DWTS pro Witney Carson was caught throwing shade at Season 34 contestant Dylan Efron before the season finale. She made a wild accusation against the fan-favorite reality star. Keep reading for all the shocking details.
Witney Carson Caught Throwing Shade At Dylan Efron
Social media has played a major role in reality TV shows in the last few years. Dancing With The Stars really leaned into using the social media platform to draw attention to Season 34. Most of the celebrities and their pro partners posted videos recreating TikTok trends or other social media content.
Some might say that social media became too influential on the season. But Witney Carson made a shocking accusation that Dylan Efron used his famous family member to stay in the competition. The DWTS pro accidentally shared a text message on social media that was meant only for her husband’s eyes.
The conversation happened during the show’s semifinals on November 18, 2025. Dylan Efron had, up to that point, done well on the show, but was usually in the middle or bottom of the scoreboard. As the competition got tighter, he was in danger of going home.
DWTS viewers kept a close eye on the studio audience during the live shows on Tuesday nights for a familiar face. Fans wanted to see Dylan’s older brother, Zac Efron, who starred in the High School Musical movies. But his brother never showed. Instead, Dylan Efron’s close friend from The Traitors, Boston Rob, was in the audience several times to cheer him on.
Some fans defended Zac Efron’s absence, pointing out that he lives in Australia now and might not have able been to travel to Los Angeles, California, every week. The actor finally made an appearance in the audience during the semifinals.
Zac Efron on #DWTS pic.twitter.com/y3Gu6NN1w1
— Moree 🐾 (@MoreCortez4) November 19, 2025
Witney Carson’s texts with her husband include him telling her that Zac Efron was in the audience. “I saw! They are trying to get votes,” the DWTS pro responded. A lot of fans were shocked by her shady response.
Fans React
Zac Efron’s appearance on DWTS may have helped his brother advance to the finals, but it didn’t help him win. Witney Carson took home the Mirrorball Trophy with her celebrity partner, Robert Irwin.
One fan took to social media to call Witney out for her hypocrisy about getting votes. The fan pointed out that Robert Irwin’s sister, former DWTS winner Bindi Irwin, was in the audience a lot. And nearly every dance was dedicated to his late father, “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin.
“Bindi was in a dance that was not dedication week and they talk about the family and their story all the time- knowing that Steve was a huge face in the world of fame that everyone loved,” the DWTS viewer pointed out.
Another fan of the show added, “Witney always gave off mean girl energy and now it makes sense why.”
Tell us in the comments if you think Witney was being shady toward Dylan Efron or the producers, as some fans claimed.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
