Inside Zac Efron’s dramatic body transformation for his role in The Iron Claw

There’s an inherent challenge when making a biopic about a great performer: how does the recreation of their art compare to the real thing? Movies such as Bohemian Rhapsody devote lavish attention to Freddie Mercury’s most iconic performances, while other biopics, like, say Love & Mercy (Brian Wilson) or Control (Ian Curtis) sidestep the artist’s work to focus on their interior life instead. Some actors, like Austin Butler in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, give themselves completely to their character, taking painstaking measures to capture one’s voice or mannerisms. If you’re Bradley Cooper, you might spend six years learning to conduct as preparation for the role of Leonard Bernstein in Maestro.

Sean Durkin’s new film The Iron Claw explores a very different kind of performance: the bloody spectacle of American professional wrestling. The film tells the uniquely tragic story of the Von Erichs, a dynasty that dominated wrestling throughout much of Texas during the 1980s. Headed by rigid patriarch Fritz Von Erich, the family produced six sons, five of whom went into the wrestling business at their father’s encouragement.