{"id":160979,"date":"2025-11-26T16:57:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T16:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/160979\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T16:57:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T16:57:09","slug":"dylan-efron-reflects-on-dancing-with-the-stars-journey-after-coming-in-4th-place-i-did-something-i-never-thought-i-would-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/160979\/","title":{"rendered":"Dylan Efron Reflects on \u201cDancing with the Stars\u201d Journey After Coming in 4th Place: &#8216;I Did Something I Never Thought I Would&#8217; (Exclusive)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Dylan Efron is proud of his journey on Dancing with the Stars<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">After Robert Irwin ultimately took home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy on the finale of Dancing with the Stars last evening, PEOPLE caught up with Efron post-show to hear about his experience<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Of his time on the show, Efron says he &#8220;wouldn&#8217;t have changed a single thing&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dylan-efron-mom-wanted-zac-efron-compete-dancing-with-the-stars-exclusive-11802816\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Dylan Efron;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Dylan Efron<\/a> is reflecting on a season of dancing.<\/p>\n<p>After competing on season 34 of <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/rules-dancing-with-the-stars-contestants-must-follow-11815692\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Dancing with the Stars;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Dancing with the Stars<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dancing-with-the-stars-live-updates-five-couples-compete-to-win-season-34-11856295\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:season finale;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">season finale<\/a> brought Efron and his four co-competitors&#8217; dancing journey to an end, as <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/robert-irwin-5672162\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Robert Irwin;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Robert Irwin<\/a> ultimately beat out the competition to take home the coveted <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/what-do-the-dancing-with-the-stars-winners-get-11855723\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dancing-with-the-stars-live-updates-five-couples-compete-to-win-season-34-11856295\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:three-hour-long finale;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">three-hour-long finale<\/a> saw Efron compete alongside his pro-partner <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/daniella-karagach-reacts-to-viral-tiktok-where-she-rejects-dylan-efrons-hug-at-semifinals-11852730\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Daniella Karagach;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Daniella Karagach<\/a> \u2014\u00a0going up against <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/alix-earle-11824833\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Alix Earle;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Alix Earle<\/a> and her partner <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tag\/val-chmerkovskiy\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Val Chmerkovskiy;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Val Chmerkovskiy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dancing-with-the-stars-jordan-chiles-ezra-sosa-get-bleeped-after-hearing-their-scores-11834468\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Jordan Chiles;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Jordan Chiles<\/a> and partner <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dancing-with-the-stars-jordan-chiles-ezra-sosa-get-bleeped-after-hearing-their-scores-11834468\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Ezra Sosa;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Ezra Sosa<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/elaine-hendrix-says-she-begged-not-to-go-to-hospital-for-dancing-with-the-stars-injury-was-sobbing-after-vote-results-exclusive-11841602\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Elaine Hendrix;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Elaine Hendrix<\/a> and partner <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/how-emma-slater-and-boyfriend-alan-bersten-are-supportive-of-each-other-on-dwts-exclusive-11810684\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Alan Bersten;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Alan Bersten<\/a> and, of course, Irwin and his partner Witney Carson.<\/p>\n<p>Earle ultimately placed second in the competition, with Chiles following up as third, then Efron and finally, Hendrix rounding out the pack.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Eric McCandless\/Disney via Getty Daniella Karagach and Dylan Efron.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/f02643fe7f4eec16c4c695e4f133026c.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Eric McCandless\/Disney via Getty<\/p>\n<p> Daniella Karagach and Dylan Efron.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Following the show, Efron spoke exclusively with PEOPLE about what he got out of the experience.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think I did something I never thought I would or could, and I think that&#8217;s what I&#8217;m feeling is I easily could have gone my whole life without ever experiencing this, and I&#8217;m so happy I did,&#8221; he reflects to PEOPLE.<\/p>\n<p>Continuing on, Efron thanked his partner, saying, &#8220;I&#8217;m so happy Dani was my partner. I wouldn&#8217;t have changed a single thing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Chiming in, Karagach added that, despite Efron feeling as though the experience changed him, she loves that &#8220;he didn&#8217;t change&#8221; who he was over the course of the competition.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He was just himself from the beginning, and that never changed, and I love that,&#8221; she tells PEOPLE.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dancing-with-the-stars-week-10-songs-dances-11851627\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Last week on the penultimate episode;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Last week on the penultimate episode<\/a>, Efron and Karagach found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard, but Karagach said she was excited that they had judge Bruno Tonioli choosing their first dance of the evening to get Efron &#8220;out of his shell.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Tonioli wanted him to be the &#8220;ultimate leading man&#8221; with the Paso Doble, and he certainly delivered as they danced to \u201cStampede\u201d by Alexander Jean featuring Lindsey Stirling.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Christopher Willard\/Disney via Getty\u00a0 Alfonso Ribeiro, Whitney Leavitt, Daniella Karagach, Dylan Efron, Mark Ballas, Ezra Sosa, Jordan Chiles.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"887\" height=\"960\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/085e2ca009546e6f442dec5eb4d83545.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Christopher Willard\/Disney via Getty <\/p>\n<p> Alfonso Ribeiro, Whitney Leavitt, Daniella Karagach, Dylan Efron, Mark Ballas, Ezra Sosa, Jordan Chiles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Efron&#8217;s time to shine, however, was during the <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dancing-with-the-stars-live-updates-five-couples-compete-to-win-season-34-11856295#toc-2025-11-26t021820456z\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Instant Dance round;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Instant Dance round<\/a>, where he earned all 10s for his <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dancing-with-the-stars-live-updates-five-couples-compete-to-win-season-34-11856295#toc-2025-11-26t021820456z\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:foxtrot;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">foxtrot<\/a> to &#8220;Ordinary&#8221; by Alex Warren, despite telling host Julianne Hough that he didn&#8217;t want to draw the dance.<\/p>\n<p>During his freestyle round, Efron brought tears to the eyes of the ballroom, saying, &#8220;My whole life, I&#8217;ve watched my brother perform. I never wanted to be in the spotlight and the fact that I can step on stage and capture people&#8217;s attention gives me chills. I finally feel like I belong here.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Read the original article on <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dylan-efron-reflects-on-dwts-journey-placing-4th-in-finale-exclusive-11857610\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:People;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">People<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEED TO KNOW Dylan Efron is proud of his journey on Dancing with the Stars After Robert Irwin&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":160980,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[21183,84094,52684,52688,93,61,60,52685,36105,22999,282],"class_list":["post-160979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-dancing-with-the-stars","tag-daniella-karagach","tag-dylan-efron","tag-elaine-hendrix","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-jordan-chiles","tag-len-goodman","tag-robert-irwin","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}