The Iron Claw: Jeremy Allen White, Zac Efron, and Harris Dickinson get a little bit country for a stylish cover shoot

Last Updated on November 21, 2023

I hope you’ve brought your appetite because the stars of A24’s The Iron Claw are cooking up some fierce looks for Entertainment Weekly as part of an extensive cover shoot. The Sean Durkin-directed wrestling drama features Jeremy Allen White, Zac Efron, and Harris Dickinson as the Von Erich brothers, an unforgettable trio in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling. EW recently teamed up with the triumvirate for a stylish cover shoot that’s sure to have you craving biscuits and smelling the sweat of a hard day’s work.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Iron Claw:

The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

Speaking with EW while posing for the cover shoot, the threesome opened up about their off-screen chemistry and training for The Iron Claw.

“We have some pretty funny iPhone footage of us seeing our wrestling for the first time,” Efron says about the group’s early training days.

“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s what it looks like,'” White says. “‘Got some work to do.'” White adds with a wry smile across his lips. “‘Got some work to do.'”

While filming The Iron Claw, White says the trio felt a tremendous amount of pressure to perform for the cameras. Wrestling fans can be incredibly intense, and they’ll know if you don’t put in the work. Bringing the iconic moves of the Von Erich family to life posed significant challenges. However, insecurity turned to confidence as the trio worked with pro wrestling trainer Chavo Guerrero Jr. to nail every aspect of their performances.

“Leading up to those wrestling sequences, that’s probably when I was feeling most insecure,” White says. “It takes such confidence and skill to walk into a ring like that and perform.”

“I felt like I was complaining a lot throughout the process, but it did hurt!” Dickinson declares of nailing the Von Erichs’ signature wrestling move, the Iron Claw. “It’s harder when you can’t squeeze someone’s head for real, so you have to create the idea that you are inflicting pain with just the squeeze of your hand and the shake. After a while, your forearms are cramping up, and you feel silly, like ‘My arm! I can’t do this anymore!'”

Regarding weight gain, White is a fantastic person to have as a part of your team. His hit show, The Bear, was recently renewed for a third season on FX, and restauranteurs delighted in trying to please the actor who plays Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto in the series. White’s notoriety earned the cast free meals, helping them keep the pounds they had worked so hard to gain.

“Jeremy, thankfully, had just done The Bear,” says Iron Claw costar Stanley Simons. “So, we’d go to restaurants and [the employees] would be like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Jeremy!’ and bring out a free dish. We were eating a lot.”

Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Stanley Simons, Cazzey Louis Cereghino, Grady Wilson, Lily James, Kevin Anton, Ryan Nemeth, and more join White, Dickinson, and Efron as cast members.

The Iron Claw will hold its world premiere in Dallas, Texas, where the Von Erichs started their professional wrestling careers. JoBlo’s resident wrestling addict, Travis Hopson, will be in attendance.

The Iron Claw opens in theaters on December 22, 2023.

You can check out select images from EW‘s cover shoot below: