The Star Fans Have Been Waiting for Just Appeared on 'DWTS' – And It Left Them Screaming

Fans who had been wondering whether this "High School Musical" celebrity would ever appear on the live show got a sweet surprise when the star finally showed up.

The actor made his first appearance on "Dancing With the Stars" ("DWTS") in support of his brother during the semifinals. The episode, packed with unexpected moments, especially one pair's shocking elimination, left fans even more thrilled to have him in the audience.

Spotlight Shines on the Star During the Semifinals

The main "DWTS" Instagram page shared photos of Zac Efron posing with his brother, Dylan Efron, as well as another showing him with their little sister, Olivia, and their mother, Starla Baskett. The post was captioned, "The Efron family is cheering on @dylanefron as he soars around the ballroom for #DWTS #PrinceNight!"

The 38-year-old was spotted sitting front and center on Tuesday, November 18, holding their 5-year-old sister on his lap. Olivia watched the competition in a pink puff-sleeved dress, while Zac kept it casual in a dark button-down shirt over a white T-shirt.

Dylan and his partner Daniella Karagach are now in their tenth week of the competition, leaving fans curious about why it took the "Baywatch" star so long to appear. Some fans pointed out that even Prince William had made a surprise visit before him.

Social media users had persistently called on Zac to attend, flooding feeds with humorous posts. On Prince Night, he finally showed up, lending his support on one of television's biggest dance shows.

Fans Explode with Joy – And One Big Question

Fans poured onto social media with excitement and disbelief at the actor's appearance. One exclaimed, "THE SCREAMMMM I had when Zac popped up on my screen, waited all season for this moment!!!" Another person shouted, "Zac we were waiting for you!!!"

And amidst the celebration, one fan voiced their confusion, "This is great I love this but why in the world did the BEST dancer go home ??? Isn't this DWTS ??? make it make sense please [sic]."

The Brothers' Bond Runs Deep, Even Off-Camera

While fans had been eager to see Zac, Dylan remained unfazed by the delay in October. He explained that he wasn't worried, noting that his brother has been supporting him every day.

However, the actor's admirers had expected to see him when Olivia joined Dylan and Daniella for his Dedication Night performance of "Rewrite the Stars" last month. The song is from Zac's movie "The Greatest Showman."

Dylan Efron dedicated his performance to Olivia. In a pre-taped video shown ahead of the performance, he reflected, "I wasn't expecting to be a big brother…but immediately, I was inseparable from her."

He added that dancing to "Rewrite the Stars" was also a way to honor Zac. "Zac's always taken care of me and he did things that were so selfless. I wanna be that to Olivia, I wanna be the best role model I can," he gushed.

Dylan and Zac, whose parents, Starla and David Efron, divorced in 2016, are now older brothers to Olivia and Henry, 4, whom David welcomed with his second wife.

A Fierce Night of Competition

The night Zac chose to show up on "DWTS" ended with a surprising elimination of one of the show's most consistent, high-scoring couples. Each of the remaining six pairs delivered two routines to some of Prince's most iconic hits, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive evening.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson topped the leaderboard after performing a Jive to "Baby I'm a Star" and a Viennese Waltz to "WOW," earning a near-perfect 59 out of 60.

Close behind were Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, whose Argentine Tango to "Little Red Corvette" and Viennese Waltz to "Purple Rain" brought them to 58.

Matching that score were Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas, who powered through a Cha Cha to "1999" before shifting into a graceful Viennese Waltz to "Slow Love."

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten followed with a Foxtrot to "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and a commanding Paso Doble to "When Doves Cry," finishing with 57.

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa earned the same total after delivering a lively Jive to "Raspberry Beret" and an Argentine Tango to "U Got the Look."

Dylan and Daniella rounded out the night with a Tango to "I Would Die 4 U" and a Cha Cha to "Kiss," scoring 55 out of 60.

But as always, the judges' scores were only part of the equation. Once viewer votes were factored in, the competition took an unexpected turn, as Whitney and Mark Ballas were eliminated.

With the Season 34 finale up next, and a three-hour showdown on the way, viewers are already eager to see who will claim the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy.