'The Peanut Butter Falcon' star Zack Gottsagen performed wrestling moves while suffering a hernia

Shia LaBeouf says his The Peanut Butter Falcon co-star Zack Gottsagen suffered for his art while shooting wrestling scenes for the indie drama.

The film sees newcomer Zack Gottsagen star as Zak, a young man with Down syndrome who embarks on an adventure to achieve his dreams of becoming a pro wrestler hero, alongside Shia LaBoef as Tyler, a fisherman and smalltime crook, who helps him in his quest.

The wrestling training Gottsagen had to do to prepare the film and take on the character’s wrestling alias, The Peanut Butter Falcon, was real, they told Yahoo. On Zack’s on-set physicality, LaBeouf revealed: “He had a hernia, he was doing all that wrestling stuff while he had a hernia at the same time. In the heat. In Savannah. It was physical. He was at war.”

While Gottsagen added of his co-star, “Yes, Shia would help me; Shia would train me.”

The two star alongside Dakota Johnson, who plays retirement home worker Eleanor, as well as with cameos from real classic wrestlers, Mick Foley, and Jack “The Snake” Roberts, who Zak faces in the ring.

With all the tough training to wrestle on screen, Yahoo asked the star if he’d like to make his own, real-life wrestling appearance.

Read more: LaBeouf on wrestling Tom Hardy naked

“Actually not really, no. I just want to watch people fight. Just to watch and see what they do,” Gottsagen told Yahoo, after the film’s rigorous training regime.

“Only for this film, not for real life!” the actor clarified.

But the star remains a WWE fan, revealing, “Actually, one of my favourite wrestlers is Triple H. He’s kind of my favourite person.”

The Peanut Butter Falcon is in cinemas from today. Watch a trailer below.