On Thursday, A24 revealed the first photo of Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White as Kevin and Kerry Von Erich in The Iron Claw. The film is an upcoming biopic about the famous Von Erich family, who were professional wrestlers.
They're just the latest actors to transform their appearance while playing actual athletes on screen. So here are 21 actors, including Zac and Jeremy, who tried their hand at a sports biopic:
A previous version of this story listed the below photos as side by side, which they are not.
1. Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in The Iron Claw (2023):
Kevin Von Erich in 1986:
2. Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich in The Iron Claw (2023):
Kerry Von Erich in the 1990s:
3. Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson in Winning Time (2022–present):
Magic Johnson in 1989:
4. Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Winning Time (2022–present):
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar circa 1970s:
5. Trevante Rhodes as Mike Tyson in Mike (2022):
Mike Tyson in 1986:
6. Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney as Serena and Venus Williams in King Richard (2021):
Serena and Venus Williams in 1991:
7. Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding in I, Tonya (2017):
Tonya Harding in 1991:
8. Emma Stone as Billie Jean King in Battle of the Sexes (2017):
Billie Jean King in 1973:
9. Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs in Battle of the Sexes (2017):
Bobby Riggs in 1973:
10. Shia LaBeouf as John McEnroe in Borg vs. McEnroe (2017):
John McEnroe in 1981:
11. Sverrir Gudnason as Björn Borg in Borg vs. McEnroe (2017):
Björn Borg in 1979:
12. Jake Gyllenhaal as Jeff Bauman in Stronger (2017):
Jeff Bauman in 2013:
13. Taron Egerton as Michael "Eddie" Edwards in Eddie the Eagle (2016):
Michael "Eddie" Edwards in 1988:
14. Stephan James as Jesse Owens in Race (2016):
Jesse Owens in 1936:
15. Kevin de Paula as Pelé in Pelé: Birth of a Legend (2016):
Pelé in 1955:
16. Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom in Mary Kom (2014):
Mary Kom in 2006:
17. Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013):
Jackie Robinson circa late-1940s and 1950s:
18. AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany Hamilton in Soul Surfer (2011):
Bethany Hamilton in 2004:
19. Will Smith as Muhammad Ali in Ali (2001):
Muhammad Ali in 1977:
20. Jared Leto as Steve Prefontaine in Prefontaine (1997):
Steve Prefontaine in 1972:
21. Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980):
Jake LaMotta in 1949:
