Dylan Efron knows Dancing With the Stars viewers want to see his brother Zac Efron in the crowd.
“Hey, he’s doing his thing,” Dylan, 33, told Extra after the Tuesday, October 21, live show. While he might not be there physically, Dylan did confirm that Zac, 38, is “supporting me every day.”
Fans were convinced that Zac would join his family in the audience for last week’s “Dedication Night” performance, in which Dylan and partner Daniella Karagach performed a contemporary routine to “Rewrite the Stars” from The Greatest Showman. The song was originally sung by Zac and Zendaya in the 2017 movie.
Dylan dedicated his performance to his 5-year-old sister, Olivia, who appeared in the dance. (Dylan and Zac also have a younger brother, Henry, 4.) Dylan spoke with Us Weekly exclusively about why choosing that song was a no-brainer.
“It just made sense,” he said after the October 14 DWTS episode. “It wasn’t even a thought. That’s like my favorite performance by Zac, so it was special.”
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They received all nines for their performance, which Dylan was “not at all” expecting. “I was hoping for one nine,” he admitted. “So we exceeded our expectations.”
Before taking the stage for their dance, Dylan got emotional in his pre-performance package about being Zac’s brother.
“I’m dedicating this dance to my little sister, Olivia. I wasn’t expecting to be a big brother … but immediately, I was inseparable from her,” he said in footage from their rehearsal.
Discussing the song choice, Dylan noted that it was “a nod to my brother,” who has always been there for him.
“Zac’s always taken care of me and he did things that were so selfless,” Dylan added. “I wanna be that to Olivia, I wanna be the best role model I can.”
Dylan’s family has been his support system since the DWTS casting announcement last month.
“My dad is super excited,” the Traitors alum told Us at the time. “He has little kids, [ages] 4 and 5. They’re all super excited. My mom was honestly just shocked. She’s just like, ‘Where’d this come from?’ My brother is supportive.”
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Dylan recalled Zac attending a DWTS live taping “a long time ago,” and said that the High School Musical alum had fond memories of being in the ballroom.
“He’s like, ‘The best part is going to be those live shows,’” Dylan added. “He was saying, like, it’s such a good feeling.”
Dylan is gearing up to take on a Viennese waltz for the Tuesday, October 28, live show. His Halloween Week performance will be set to Tommee Profitt and Brooke‘s “Can’t Help Falling In Love (DARK).” As for their costumes? Viewers will have to watch to find out what Dylan and Daniella, 32, dress up as.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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