to see the match-up.

The young wrestler tragically died by suicide in 1987 at the age of 23, and was the first Von Erich brother to die by suicide. Many attributed his death to the pressure of living up to his late brother, David, but the wrestler suffered several traumatic brain injuries before his death.

He was diagnosed with Toxic Shock Syndrome after undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury, and brain damage resulted from the infection. The year he took his own life, Adkisson suffered from another Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), worsening his condition significantly.

Kevin Von Erich later said that the injury caused dramatic, more aggressive changes to his brother’s personality, citing an incident where his brother attacked a streetlight out of frustration over his condition. Such changes are thought to perhaps play a role in Kevin’s death by suicide. Mike was portrayed by Stanley Simons in The Iron Claw.

Chirs Von Erich (1969-1991)

The youngest son of Jack Adkisson grew up watching his brother’s successes. He frequently did odd jobs backstage and behind the WCCW’s cameras, and won his first wrestling match at the age of six. His youth prevented him from taking the stage during the company’s heyday, and though he made his debut at 20 in 1990.

At just 5’ 5”, Adkisson was significantly disadvantaged against his much larger brothers, but chronic illness prevented him from matching their strength. He suffered from severe asthma from a young age, and took Prednisone to suppress his immune system. The drug is known to cause bone and skin thinning, and Chriss regularly broke or fractured bones while performing wrestling moves within his skillset.

Despite such disadvantages in comparison to his brothers, Chris remained a fan favorite. Just prior to his 22nd birthday in September 1991, the youngest Adkisson took his own life. Despite the quick intervention of Kevin and his mother, Chris died 20 minutes after arriving at the hospital.

Chris Von Erich was omitted from The Iron Claw entirely, a decision that was met with controversy by fans of wrestling, as well as within the wrestling community itself. While many critics of this decision cited this choice as potentially disrespectful to Chris’ memory, filmmaker Sean Durkin argued the opposite was the case.

“There was a repetition to it, and it was one more tragedy that the film couldn’t really withstand,” Durkin explained to Variety. “These are characters on a page, and this is a film, and there’s no way you’re going to fully capture the life of a person in a film,” Durkin continued.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

In the media blitz surrounding Zac Efron‘s new movie The Iron Claw, the High School Musical star appeared on Today wearing shades. It wasn’t a fashion faux pas on Efron’s part. As the actor explained, he had a good for wearing the eye accessory indoors on the show.

On Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, Efron sat alongside his The Iron Claw co-stars in the Today segment — Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Stanley Simons — and pointed out, “I feel weird being in shades.”

As wrestler Kevin Von Erich in A24’s The Iron Claw, Efron’s bulked-up physical transformation for the part already made headlines. Could that have something to do with it?

Efron had an eye infection

Zac Efron decided to wear sunglasses on Today not as a method-acting technique, nor as a sign of diva behavior. Today host Craig Melvin suggested as much when he said, “Zac Efron is a legitimate bonafide Hollywood superstar but that is not the reason he is in shades right now.”

In response, The Iron Claw actor explained:

“No, I’m sorry man … I just have a bit of an eye infection. But I really wanted to be here. It’s such a good movie, and I want to come see you guys and tell everyone about it.”

Efron, however, didn’t disclose the exact nature of the infection.

In theaters Dec. 22, 2023, The Iron Claw covers the Von Erich brothers, pro-wrestlers in the `80s who experienced their fair share of triumph and tragedy. Efron’s performance in the film has already built Oscar buzz.

Get well soon, Zac.

Death was never that far away for the legendary wrestling dynasty the Von Erich family. Starting with patriarch Fritz Von Erich, the family reached levels of success in wrestling that people only dream of. Unfortunately, those heights were marred by physical struggles, mental health problems and a string of tragic death. This is the very unfortunate story of the Von Erich family, the subject of the movie The Iron Claw.

Since the 1950s, there’s been a Von Erich wrestling in one capacity or another. Even as of this writing, third-generation Von Erichs, Ross and Marshall, are still tearing it up in the squared circle. The bright side of the Von Erich tale is one of brotherly love and family, and that legacy continues to this day.

It can be hard to keep track of all the Von Erichs, especially since they are now into a fourth generation, so here’s a handy family tree.

A Legacy is Born: The Reign of Fritz Von Erich

There would be no Von Erich family, no Iron Claw movie, no legacy without Fritz. He was born in Jewett, Texas in 1929. He was a formidable man at 6’4” and in his prime he weighed an impressive 240 pounds. He created the Von Erich persona because he recognized the attention he could get as a “heel,” or bad guy, in the wrestling world.

Fritz’s real name was Jack Adkisson. Von Erich is a name he cooked up because it’s German, and Fritz’s rise coincided with the Cold War era, just a few years away from WWII. In fact, Von Erich was a Nazi character, and in the midst of American patriotism at the time, he drove crowds wild with anger. This made him very popular.

He wrestled with fellow “nazi” Waldo Von Erich, even though the two were not related. It was Fritz who came up with the legendary Iron Claw move, where he would grab a foe’s temples and squeeze. Fritz’s monstrous success in the 1950s and ’60s allowed him to oversee his sons’ training, and get them into the industry.

The First Von Erich Death: Jack Junior

The idea that the Von Erich family was cursed perhaps started with the death of the youngest Von Erich sibling: Jack Jr. He was born in 1952 and like his brothers, would not live a long life. While in a trailer park where the family was staying in Niagara Falls, Canada, he was electrocuted, fell into a puddle and drowned. He was six years old.

At the time, Fritz exploded with anger, smashing car windows and screaming, per Kevin Von Erich in the documentary Dark Side of the Ring. Then he just kept on moving forward. What else could he do?

Training the Von Erich Family

The boys were born in fairly quick succession following that. Kevin was born on May 15, 1957. Then David was born in July of 1958. Next came Kerry in February of 1960. Mike was born in March of 1964, and the youngest son, Chris, was born in Sept. of 1969.

Fritz bought a huge swath of land in Texas shortly after Jack died. He wanted to be closer to his family, especially his sons. He was both the caring dad and the strict emperor of the domain. He taught his boys life skills like hunting and fighting back when bullied.

He also built a homemade wrestling ring in the backyard and set up a home gym for the boys to work out. Kevin, David and Kerry all excelled in high school sports, setting some records in the process. The three all started college but everyone dropped out to pursue the family business. In a 1988 interview, Kevin said it was inevitable:

“To be honest, we didn’t even know if we’d like wrestling that much. I mean, wrestling was filled with these old, out-of-shape men, going from one small town to another, looking miserable. But we all knew what was going to happen in the end. It was inevitable. We were going to go into wrestling, because we wanted to be just like our dad.”

Mike and Chris would eventually up too. Chris, who was small in stature with brittle bones and asthma, struggled the most.

The Von Erich brothers find fame

After he retired from the ring, Fritz took over World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and used his power to help the brothers any way he could. Kevin said the bond they had helped them communicate in the ring, and it didn’t take long for them to find success.

In the 1970s, and especially the 1980s, wrestling saw a huge rise in popularity due to television deals, and the Von Erichs rode that wave to mainstream acclaim. It didn’t hurt that they each possessed their own unique abilities: Kerry had the physique and charisma, David understood the technicality of the sport, and Kevin was just crazy fast and athletic.

They appeared in TV shows, in comic books and commercials. Could they act? God no. But it didn’t matter, when you’re hot you’re hot, and they rode that wave all the way to the bank. Added bonus? They were all handsome and ladies loved them, and they would be swarmed by crowds outside of their matches.

This would be the peak of the story. It was all down mountain from here.

The tragic deaths of the Von Erichs

Warning: things get fairly grisly, dark and depressing from here on.

David Von Erich was the reigning United National Champion at his peak, and he was on track to take on 1984 NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair. He died at the age of 25 in his hotel room. When they found his body he was reaching for the phone, sparking rumors that he was poisoned, or that he overdosed on drugs.

He actually died from acute enteritis, a condition where perforated intestines fill up with blood, causing the heart to fail. Mike Von Erich, who followed in his brothers footsteps, died three years later. He was touring in Israel and hurt his shoulder. After the surgery, he developed toxic shock syndrome.

He lost weight and had some brain damage issues, which made his public appearances very difficult to watch. His performance suffered, and he was arrested on a DUI charge. In April of 1987, he was found dead in his sleeping bag after overdosing on tranquilizers.

Chris Von Erich, the youngest, never really had the physical ability of his brothers, although he desperately wanted to be like them. He wrestled in the early 1990s with his brother Kevin, who helped to hide his brother’s lack of ability.

After Mike died, Chris fell into a deep depression, and developed a harrowing drug problem. He was also never really suited for wrestling, and wrestling took an incredible physical toll on his body, leaving him in excruciating pain. He committed suicide by gunshot wound to the head on Sept. 12, 1991.

Kerry Von Erich was always supposed to be the superstar. With his charisma and pretty boy looks, he had a bright future ahead of him. Just three months after Mike died, he beat Ric Flair in front of 45,000 at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Texas in 1984.

Two years later, he was rear ended on his motorcycle. He dislocated his hip, and he lost a foot because he rushed himself back into the ring. Things got worse from there. He developed a pain pill addiction, and was arrested twice. In 1992, his wife Cathy left him. He died by self-inflicted gunshot wound a week after his 33rd birthday.

Patriarch Fritz was the next to die. He outlived five of his sons. Like his son, he also divorced in 1992, after 40 years of matrimony. His final years were marred with brain cancer, and at one point he pointed a loaded gun at Kevin. He died in 1997 at the age of 68.

This leaves Kevin Von Erich as the last of that generation of Von Erichs to survive. In interviews, he expressed that he thought about ending it many times, but fought through and built a wrestling family of his own. His sons Marshall and Ross Von Erich debuted as wrestlers in the 2010s, and they’re still active today.

Kerry’s daughter Lacey Von Erich also ed the family business in 2007, and wrestled until she retired from performing and transitioned to the management side. As for the future of the family, who knows? There could be a young Von Erich in training right now, ready to continue a legacy that started more than 70 years ago.

Jeremy Allen White’s latest film role sees him starring alongside Zac Effron. The Iron Claw tells the true story of the Von Erich brothers and their professional wrestling career in the 1980s. But does White have any siblings in real life? What does his family tree look like exactly?

Who are Jeremy Allen White’s parents?

Born on the 17th of February 1991, White is the son of Richard White and Eloise Zeigler, both of whom have been involved in the acting industry. Richard White has had numerous acting and voice acting roles over the course of his career, with his most notable role being the voice of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. Outside of his mainstream work, he mostly sticks to theater performances on and off Broadway. He has played the lead roles in plays like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and A Christmas Carol.

Eloise was an aspiring actor but decided to pursue a career in education after her son was born. Not too much is known about The Bear star’s mother, but she is frequently seen at red carpet events or even just photographed having a coffee with her son in Los Angeles.

Does Jeremy Allen White have any siblings?

Whilst he doesn’t have five burly brothers like his character in The Iron Claw, he does have a little sister, Annabelle. Not a great deal is known about Annabelle, although according to Wealthypeeps.com she completed her studies in television, radio and film back in 2018, although there hasn’t been much more information on her since.

What else do we know about Jeremy’s family tree?

Unfortunately, we don’t know a great deal, it seems White has made the wise decision to keep his family life private for the most part. We do know that he got married in 2019 to actor Addison Timlin. The pair had been dating for several years before their engagement and have two daughters together.

However, the couple’s marriage did not last long; in May 2023 Timlin filed for divorce. Neither side have said too much on the matter, although there has been speculation over who White is dating now.

Why is the Zac Efron film based on the Von Erichs — one of the most famous wrestling entertainment families — named The Iron Claw? Here’s a quick breakdown of why the movie sounds like an alcoholic soft drink. 

The Von Erichs hit their peak of popularity in the early to mid 1980’s, wrestling in the family-run World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). Every week, WCCW would air a one-hour show on television seen throughout most of the United States, which not only featured the Von Erichs but also big names such as Ric Flair, who sometimes would appear to defend his world title against one of them.

It also featured future stars King Kong Bundy and Kamala and perhaps stars in their prime in the WCCW such as the Great Kabuki. Most famously, it featured the Fabulous Freebirds who became the arch rivals of the Von Erichs.

The WCCW was run by Jack Adkisson, more famously known by his wrestling name.

In the early 1950’s, Adkisson became a wrestling villain under Stu Hart – father of Bret Hart. Taking advantage of post-WWII sentiment, Stu Hart decided to make Adkisson a hated German villain and thus gave him the name Fritz Von Erich. Ultimately, the name stuck, even when Fritz Von Erich later changed to become a good guy.

Von Erich’s popularity lasted decades and included winning a version of the world title three times. His sons followed in his wrestling footsteps, and also adopted the Von Erich name. They became extremely popular nationwide — especially Kerry, David, and Kevin, whom Zac Efron portrays in the film. The Von Erichs also wrestled around the world, which included frequent visits to Japan.

Fritz Von Erich’s most famous wrestling move was called the Iron Claw, which his sons also utilized. In Japan, Fritz was actually called “Tetsu no Tsume,” which means “Iron Claw.” The move, which in wrestling circles is more commonly referred to simply as the Claw, was once hugely popular in the wrestling business but has since become a rarity.

So what is the Iron Claw">with the movie likely to boost the Claw’s popularity, it’s one of those wrestling moves that could make a comeback and become feared once again. With fewer submission moves in today’s wrestling, then having such a feared move like the Claw being reintroduced would only be a benefit to the modern wrestling entertainment business.

When it comes to A24, biographical sports dramas aren’t typically the first, second, or even third thing to spring to one’s mind. Indeed, anyone familiar with the arthouse studio’s endeavors would be much quicker to associate it with daring horror features, surreal character dramas, and Oscar-winning films featuring the concept of a multiverse; a sentence that only A24 could have ever made into a true one.

But the studio is nevertheless primed to delve into sports biopic territory with The Iron Claw, a play on the iron claw wrestling hold popularized by the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers, of which the film’s subject — Kevin Von Erich — is a part of.

Due in theaters later this year, it looks like The Iron Claw is pulling out quite a few stops in the realm of casting, with a fair shake of big names populating what will no doubt be one of the genre’s more harrowing entries, given the imminent subject matter of the Von Erich curse; the colloquial term for the many tragedies that befell the family over the years.

But who exactly is shoring up The Iron Claw‘s call sheet, and when will it be making its rounds in theaters? Here’s all you need to know about A24’s The Iron Claw.

When does The Iron Claw come out?

A24 is due to release The Iron Claw on December 22 of this year, putting it in competition with Illumination’s star-studded animated family flick Migration and Zack Snyder’s Netflix-exclusive sci-fi epic Rebel Moon.

Who are The Iron Claw‘s cast ?

Zac Efron leads the charge as Kevin Von Erich – former WCWA World Heavyweight champion and the last surviving member of the second generation of the Von Erich family. Lily James will star as Pam Adkisson, Kevin’s wife.

The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White co-stars with Efron and James as Kerry Von Erich — Kevin’s brother — who held over 40 championships during his wrestling career, and who tragically took his life in 1993.

He was the third member of the Von Erich family’s second generation to die by suicide, the other two being Mike Von Erich — who will be portrayed by Stanley Simons — and Chris Von Erich, who will not appear in the film.

Other of the Von Erich family set to appear are Kevin’s younger brother David Von Erich (Harris Dickinson), family patriarch Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), and his wife Doris Von Erich (Maura Tierney). Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman will portray Lance Von Erich, a professional wrestler of the era who only adopted the Von Erich name in the ring — a move that angered most of the family despite Fritz’s insistence on him doing so — and was not actually a part of the family.

The wrestlers Michael Hayes, Ric Flair, Harley Race, Bruiser Body, The Sheik, and Gino Hernandez will also all appear as characters in the film, and be portrayed by Brady Pierce, Aaron Dean Eisenberg, Kevin Anton, Cazzey Louis Cereghino, Chavo Guerrero Jr., and Ryan Nemeth, respectively.

Last week we got a glimpse of Zac Efron on the set of A24’s wrestling biopic The Iron Claw sporting one of the most ridiculous haircuts in the history of cinema. Comparisons were quickly drawn to Shrek‘s diminutive villain Lord Farquaad and, truth be told, it was difficult to deny that there’s a genuine resemblance.

Now A24 appears to be trying to squash that by showing us what Efron’s bowl-cut hairdo actually looks like in the squared circle. Check it out:

Okay fine, we it Efron looks a lot better flying through the air while delivering a brutal dropkick, but he can’t be doing that for the entire movie.

The Iron Claw is written and directed by Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Nest‘s Sean Durkin and will chronicle the turbulent lives of the Von Erich family. The Von Erichs are one of the most prominent families in 20th-century wrestling, though their achievements in the ring were overshadowed by so much misery that many began referring to the “Von Erich Curse”.

Efron is ed by Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Maura Tierney as various of the Von Erich family, together with Lily James in an unknown role. The shoot is currently underway in Baton Rouge, with the film itself expected to land in late 2023.

Here’s hoping for a trailer soon so we can see Efron’s truly epic locks in motion. But who knows, perhaps the famous Von Erich curse also applies to hairdos?

Zac Efron may have thrown off his High School Musical typecasting pretty handily in the last few years, but the latest photos from the set of The Iron Claw might just hang another hard-to-shake-off association on his head. Efron is fully yoked up for his portrayal of famed pro-wrestler Kevin Von Erich in the new photos, but the internet has clocked him for the OG “short king” himself instead: Shrek‘s diminutive antagonist, Lord Farquaad.

Truth be told, it’s hard to deny the resemblance. Although Efron stands at a reasonably tall 5’8″, his newly enhanced musculature and broadened frame force the perspective to make him seem shorter, and there is absolutely no denying that the hairstyle he sports in the movie ⏤ a spot-on recreation of Von Erich’s ’80s-era mullet meets bowl cut ‘do ⏤ looks more than a little like Lord Farquaad’s pageboy hair.

Of course, the internet is handling it about as maturely as you would expect.

One even posited that this is what we would get if Shrek had ditched Fiona and gone off with Farquaad instead.

Whatever the internet might think about Zac’s new “worst boyfriend ever” lewk, he’s at least impressed his most important audience, Kevin Von Erich himself. “I saw of a picture of the guy and he looked great,” the former wrestler told TMZ. “I don’t think I ever looked that good, so I think they’re going to do great. I’ll bet they do.”

Needless to say, we now need a live-action Shrek to hit our screens immediately, preferably one in which Efron dons the same haircut and serves as the ruler of a land far, far away. If the movie happens to double as an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, you won’t hear us complaining.

The Iron Claw is currently in production and we will update you the moment a release date is announced.