Stanley Simons: Australian stars in The Iron Claw biopic with Zac Efron

Hollywood heavyweight Zac Efron is garnering rave reviews for his latest biopic, The Iron Claw, but an Aussie starring alongside him that Hollywood executives are clamouring to sign.

Critics and audiences are heralding wrestling biopic The Iron Claw, which released in cinemas over the weekend, as the triumph of Zac Efron’s acting career. But it’s newcomer Stanley Simons, who grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, that Hollywood executives are clamouring to sign.

The 23-year-old holds his own in the starry cast of Sean Durkin’s new film, which is based on the real-life triumph — and stranger-than-fiction tragedy — of the Von Erich family, a Southern dynasty of professional wrestlers that spans three generations.

Meeting his co-stars and on-screen brothers, Efron, The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White, and Triangle of Sadness star Harris Dickinson was “definitely scary,” Simons told The Daily Telegraph.

Sydney actor Stanley Simons. Picture: Lachlan Humphreys.

US actor Zac Efron stars in the film. Picture: AFP

“But as soon as we started filming, it felt right.”

“I would go to set every day and just watch them, even if I wasn’t acting. Zac was number one on the call sheet, and he’s obviously a great actor, but is such a good listener and was so

attentive to all of our feelings. He asked me, someone new who hasn’t been in many things, my opinion on what he should do.”

Behind the scenes of The Iron Claw movie. Australian actor Stanley Simons (centre) and Zac Efron (right) on set of The Iron Claw. Photo: Supplied.

Efron plays Kevin Von Erich, the eldest of four brothers and the Texas heavyweight wrestling champion in the pre-WrestleMania era of 1979. Simons delivers some of the best moments from the movie as Mike, the black sheep and sensitive musician of the family.

Behind the scenes of The Iron Claw movie. From left to right Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Zac Efron and Australian actor Stanley Simons. Picture: Supplied.

Stanley Simons attends the Los Angeles Premiere of "The Iron Claw". Picture: Getty Images

“He’s less physically adept than his brothers,” Simons said, “but I’d like to leave him up to your interpretation. My mindset working with these hugely talented actors was to do it to the best of my ability and to enjoy it.”

The New York-based actor got his start in primary school plays and TV advertisements from the age of four.

Simons’ character is ‘less physically adept’ than his brothers, one of whom is played by Zac Efron in The Iron Claw.

Zac Efron shows off his body on this newly released movie The Iron Claw where he plays Kevin Von Erich.

“From a very young age I knew acting was what I wanted to do for fun,” he said.

Simons’ mum Michelle co-founded Star Fish Kids child talent agency and he would go to work with his dad, who is a creative advertising executive.

Zac Efron in the newly released movie The Iron Claw where he plays Kevin Von Erich.

Australian actor Stanley Simons and Harris Dickinson on set of The Iron Claw. Picture: Supplied.

“I despised chocolate milk for a long time after a McDonald’s ad I did when I was about four,” he joked.

Simons lived in Newport until the age the nine, when the family relocated to Shanghai, China, during his early teenage years, and then New York City for his father’s work.

While filming a musical scene for the film, Simons said he took the chance to “have some fun “with his 36-year-old co-star, ribbing him about High School Musical.

“I sung [some of ‘Breaking Free’] to Zac when I was playing my music scene. That was definitely a life experience that I’ll never forget,” Simons said, also joking that he needed to “get my head in the game”.

“I would be doing a disservice to my whole generation not to have some fun with that. He loved it. Zac was younger than me [in his breakout 2006 film], which is crazy to think.”

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Email [e-mail]