Zac Efron may have thrown off his High School Musical typecasting pretty handily in the last few years, but the latest photos from the set of The Iron Claw might just hang another hard-to-shake-off association on his head. Efron is fully yoked up for his portrayal of famed pro-wrestler Kevin Von Erich in the new photos, but the internet has clocked him for the OG “short king” himself instead: Shrek‘s diminutive antagonist, Lord Farquaad.
Truth be told, it’s hard to deny the resemblance. Although Efron stands at a reasonably tall 5’8″, his newly enhanced musculature and broadened frame force the perspective to make him seem shorter, and there is absolutely no denying that the hairstyle he sports in the movie ⏤ a spot-on recreation of Von Erich’s ’80s-era mullet meets bowl cut ‘do ⏤ looks more than a little like Lord Farquaad’s pageboy hair.
Of course, the internet is handling it about as maturely as you would expect.
One user even posited that this is what we would get if Shrek had ditched Fiona and gone off with Farquaad instead.
Whatever the internet might think about Zac’s new “worst boyfriend ever” lewk, he’s at least impressed his most important audience, Kevin Von Erich himself. “I saw of a picture of the guy and he looked great,” the former wrestler told TMZ. “I don’t think I ever looked that good, so I think they’re going to do great. I’ll bet they do.”
Needless to say, we now need a live-action Shrek to hit our screens immediately, preferably one in which Efron dons the same haircut and serves as the ruler of a land far, far away. If the movie happens to double as an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, you won’t hear us complaining.
The Iron Claw is currently in production and we will update you the moment a release date is announced.