Dylan Efron Gets Emotional Watching Brother Zac on Dancing With the Stars
Zac Efron may not have been present in the audience of Dancing With the Stars to support his brother Dylan Efron on Dedication Night, but he still received a heartfelt mention.
During the episode that aired on Tuesday, October 14, the 33-year-old Dylan, alongside his dance partner Daniella Karagach, delivered a stunning contemporary performance to “Rewrite the Stars” from Zac’s film The Greatest Showman. While Zac, aged 37, was absent from the ballroom, Dylan shared the stage with their 5-year-old sister, Olivia.
“This dance is dedicated to my little sister, Olivia. I didn’t anticipate becoming a big brother, but we quickly became inseparable,” Dylan expressed in rehearsal footage.
Reflecting on the influence Zac has had on him, Dylan became emotional. “Dancing to ‘Rewrite the Stars’ is a tribute to my brother,” he said with tears in his eyes. “Zac has always looked out for me and made countless selfless sacrifices. I strive to be that kind of role model for Olivia.”
Dylan’s emotions were clear during his performance on Tuesday night, which impressed the judges and earned him a score of 36 out of 40—consisting of all nines.
Although Zac has yet to appear in the DWTS ballroom since the start of season 34 in September, Dylan previously teased a special tribute to his family for Dedication Night.
“Everyone assumed you’d be performing something from High School Musical tonight,” co-host Julianne Hough remarked during the October 7 Disney Night episode after Dylan and Daniella, 32, performed “Life Is a Highway” from Cars.
Dylan replied, “I have something special planned for next week, provided I’m still in the competition,” much to the apparent dismay of Daniella, who felt he had revealed too much.
Zac shot to fame playing Troy Bolton in the High School Musical series, which released three films between 2006 and 2008.
After his casting on Dancing With the Stars was announced in September, Dylan opened up about his family’s reactions to his participation.
“My dad is thrilled,” he told Us Weekly at that time. “He has young kids ages 4 and 5 who are also very excited. My mom was honestly just in disbelief, saying, ‘Where did this come from?’ My brother has been very supportive.”
Dylan shared that Zac had attended a live Dancing With the Stars taping “a long time ago” and had some advice for his younger brother about what to expect from the experience.
“He said, ‘The best part will be the live shows,’” Dylan recalled. “He mentioned it’s such a rewarding experience.”
As for whether Zac would eventually join his family in supporting Dylan in person, he teased, “We’ll see.”
Dylan also mentioned that he and Daniella aimed to carve their own path without relying too heavily on Zac’s illustrious career, stating, “We want to focus on our own performances.”
Dylan previously stood out in season 3 of The Traitors, where he emerged victorious alongside Gabby Windey, Dolores Catania, and Ivar Mountbatten. However, he highlighted the distinct pressures each reality show brings.
“This is way more intense because now I’m dancing on a stage, whereas I just had to raise my hand in the other one,” he joked. “This time, it’s all about getting up there and performing.”
Dylan acknowledged that he had “never” performed before participating in Dancing With the Stars, but he was eager to take on the challenge.
“I thought, ‘No way am I doing that.’ Those moments make you realize, ‘Am I saying no because I’m scared? And is that fear because this could turn out to be the best experience of my life?’” he shared with Us. “Pushing myself outside of my comfort zone is the best way to grow.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes available the following day on Hulu.
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