'The Iron Claw' Stunt Coordinator on Training Zac Efron and Using the 'High School Musical' Dance Experience to Teach Him Wrestling

Zac Efron And Jeremiah Allen White turned heads This year When Fans REMARK they packed up on pound sterling of muscle For their A24 struggle drama "THE Iron Claw," which East base on THE lives of THE von Erich brothers.

Efron, Allen And THE rest of THE casting put In serious work has look THE part For THE movie - but once they won that muscle, how did they Perfect those struggle moves? Chavo Guerrero, Jr., ancient pro wrestler And cascade coordinator on "THE Iron Claw," speak with Variety has unpack THE actors' intensive training process.

After communicating with director Sean Durkin about her vision For THE movie, Guerrero began by get to know THE actors with THE struggle ring And THE fundamentals of THE sport. Guerrero, WHO Also qualified THE stars of THE Netflix series "Shine," always request actors What experience they to have with struggle Or adjacent fight sports.

"I will take What they Already know through amateur struggle Or boxing because THE footwork East very similar," he said. "And SO I Also ask if they have had any of them theater experience. Because It is kind of What were TO DO In THE ring … It is A four-sided theater as opposite has just A side. SO if they to have that SO I to start explaining has them, 'You Already know how has to struggle against — You just don't do it know You know again.'”

Guerrero would be always encourage "THE Iron Claw" actors has slow down When he came time has be In THE ring with A real audience watching them. He recently experimented A proud mentor moment When White do A incisive comment about THE art of struggle In A interview.

“[Jeremiah] was explaining has THE to interview that Sometimes THE moments In between THE moves are more important that THE real moves In THE choreography," Guerrero said.

He details A come out memory Since together When Efron had has execute A shoulder strap move In which he jumped up on Guerrero Since THE high rope of THE ring. Guerrero Free THE actor A important piece of advice: THE upper he jumped up, THE Easier he would be be has to pull disabled, Since THE hang time would be allow them time has Locate each other And to land correctly.

"He was Really cool has see A actor trust Me with her body In A sense," Guerrero said.

THE ancient WWE wrestler explain that everyone on together pushed each other has be better; THE actors And Guerrero himself were inspired by Efron's dedication has THE role of Kevin von Erich.

“Zac was A machine," he said. "Marry be In THE ring And he would be go, 'Socket on to leave Me get This meal In' And he would have get A fast ready meal In And SO he would have come back In THE ring. And SO A hour later, he would have be as, 'Oh, to leave Me throw down A protein shake.' SO SO You to have competitiveness between THE actors, Also. Jeremiah was just saying that he saw Zac take disabled her shirt In THE ring And he is as, 'Oh, man, I i have to stage he up.'”

Guerrero had THE even reaction as White: "I saw Zac And I was as, 'Wow, Okay.'"

Each actor brought different natural abilities has THE ring, Guerrero explain. "They all to have something they are Really GOOD has, SO I will work with that. Harris [Dickinson] had do a few boxing Before," he said. "They to have different approaches has he. Jeremiah would be sit And to reflect on In her head And kind of visualize he, And SO he would have just be ready has go And TO DO he. Zac, I would be to walk through he more. He had more of that dance background Since 'High School Musical.' It is What he was used to."

Efron's "High School Musical" training END up functioning In her advantage: "He was as, 'Yeah, I Really was not A Dancer Before that, And I kind of learned how has TO DO that.' SO I would be to integrate that In THE pro struggle moves And choreography, as, All right, GOOD, footwork - even thing. And I would be to start explaining that has him, And that help them to understand What pro struggle is."