Jeremy Allen White (and his hair extensions) as Kerry Von Erich.Devin Yalkin for A24
While Efron and Dickinson relied on wigs, White was able to use his own hair — mostly. “We did Capelli K-Tip Keratin extensions,” Rose says. “[Jeremy] was the only one that had to go home in his look.” Rose tied in three different shades of extensions to match the natural highlights in his hair because his coloring favored the real-life Kerry’s natural color.
The Sweat (and Tans) of ’80s Wrestling Superstars
The Iron Claw isn’t a makeup-forward film to the naked eye, but it is makeup-heavy. Dickinson and White had multiple tattoos that needed to be concealed — Dickinson’s on his arms, legs, and ribs; White’s on both arms. The coverup required alcohol-based makeup, which affected the characters’ overall skin tone. You’ll notice Efron is significantly more tan than Dickinson and White, which was a thoughtful decision.
Efron’s tan was au naturel — no body bronzer, no self-tanner — with Favorule saying he can “tan like nobody’s business.” For Dickinson and White, they opted not to tan them, partly because it wasn’t crucial to their characters, says Favorule, but also because of their tattoo coverup process. Using fake tanner or body bronzing cream would impair the ability to conceal their tattoos effectively, or, alternatively, add an extra hour in the morning for touching up the tan.
