Zac Efron Gets Defensive: Dylan Reveals Brother's Reaction to Viral 'DWTS' Moment

Dylan Efron opened up about his brother Zac Efron’s reaction to the viral moment from his Dancing With the Stars performance, revealing that Zac got “defensive” when he learned what people were saying online.

“I actually did speak to Zac about this because I was just saying it as I thought it was funny,” Dylan, 33, said during a Tuesday, November 9, appearance on “SiriusXM’s Smith Sisters Live.” “But then Zac was like, ‘Oh no.’ He’s like, ‘They’re misinterpreting it.’”

Though Dylan couldn’t recall Zac’s exact words, he remembered his brother acknowledging the performance. “I think he said that he thought it was a really good dance,” Dylan said. “So he is like, ‘Is that the highest score they would give?’”

While Zac, 38, didn’t attend the show to cheer for his brother during Dedication Night, he made a big splash during a recent episode. In the October 14 broadcast, Dylan and his partner, Daniella Karagach, performed a stunning contemporary routine to “Rewrite the Stars.” After their tango to Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” earned them a 27, the camera captured Zac turning to their mom, prompting speculation among fans.

Eagle-eyed social media users attempted to lip-read his question, theorizing that Zac asked, “Are those good scores?”

Later, Dylan sought to clarify Zac's inquiry. “I think he was more like, ‘That should have been higher or something like that,’” Dylan clarified. “But Zac was, yeah, I don’t know. It was funny regardless. But Zac got defensive. He is like, ‘No, they misinterpreted what I meant.’”

During the episode, Zac expressed his unwavering support for Dylan, urging fans to vote for him. “Vote for @dylanefron tonight on DWTS!” Zac wrote on his Instagram Story before the live taping wrapped. “Text ‘Dylan’ to 21523 ten times.”

Dylan said he was lucky to have his brother there.

"It means everything. I grew up watching him do stuff like this,” Dylan told Entertainment Tonight last month after the semi-final episode. “Looking over, my family’s there, my girlfriend. Just seeing all of them together, that’s my support.”

For his Dedication Night performance, Dylan used one of Zac’s songs, saying, “It just made sense. It wasn’t even a thought. That’s like my favorite performance by Zac, so it was special.”

Despite Zac believing Dylan deserved a higher score, Dylan made it to the finals, competing against Robert Irwin, Alix Earle, Jordan Chiles, and Elaine Hendrix for the coveted mirrorball trophy. Although Zac couldn’t attend the DWTS finale, Dylan sent a heartfelt shout-out before stepping on stage.

“My whole life, I watched my brother perform,” the Traitors winner said in a pre-taped segment. “I never wanted to be in the spotlight, and the fact that I can step out onstage and capture people’s attention truly gives me chills. I finally feel like I belong here.”

With zero prior dance experience, Dylan claimed fourth place in the competition. Irwin, who also lacked dance experience, partnered with Witney Carson to take home the championship title.