Fans stunned by Zac Efron’s dramatic new look in The Iron Claw

“What happened to his face?”: The popular actor has undergone a major transformation for his latest role, leaving him barely recognisable.

Zac Efron looked nearly unrecognisable on the set of Entertainment Weekly’s cover shoot for his new film The Iron Claw, leaving fans shocked by his appearance.

In the new biopic, the 36-year-old actor plays the legendary Kevin Von Erich, aka Kevin Adkisson, a professional wrestler who rose to fame in the 1960s, reports the New York Post.

To portray a member of the Von Erich wrestling family, Efron went to great lengths to get into shape for the role.

“I started intermittent fasting just after I stopped being vegan,” Efron told Men’s Health. “My body wasn’t processing the vegetables in the right way.”

“So, I decided to stop it and try something new,” he added. “Intermittent fasting has been really helpful with that.”

But it wasn’t Efron’s newly sculpted rippling pectorals that had the internet talking.

Efron appears unrecognisable in his new movie. Picture: Supplied

When a clip in between takes from the EW cover shoot hit Instagram and X (the platform formerly known as Twitter), fans were stunned with one user asking, “What happened to his face?”

“[He] looks like Prince Farquhar in Shrek,” said Pickle1253, alluding to Efron’s prominent jawline.

“Damn his face doesn’t even move now,” added Robbyrob82.

“‘Shrek’ live action? Omg,” PedroPuroPretoConsultor quipped.

“What happened to his face??” said LuisB545.

“Growth hormone has wrecked his jaw/lips,” declared NickRidley17.

“Omg Zach, what happened to You?!” asked Clardina06.

He plays pro wrestler Kevin Von Erich. Picture: Supplied

Efron underwent a dramatic makeover, and now looks very different from his previous self (pictured here in 2018). Picture: AFP Photo/Valerie Macon

One fan tried to explain Efron’s new look and hoped to end any negative comments before they could begin.

“Before everyone comments about it,” wrote Taylor.brwn, “Z said that his jaw shattered in an accident and he had to get it restructured which is supposedly why it looks different now.”

In a September 2022 interview with People, Efron addressed rumours he had plastic surgery and revealed that he broke his jaw in 2013, causing his muscles in his face and jaw to enlarge.

“They just got really, really big,” Efron said.

Still, fans weren’t convinced that the actor wasn’t botched and let their opinions be known.

Efron (alongside co-star and ex-girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens) first found fame in the High School Musical franchise.

“False narrative once again,” Kyle_v25 wrote. “His accident was in 2013! Please learn the facts or stop making excuses for him lol.”

Despite his evolving appearance, one commenter confessed that she was still a fan of the High School Musical star.

“I think he still look hot,” said PurplePinkLexi.

The Iron Claw, starring Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson, opens in Australian theatres on January 18.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Fans stunned by Zac Efron’s dramatic new look in The Iron Claw