If you’ve spent any time on Instagram lately, you’ve probably seen a guy who looks strikingly like a certain High School Musical star, but with more dirt on his face and a permanent tan from living out of a van. That would be Dylan Efron. For years, he was just "Zac Efron’s brother," the mysterious younger sibling popping up in shirtless beach photos or helping produce travel docs. But 2025 has been a massive pivot year for him.
Between winning season 3 of The Traitors and making it to the finals of Dancing with the Stars, Dylan has officially stepped out from the "bro" shadow. Honestly, it’s about time.
He’s Not Just "The Other Efron"
Born Nicholas Dylan Harrison Efron on February 6, 1992, he’s actually five years younger than Zac. They grew up in Arroyo Grande, California. Their parents, Starla and David, worked at the same power plant—standard middle-class stuff. But while Zac was off being a teen idol, Dylan was basically living a different life. He went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and grabbed a degree in Economics in 2013.
You’d think an Econ degree leads to a desk job, right? It did, for a second. He worked as a production coordinator on massive films like American Sniper and Ready Player One. But sitting in an office while the sun was out? It killed him. He eventually ditched the cubicle to lean into what he calls "Flow State."
That Sibling Rivalry was Real
They weren't always best friends. Dylan has been pretty open about how they fought like crazy as kids. "We were so different," he told BroBible. It wasn’t until Dylan graduated college and moved into Zac’s place in LA that the dynamic shifted. Zac took him under his wing, and suddenly, they weren't just brothers; they were business partners.
The Reality TV Takeover: The Traitors and DWTS
If 2024 was the year of Zac's acting comeback with The Iron Claw, 2025 belongs to Dylan’s reality TV dominance.
Most people were shocked when he was cast in The Traitors Season 3. People expected him to be "the quiet one." Instead, he played a near-perfect game as a Faithful. He ended up winning the whole thing alongside Ivar Mountbatten and Gabby Windey. Zac was his biggest hype man during the season, telling everyone that Dylan was always the "first-roll Yahtzee kind of dude" growing up. Basically, the guy is a low-key genius at games.
Then came Dancing with the Stars Season 34.
Paired with Daniella Karagach, Dylan became a fan favorite. Not because he was the best dancer—though he’s super athletic—but because of "Dedication Night." He dedicated a performance of "Rewrite the Stars" (yeah, the song from Zac’s movie The Greatest Showman) to his little sister, Olivia. Seeing this grown-outdoorsman-filmmaker guy dancing with a toddler on national TV? It broke the internet.
The Family Dynamic is Complicated (In a Good Way)
The Efron family tree has grown a bit since the early Disney days. After Starla and David divorced in 2016, David remarried. Now, Zac and Dylan are the "cool older brothers" to two much younger siblings: Olivia and Henry.
- Olivia: Born in 2019. She’s the one who appeared on DWTS and is famously the apple of both brothers' eyes.
- Henry: The youngest. Dylan says Henry is basically a clone of him—always falling down, hitting his head, and just laughing it off.
Dylan jokes that he’s the "favorite" brother because he lives closer and sees them at least twice a month, whereas Zac is often filming abroad. It’s a sweet dynamic that shows a much more grounded side of the "Hollywood" family.
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Why People Are Actually Following Him Now
It’s not just the famous last name. Dylan has carved out a niche in the "adventure travel" space that feels surprisingly authentic. His YouTube series Flow State isn't about luxury hotels. It’s about him getting seasick while spearfishing or trekking through Nepal for three weeks.
He’s an Ironman triathlete. He lives in a van for half the year. He’s an ambassador for brands like GoPro and Vuori because he actually uses the gear. He’s not trying to act; he’s trying to show people how to get outside.
What You Can Learn from Dylan Efron’s Pivot
If you’re looking to follow in his footsteps—not the fame part, but the "lifestyle" part—here are a few actionable takeaways from how Dylan lives:
- Prioritize Movement Over "Workouts": Dylan doesn't just "hit the gym." He surfs, climbs, and bikes. If you're bored with your routine, find an outdoor hobby that exhausts you.
- Lean Into Your Strengths: He used his background in production to create his own shows rather than waiting for a network to hire him.
- Family First, Always: Despite the fame and the busy travel schedules, he makes a point to drive three hours twice a month to see his younger siblings. That consistency matters more than the "cool brother" status.
- Embrace the "Flow State": Find that one thing where you lose track of time. For Dylan, it’s being outside. For you, it might be something else entirely, but find it and protect it.
Dylan Efron is no longer just the guy in the background of Zac's Instagram posts. He’s a winner, a dancer, a producer, and arguably the most relatable Efron. Whether he’s winning reality shows or teaching his sister how to surf, he's proving that being "the brother of" was just the opening act.