The former ‘High School Musical’ star Zac Efron is showing a completely new side of himself in the US drama The Iron Claw, where he portrays the former wrestling hero Kevin von Erich.
In a recent interview, he reveals how he views his life in the spotlight.
The 36-year-old actor gained worldwide fame in 2006 with his performance in the teen movie High School Musical. Since then, he has continued to play lead roles in comedies like Baywatch and Bad Neighbors. However, it seems Zac has undergone a transformation over the past few years. After portraying serial killer Ted Bundy in the controversial film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, he recently took on another dramatic role. In The Iron Claw (now available on Sky and via WOW), Efron tells the tragic true story of the once-iconic wrestling family, the Von Erichs.
The family became famous not only for their triumphs in wrestling but also for their numerous tragedies. By the time patriarch Fritz von Erich died in 1997 at the age of 68, five of his six sons had already passed away—three of them by suicide. The only surviving son is Kevin von Erich, portrayed by Efron in the film. In an interview with the agency teleschau, the star admitted that he could see parallels between Kevin’s life and his own. Like Kevin, Zac often had to put on a fake smile in the spotlight and has also experienced some dark moments during his long career.
However, he emphasized that he would not prefer an anonymous life. “I really love my job. I love being in movies. I truly appreciate the opportunity to do this. When it comes to anonymity in my daily life, I have to say it has worked pretty well for me so far,” the film star explained. He added with a smile, “In my eyes, I’m still just regular Zac!” Yet, the 36-year-old revealed in the interview that he doesn’t take his success from High School Musical for granted.
On the contrary: “The coolest part was that I had the chance to travel the world. That was a positive side effect, and I have to say I still totally enjoy that to this day. It’s one of the best aspects of my life. I still dream about the early days of High School Musical and am extremely grateful for it. That experience opened many doors for me, and without it, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love today.”
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