How Zac Efron's 'Bond' With His Real Brother Influenced His 'The Iron Claw' Performance
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Even when Zac Efron, 36, is working on a new project, the connection he has with his siblings comes into play, especially in his new role as Kevin Von Erich in The Iron Claw—a film about brothers with big wrestling dreams.
On Monday, December 11, Zac opened up about how his relationship with his own brother, 31-year-old Dylan Efron, informed his acting performance at the Los Angeles premiere of the A24 film. "This movie's about brothers, at the core of it, and you know, I'm a big brother myself. I love him to death. But there's a certain kind of relationship—it's just the brother bond," Zac told Entertainment Tonight in a red carpet interview. "So, of course I thought about him a lot over the course of this movie. And I know that that connection, in the movie, is something that Kevin Von Erich really appreciated about it, so it makes me proud."
And Dylan is (understandably!) proud of his big brother, too. The same day as The Iron Claw premiere, Dylan accompanied their parents, Starla Baskett and David Efron, to the celebration ceremony for Zac getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Those who have been fans of Zac since his Troy Bolton days probably know he has a younger brother, but the actor is actually the eldest of four kids. He and Dylan also have two younger half-siblings, Olivia and Henry, per People.
Below, here's everything to know about Zac's three siblings:
Dylan Efron
Dylan is a pretty active YouTuber and social media influencer with a big following: 851k followers on Instagram and 35.1K subscribers on YouTube. Behind the camera, Dylan has also worked as a producer, including on Zac’s docuseries Down to Earth with Zac Efron, according to People. He also appeared on a few episodes of Down to Earth alongside Zac, and was an associate producer for the 2020 documentary By Hand.
The bio on his YouTube channel says, "Making memories, learning, and humbling myself outdoors," which provides a little insight on the type of content he makes. Whether he's attempting to walk a highline, surfing, or exploring Catalina Island, this adrenaline-craving Efron is always doing something adventurous.
Just look at this picture he posted next to a massive shark. "You know when you meet a new dog, how you extend the back of your hand to build some comfort and trust? That’s exactly how this felt," Dylan captioned the whoa-inducing experience.
Dylan and Zac are super close, and fans of both have probably noticed that the two do so much together, such as boating and playing golf, according to People.
Just a few months ago, the duo played a round of golf together. Dylan posted the picture to Instagram alongside the caption, "He beat me at golf, I pushed him in the lake. just like old times." Oh, brotherly love!
But even though the Efron boys are close now, Dylan told BroBible in January 2021 that they actually grew up pretty combative. Their relationship dynamic after Dylan graduated college. "Zac really took me under his wing and let me live with him when I got my first job in Los Angeles. He really became that older brother, and that's when I would say we grew closer than ever," Dylan explained. "Our relationship was something that developed more as we both became adults and stopped fighting so much."
Olivia Efron
Oliva Efron, 3, is Zac's half-sister. (Zac's parents divorced in 2016, per People, and David later remarried.) The actor has posted a few pictures with her on his Instagram, including this adorable snap from her birthday last year. He wrote, "Happy bday lil sis 👸."
Their relationship gets even cuter. Zac also shared a photo of himself reading to Olivia on Instagram. The siblings smile at each other in the first picture, and he kisses her forehead in the second. "My valentine #happyvalentinesday," he captioned the sweet pic.
Zac and Olivia have a close relationship, but it seems like he and Dylan have a little rivalry over who's her favorite big bro. In August 2023, Dylan shared an Instagram reel with the caption, "Sorry Zac, I’m winning ❤️."
The reel consists of the cutest videos of Dylan and Olivia, while the 3-year-old lists all the reasons she loves her big brother. "I love him very much and he's my brother. And I love him because Dylan's so strong to pick me up," she says. "Dylan can hang me upside down."
Henry Efron
Henry is the youngest Efron sibling, and Zac is just as close with his half-brother. In June 2023, he posted an Instagram photo of himself holding Olivia and Henry at a circus and captioned the post, "Showtime 🤡."
Who else is absolutely loving big brother Zac?
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