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Zac Efron getting physically ripped for roles is nothing new. As part of the cast of 2017’s Baywatch, this required him to get a lifeguard body worthy of swooning fans. The High School Musical star also got a newly swole physique for his new wrestling movie The Iron Claw which earned praise from the WWE Hall of Famer he’s portraying in the movie- Kevin Von Erich. While it’s not the 36-year-old’s first rodeo getting in shape for roles, the body prep experiences he had with Baywatch versus The Iron Claw are two completely different stories.
Based on what we know about The Iron Claw, we’ll get to witness the rise and fall of the Von Erich wrestling dynasty which brought the sport to new heights. He will be playing the older brother of the clan, Kevin Von Erich, with Efron porting a full body shave, ‘80s haircut, wrestling speedo, and a ripped body to top it all off. This isn’t the first time audiences have seen Efron showing off those ridiculous abs of his. His six-pack and handsomeness didn’t lie starring in Baywatch playing Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Matt Brody. However, the work that went into both movies wasn’t the easiest thing in the world for the former Disney star.
While the experience of getting ripped for Baywatch was incredibly vicious for Zac Efron, here’s how preparing for The Iron Claw was less stress-inducing.
The Extreme Work That Went Into Zac Efron’s Baywatch Beach Bod
The bodywork that went into Zac Efron getting next level ripped to play Matt Brody was physically and mentally draining for the young actor. His training involved focusing on balance and agility, heavy lifting, strength work, and then power training. All of these maneuvers were not done with ease as the Hairspray actor overtrained and used diuretics during this time, bringing him to a depression. Efron told Variety something important he learned about his body while filming the beach action-comedy.
I learned a lot over the course of Baywatch — I learned the hard way about not sacrificing my real health for a look on camera. I had the right questions to ask for this one.
Looking back on his time filming the television remake film, Zac Efron has said he doesn’t recommend anyone try his Baywatch training to get fit. The 17 Again actor said the lack of carbs in his diet put him in a terrible mood and that what he did to get fit is not a daily routine people should incorporate into their lifestyle.
Efron also didn’t want men watching the movie to think his buff body was “the right way to be.” Basically, Efron felt his own body looked “stupid” in the movie. The American actor did, after all, have to go through a draining process to achieve that physique he clearly wouldn’t wish on anyone. Efron felt it totally messed him up having an unrealistic “fake” looking body preferring more body fat on him. While the triple-threat star achieving a lifeguard physique for Baywatch was physically and mentally terrible for Efron, it taught him a harsh lesson he carried on with him for future physically changing roles.
How Zac Efron Came Up With His Own Workout Regimen for The Iron Claw
After taking on extreme physical work to achieve a Photoshopped-looking body in Baywatch, Zac Efron decided to do things differently for The Iron Claw. Sure, his body had to resemble the real-life look of Kevin Von Erich, but he kept his physical and mental health in mind during the process. With The Greatest Showman actor being a real perfectionist, he used his ambition and full embodiment in the role to help himself look perfect.
That necessity to be perfect — it became an obsession. It was a singular focus for months. And your life goes out the window during prep.Then I was able to incorporate old-school body-building and Olympic lifting and really achieved that specific look of pro wrestlers, which was really hard.
Efron worked out daily for hours starting with volume training to gain 15 pounds of muscle. What an opposite experience for him having to pack on weight compared to in Baywatch. It still wasn’t a pleasant moment, though, as the New Year’s Eve actor said it didn’t feel normal for him to have all that weight on him. Plus, delayed-onset muscle soreness wasn’t a fun part of the preparation either. However, all of this was in the name of getting into character. His co-star Jeremy Allen White described his on-screen brother as a “machine” during his fitness regimen not straying too far away from his character. Even director Sean Durkin decided to let Efron do his own thing in terms of whatever route he wanted to take to get into physical shape.
Other than handling his fitness routine like a pro, Zac Efron took on a new diet routine like a champ. Jeremy Allen White said a lot of gross struggles came from bulking up for the upcoming A24 movie. The Bear star having to constantly eat didn’t make him feel good and admitted it’s no way to live. As for Efron, on the other hand, White said he blew everyone away. Not only did he bulk up flawlessly, but Efron was apparently a “manic” concerning his deep focus on training. Considering the grueling experience the Summerland actor had working on Baywatch, it probably made his training for The Iron Claw like a cakewalk to him.
What the Critics Had to Say About Zac Efron’s Iron Claw Performance
Clearly, all of the hard work Zac Efron put into playing Kevin Von Erich paid off. Not only for the physical requirements of the role, but the heavy emotions of playing a wrestler having to witness a number of family tragedies within the dynasty he and his brothers formed. In CinemaBlend’s Iron Claw review, we believed that the Walk of Fame recipient gave his career-best performance with perfect chemistry between him and his co-stars. His massive physique was, of course, a distraction. But, his muscles didn’t outweigh his natural talent and boyish charm.
The critics also believed Efron gave a “heartbreaking” performance and people who attended the initial screenings called the former teen idol’s on-screen act “transformative.” Efron has distinctly come a long way since performing show tunes for Disney. He seems to be a real standout in this sports biopic and makes me wonder if he’ll snag any nominations during awards season.
Zac Efron may have pushed his body harder than he should have for Baywatch. Through the physically and mentally fatiguing demands of the Seth Gordon-directed role, a lesson was learned that he carried on getting in shape for The Iron Claw. He decided to take matters into his own hands by coming up with his own workout routine that agreed with his body. The 2023 movie release will be coming soon to theaters on December 22nd. Efron’s “unattainable” ripped body in Baywatch is also available for viewing on your Amazon Prime subscription and on your Paramount+ subscription.