Real-Life Wrestlers in The Iron Claw: A Look at the Cast of Professional Wrestlers
The Iron Claw, a new A24 film directed by Sean Durkin, features a star-studded cast of professional wrestlers portraying real-life wrestlers. From Maxwell Jacob Friedman to Chavo Guerrero Jr., these wrestlers bring authenticity and skill to their roles in the biographical drama about the famous Von Erich family. Let's take a closer look at the real-life wrestlers who appear in The Iron Claw.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman: The All Elite Wrestling Champion
The 27-year-old Maxwell Tyler Friedman, best known by his stage name Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), appears in The Iron Claw as a pro wrestler named Lance. Maxwell Jacob Friedman is a professional wrestler and an actor in real life who currently holds the All Elite Wrestling World Champion title. MJF's contributions to The Iron Claw are incredibly fitting as one of the best modern wrestlers alive today.
Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich in The Iron Claw.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman is notorious for being somewhat of an antagonistic figure as a professional wrestler, which is part of his larger persona similar to Conor McGregor's villainous characterization in the world of the UFC. Additionally, Maxwell Jacob Friedman also acts as one of the executive producers on The Iron Claw, hinting that he may have had some part in the creative direction of the movie altogether.
David Von Erich fights a wrestler in the ring in The Iron Claw
MJF has appeared in dozens of All Elite Wrestling TV specials and will be featured in the upcoming All Elite Wrestling: Words End special that is set to air on Saturday, December 30, 2023.
Doris and Fritz Von Erich in The Iron Claw with their kids
Ryan Nemeth: From Wrestling to Acting
The 39-year-old Ryan Nemeth has had a long career as a professional wrestler as well as a professional actor. Nemeth is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling and appears in The Iron Claw as Gino Hernandez, who was a real-life World Class Championship Wrestling member during the 1970s and 1980s. Ryan Nemeth has appeared in numerous AEW television specials as well as popular television shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live!, A.P. Bio, and The Eric Andre Show.
Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich performing a flying kick in The Iron Claw.
The real-life Hernandez, born as Charles Eugene Wolfe Jr., famously fought against the Von Erich brothers as depicted in The Iron Claw.
jeremy allen white in the iron claw
Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Silas Mason: Wrestling Legacies
Real-life veteran wrestler Chavo Guerrero Jr. appears in The Iron Claw as The Sheik. Like the Von Erich brothers, Chavo Guerrero Jr. was born into a family of prominent wrestlers that included Eddie Guerrero, Hector Guerrero, Mando Guerrero, and Chavo Guerrero Sr. Chavo signed with World Championship Wrestling in 1996 and later went onto sign with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2001, becoming a 4-Time WWE Cruiserweight Champion and winning multiple tag-team honors with his uncle Eddie. Outside of appearing in The Iron Claw, Chavo Guerrero Jr. had acted on television shows such as The Rookie and GLOW.
Lily James and Zac Efron as Pam and Kevin in The Iron Claw holding each other and looking in one another's eyes.
Pro wrestler and actor Silas Mason appears in The Iron Claw as one of the Fabulous Freebirds, a real-life wrestling group that faced head-on against the Von Erich brothers. Silas Mason has also been called Thrillbilly Silas as part of the National Wrestling Alliance who is famous for his entrance song 'You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire' by Queens of the Stone Age. Silas Mason has no other acting experience outside his role in The Iron Claw as one of the Fabulous Freebirds, but after the critical acclaim of the movie, that could certainly change for the better.
The Von Erich Brothers, Mike (Stanley Simons), Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), and David (Harris) pose in The Iron Claw.
