"Zac Efron came out here looking like sexy Ned Flanders"
Zac Efron is clearly well-acquainted with the weight room.
The 35-year-old actor's phenomenal physical transformation for new movie "The Iron Claw" was on full display on set of the film in Louisiana earlier this week.
Efron will star opposite Jeremy Allen White and Lily James to portray the story of real-life wrestler Kevin Von Erich and his family who helped shape professional wrestling as we know it today. The Von Erich family created a pro-wrestling dynasty that impacted the sport for decades.
Zac Efron training for Sean Durkin’s ‘THE IRON CLAW.’ 📽💪 pic.twitter.com/jyXQ33vZlb
— Complex Pop Culture (@ComplexPop) October 24, 2022 @ComplexPop
Playing wrestling champion Kevin Von Erich required the "Neighbors" star to pack on several pounds of muscle to develop a rather beefed-up frame.
The now viral on-set photos of Efron featured him with the wrestler's signature bowl cut, six-pack abs, massive arms and a deep golden tan.
When the images first made their way online fans and commentators took to Twitter to react — with most simply trying to pull their jaws off the floor at the sight of his musculature.
Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich is sending me to the goddamn moon pic.twitter.com/QKKSG280wc
— TAPE (@tapemachines) October 26, 2022 @tapemachines
Zac Efron came out here looking like sexy Ned Flanders pic.twitter.com/UB5AltzsUo
— Meech de Lioncourt 🦇 (@MediumSizeMeech) October 26, 2022 @MediumSizeMeech
Dude is looking jacked as hell. Happy for him.
— a̷̷d̷a̷̷m̷ (@drssnakes) October 26, 2022 @drssnakes
Any word on who's playing Gary Hart? pic.twitter.com/TL7ixIdO9V
I can't believe that's Zack Effron! pic.twitter.com/haD4oHaDpQ
— Obi Juan Kenobi (@jrios29) October 26, 2022 @jrios29
The last time the "High School Musical" alum underwent a dramatic physical transformation for a role was for 2017's "Baywatch." Efron recently revealed in an interview with Men's Health that the training process for "Baywatch" had caused him to develop depression and insomnia.
"I started to develop insomnia and I fell into a pretty bad depression for a long time. Something about that experience burned me out," Zac said. "I had a really hard time recentering. Ultimately they chalked it up to taking way too many diuretics for way too long, and it messed something up."
At a certain point, Efron said it became "a dream of mine" to not have to stay in shape all the time.
It looks like Zac is putting those dreams on pause in the meantime.