Zac Efron Finally Appears on 'DWTS' to Support His Brother Dylan

The star from the golden days of teenage dreams made a dazzling return to the spotlight on Tuesday night and set the internet ablaze in the process.

Zac Efron, the "High School Musical" heartthrob who once adorned the walls of every girl's bedroom, stunned fans with a surprise appearance on "Dancing with the Stars" on November 18, 2025, igniting a frenzy of whispers, admiration, and jaw-dropping disbelief over his striking, fresh look.

Family Pride Steals the Spotlight

The beloved actor wasn't there to dance, but to cheer on his younger brother, Dylan Efron, who was competing in the semifinals alongside professional dancer Daniella Karagach.

The pair wowed judges with a powerful tango to Prince's "I Would Die 4 U," then lit up the ballroom with a fiery cha-cha to "Kiss." Their performances earned strong scores and sent them sailing into the finals.

But while the dancing dazzled, all eyes turned toward one figure in the audience.

All Eyes on His Face

Zac's presence had been heavily anticipated throughout the season as fans wondered aloud if he would ever show up to support Dylan, and finally, he did, seated proudly with their five-year-old sister, Olivia Efron.

Wearing a sleek dark jacket over a crisp white shirt, Zac kept his outfit low-key. But his face told a different story. Something had changed, and the internet noticed.

Host Julianne Hough stoked the excitement further by uploading a photo with Zac and Olivia, captioned, "Dancing is family! 💛 #dwts." The youngest of the Efron clan shimmered in a puffed, glittering dress.

Netizens Reacts

But as the image spread like wildfire across social media, fans dissected every inch of Zac Efron's features. "He looks so fresh. Happy for him," one fan gushed. Another chimed in, "His face is getting back to normal 😍."

That sentiment echoed through countless posts, like one that read, "He looks normal again."

A netizen commented on the subtle change to his facial structure with, "His jaw has settled." Another wrote, "Zac is look so much handsome on the audience beautiful girl big fan of him [sic]."

On Facebook, the reactions were just as effusive. "Omg! He looks healthy!" declared one person. Others shared similar sentiments, like someone who wrote, "Looks like the old Zac. ❤️," and another netizen who added, "Zac looks great 👍."

One heartfelt comment read, "Zac looks so healthy… I'm proud of him." It's hard to believe that just last year, the actor had shocked netizens for the opposite reason.

His Appearance Last Year

As previously reported, Zac stepped out in style to attend the amfAR Gala Venezia in Italy on September 1, 2024. Donning an all-black ensemble, the Hollywood star quickly caught attention. However, eagle-eyed observers were less fussed about what the actor wore and more focused on his seemingly different visage.

For the prestigious film event, Zac sported a black shirt, which he covered with a sleek suit jacket. He also wore dress pants and formal shoes, and paired his outfit with dark sunglasses.

Several photos shared online show the "High School Musical" talent enjoying his time at the gala, interacting and laughing with fellow Tinseltown stars like Richard Gere, Mohammed Al Turki, and Swizz Beatz.

Footage with an Influencer

Famous Italian influencer and content creator Jessica Matarrelli also took a picture with Zac. She shared a sweet snap of the two of them smiling for the camera at the venue. "Zac Efron, ladies and gentlemen ✨," penned the influencer in her caption.

Additionally, Jessica shared a short video of her interaction with Zac at the Venezia Gala. Her post started by showing footage of her twirling around in another location with a smile on her face. Layered over the video is text that reads, "Boys at school never look at me."

The video then cuts to show Jessica and Zac speaking at the Gala with overlaid text that expresses, "But Zac Efron did."

Social Media Couldn't Recognize Him

When netizens saw media of the actor at the event, many expressed how remarkably different he looked compared to the movie star heartthrob they had come to know. "What's wrong with his face [?] 😮. He used to be handsome," wrote a netizen on Instagram.

Expressing a similar sentiment, another echoed, "Not the kid we know and love." "With a whole new face once again," noted an observer.

"He totally ruined his image," asserted another netizen. Adding to the flurry of comments, someone else pondered, "What did this child do to his face [?]"

Suggesting that Zac may have had some work done, a Facebooker exclaimed, "You were perfect the way you were!!! Stop the surgeries!" An Instagrammer added, "So much surgery."

Speculating that Zac may have been dealing with some issues, a spectator stated, "The guy is clearly going through something 🤷‍♂️." On the other hand, a fan swooned, "Forever crush ❤️."

Sent to the Hospital

A news outlet reported in August 2024 that the "17 Again" actor was previously hospitalized in Spain as a result of a swimming pool incident.

According to TMZ, while he was on vacation in Ibiza, Zac dove into a swimming pool and hit the floor with his chest. He also ingested a lot of water, and following the accident, showed visible signs of distress, such as being momentarily dazed.

After security, who were onsite at his Ibiza villa, pulled him out of the water, the actor was transported to a hospital as a precaution. The next day, however, he was back working out and was seen enjoying a nice dinner on a Sunday evening after the incident. By Monday, the star was on a flight back home.