From The Traitors to Dancing with the Stars: Dylan Efron breaks down his breakout year

After years of working behind the scenes and occasionally appearing in his brother’s travel projects, Dylan Efron has stepped into his own spotlight — and 2025 has cemented that shift.

The former The Traitors standout and current Dancing with the Stars semifinalist has moved from relative obscurity to becoming one of the most visible reality-TV figures of the year.

With competitive accomplishments, a new national campaign, and a fast-growing fanbase, Efron’s breakout run spans two major shows and a very public reinvention.

Dancing with the Stars – Dylan Efron’s ballroom breakout

Dylan Efron first captured broad attention when he appeared as a contestant on The Traitors Season 3, and he was a winner that season.

Within months, on September 3, 2025, it was announced that he would join the cast of Dancing with the Stars Season 34 on ABC, partnered with professional dancer Daniella Karagach.

On Dancing with the Stars, Efron’s early weeks included high-profile performances such as his Dedication Night routine on October 15, where he danced alongside his five-year-old sister Olivia to “Rewrite the Stars,” and achieved the highest score of the night.

In another episode, on Sept. 30, Efron used Brooklyn singer Justin Bieber’s track “Yukon” for TikTok Night and opened up about his friendship with Bieber during a confessional.

“What makes me respect Justin so much is he makes people feel comfortable being vulnerable.”

In late October, Efron sustained a broken nose during rehearsals. He posted on Instagram:

“Broke my nose… but don’t need it to dance. I’m seriously all good.”

Earlier in the year, his appearance on The Traitors triggered a wave of new brand deals and fan attention, as insiders noted he “broke out of his brother’s shadow,” referring to sibling Zac Efron.

More recently, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Efron discussed becoming a campaign frontman with his new Choose Kind campaign. He said, 

“I was looking for a challenge, and I was in a place where I’m really comfortable with myself and who I am.” He added, “I like being selective — and this was the easiest yes ever.”

Talking about his "family" on Dancing with the stars, he said, 

"Yes in that we all genuinely want everybody to succeed. Like when Elaine [Hendrix] got hurt, you should have seen everybody react. We were all devastated. And we all want each other to do our best every time out there."

These stacked achievements – from winning The Traitors to performing at the top level of Dancing with the Stars – mark 2025 as Efron’s breakout year.

His earlier life

Born February 6, 1992, in San Luis Obispo, California, Dylan Efron earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Cal Poly in 2013.

While his older brother Zac became a Hollywood movie star, Dylan spent years outside the spotlight as a production coordinator and influencer.

Sources report his modest Manhattan Beach beach-home lifestyle and long-term relationship with Courtney King were steady before 2025.

In joining Dancing with the Stars, Efron revealed that he had initially resisted the idea. 

“I wasn’t an immediate yes sometimes,” he told a podcast.

He recounted a lunch invitation by a casting director who described the show as “a big family” and prompted him to “embrace it.”

His perspective shrank the usual media hyperbole.

He described in The Hollywood Reporter interview,

“When I’d been asked in the past, I don’t think I was ready.… But I was looking for a challenge, and… realizing I can just be myself was the key.”

On Dancing with the Stars, Efron described rehearsal as far from glamor,

“We all have a slot to train for about five hours.… And then most of the time I spend the rest of the day dancing as well because I have a lot of work to do.”

On The Traitors, his win involved strategy, alliances, and publicity that built his platform.

While The Traitors remains less visible in mainstream US primetime compared to Dancing with the Stars, the crossover success it achieved is rare.

As of October 2025, Efron remains in contention for the Mirrorball Trophy on Dancing with the Stars.

His performances drew praise for control, emotional resonance, and growth. One judge called the dedication night routine “the best feeling” of the season.

Off-screen, his Choose Kind campaign with Kind Snacks positions him beyond reality-show personality to brand partner and advocate for small acts of kindness. He said, 

“I love the simple acts of kindness … it’s kind of just how I try to lead my life, and it’s brought me a lot of joy.”

In summary, Dylan Efron’s time on The Traitors and Dancing with the Stars frames a transformational arc.

He moved from being known as Zac Efron’s brother to a reality television win, then to one of the leading competitors on Dancing with the Stars, and a campaign frontman.

If 2025 was his breakout year, his ongoing stint on Dancing with the Stars and beyond suggest an evolving career rather than a one-hit moment.

Stay tuned for more updates.