'The Iron Claw' trivia and fun facts
Character training
Jeremy Allen White gained 40 pounds of muscle to play Kerry Von Erich.
Based on real people
Maxwell Friedman is a real-life professional wrestler; he was born Maxwell Tyler Friedman. He is better known by his ring name Maxwell Jacob Friedman (often abbreviated to MJF) and signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Professional wrestler in real life
Outside of his acting career, Ryan Nemeth is professional wrestler with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he performs as "The Hollywood Hunk." In 2016 he competed against Kevin Von Erich's real life sons Ross and Marshall, in Dallas, Texas.
What happened to the absent brother?
Chris Von Erich was also an aspiring wrestler involved in minor angles with his brothers during the 1980s, although nothing major due to his age. However, upon reaching adulthood, he did not grow tall enough and was therefore considered too short and not athletic enough to become a major star like his brothers Kerry, Kevin and David.
Strange absence
Conspicuously absent from the cast list to long-time wrestling fans is the role of Chris Von Erich, the youngest brother who died by suicide (gunshot) in 1991 at 21 years of age, almost 1.5 years before the suicide of Kerry Von Erich.
Tragic history
The Patriarch of the Van Erich family, Fritz, died of cancer in his Denton County home in 1997 at the age of 68; five of his six sons had predeceased him.
End of the strike at the premiere
The film had its world premiere in Dallas, Texas the same evening that the SAG-AFTRA strike ended. Many of the actors found out the news through journalists on the red carpet.