The daughter of a renowned Von Erich brother, Lacey Von Erich, has voiced her disbelief regarding the authenticity of her father Kerry Von Erich's portrayal in the A24 film, The Iron Claw. Lacey, speaking out against the Sean Durkin-directed venture that revolves around the influential wrestling dynasty, expressed her discontent in Monday's episode of Investigation Discovery's new docuseries, Hollywood Demons. She described her father's depiction in the movie as "so inaccurate it pierced through her heart."
"Neither my sister nor I were featured as my dad's daughters in the film, and he was shown without a wife or any family ties," Lacey lamented during the episode. "Family was a crucial aspect of my dad's life, so seeing him misrepresented on screen was truly heartbreaking."
Lacey further clarified that she, her sister Hollie, and their mother Catherine Murray were conspicuously absent from The Iron Claw's narrative. While the film did include Kerry's motorcycle accident, which led to the amputation of his foot, his battle with addiction, and his tragic suicide in 1993, it overlooked essential details. Notably, the real-life Von Erich family comprised five brothers, yet the youngest sibling, Chris, was excluded from the film.
Kevin Von Erich, portrayed by Zac Efron in the 2023 film, also expressed dissatisfaction with how his brother Kerry was depicted. "Kerry in the movie was not shown as the family man he truly was," Kevin remarked.
Moreover, Hollie claimed that the family was uninformed about the film until they stumbled upon it on social media, whereas Kevin stated that he had "endorsed" the project. The Iron Claw delves into the notion of the "Von Erich curse," which refers to the untimely demise of all the brothers except Kevin. Despite incorporating the curse into the film, Durkin told The Hollywood Reporter that he did not believe in its existence.
"I do acknowledge the psychology behind a curse," he said. "When you belong to a family plagued by misfortunes, it's all too easy to believe you'll be ensnared by the same pattern. So, no, I don't believe in curses, but yes, I do think their psychological impact can be devastating."
