Picture: Euan Cherry/Peacock
When the forged for season three of The Traitors was introduced, reality-TV followers had been thrilled on the prospect of seeing players like Survivor’s Carolyn Wiger and Huge Brother’s Danielle Reyes sq. off towards Bravolebs Dorinda Medley and Tom Sandoval. However there have been some much less acquainted names on the listing — together with Dylan Efron, a producer and social-media persona finest identified for being Zac Efron’s little brother.
Because it seems, low expectations is usually a blessing for Traitors forged members. Survivor superfan Dylan shortly turned a present standout, utilizing his allure and savvy to develop sturdy relationships within the fort — and deflect shade towards his brother’s appearing expertise. His unintentional allyships with the Traitors labored to his benefit, as they saved him round lengthy sufficient for him to, in flip, sniff them out. By the tip, Dylan had outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted essentially the most seasoned players, rising victorious as a Trustworthy alongside Gabby Windey, Dolores Catania, and Lord Ivar Mountbatten. On the final minute, he was practically taken out with a pointed assault from the ultimate Traitor, Huge Brother alum Britney Haynes, however Dylan’s capability to earn his fellow gamers’ belief helped carry him to the very finish.
What was tougher — successful The Traitors or successful the Rock Paper Scissors match?
Undoubtedly The Traitors. The worst half is, as soon as I declared that I used to be a champion in Rock Paper Scissors, I proceeded to lose the following two matches within the fort. It’s fairly humbling.
I used to be nervous for you on the fireplace of fact. How frightened had been you about Gabby or Dolores voting to maintain the sport going?
At that time, all of us had our methods of who we had been going to belief in our again pocket, simply in case somebody threw purple and wished to make some drama. Fortunately, I knew Ivar actually trusted me, and I trusted Gabby lots — I trusted all of them. However we had been ready.
What would you may have executed if the hearth had turned purple?
I actually don’t fairly bear in mind at this level. I do bear in mind, imagine it or not, having essentially the most belief in Gabby. I used to be undoubtedly taking part in into it that I nonetheless didn’t belief her. However at that second, if it went down to 2, I might have tried to finish with Gabby.
The roundtable earlier within the episode was the primary time we actually noticed warmth on you want that, and you probably did appear fairly wounded by Britney coming for you. Was that simply you being caught off guard?
Undoubtedly, I used to be caught off guard. And there was lots minimize out. There was a whole lot of stuff like — in fact, the swearing in your children that saved getting minimize out of the present — there was lots that was stated. After I watched it, it nearly felt like an overreaction on my finish, and I believe that was, one, as a result of it was a for much longer argument than was proven, and two, I wasn’t anticipating it. So yeah, we went at it, and I’ve obtained no onerous emotions towards her, as a result of what she stated is true. It’s what she’s speculated to do; she’s obtained to struggle. She is a Traitor. And at that second in time, I didn’t know for certain she was, so it was extra simply shock of, Why are you doing this proper now?
In the event you had change into the Seer, I’m assuming you’d have gone for Britney.
No — imagine it or not, I might have gone for Ivar, as a result of I actually wouldn’t have wished to decide on a Traitor. I might have chosen Ivar, probably, simply to make sure that I had somebody on my staff. I used to be most satisfied he was Trustworthy. I believe it was talked about within the present that I wished to be the Seer so dangerous; that wasn’t the case in any respect. Really, I used to be extra listening to who wished it so dangerous, and I believe Britney was attempting to say that I gambled lots as a result of I wished it so dangerous. I used to be fairly frightened of that energy, simply in case I did select a Traitor. I believe it might have ruined my recreation.
Was there anything you had been actually shocked didn’t make it onto the present?
One factor I did suppose could be on, and I used to be actually a bit of embarrassed, was me going after Gabby. I see why it didn’t make the present, as a result of it didn’t add something useful to both of our story strains. However I used to be pretty satisfied that Gabby was a Traitor, and that was again when, once more, all my closest allies are Traitors. In order that they’re not correcting me, they’re not serving to me. There’s a second the place I used to be very improper, and I don’t remorse it in any respect as a result of I believe if I wasn’t improper in that second, who is aware of what would have occurred within the recreation? Possibly Gabby would have been murdered, however as a result of I used to be saying her title, they saved us each round.
One of many challenges about this present is that when you fixate on somebody, or as soon as somebody fixates on you, it’s onerous to shake that. By way of you considering Gabby was a Traitor, what modified your thoughts there?
The very, very clear second was after the homicide in plain sight. Till then, I used to be genuinely feeling like, I’m the dumb man that’s getting delivered to the tip proper now. The homicide in plain sight modified every little thing. There have been two theories that had essentially the most weight: One, Gabby would homicide me in plain sight as a result of I’ve been saying Gabby’s title. Two, Tom would get murdered, as a result of killing Tom in plain sight would have been such a dramatic TV second. Neither of these occurred. So then we return to the drafting board. Why am I nonetheless right here? It’s not Gabby, clearly — she would have murdered me. Then why is Tom nonetheless right here? And the reply to each of these questions was Carolyn and Danielle had been defending us. Then the chessboard match confirmed the idea that Carolyn was a Traitor and Danielle was a Traitor.
You ended up being probably the most devoted of Faithfuls, however there was a second after I felt like Carolyn and Danielle may need recruited you. What was your plan in case you had been supplied the selection to change into a Traitor?
After I selected Danielle over Carolyn, at that time, I knew they had been each Traitors, however I had a sense that Danielle would recruit me or Britney. And I bear in mind in that second I hoped she would recruit Britney and never me. I might have completely executed it, however I hadn’t gone via all of the iterations but. And I perceive why Danielle didn’t select me as a result of, one, I might both fuck it up and be too nervous, or two, I had a superb pulse on everyone, so I knew the people who already had been conscious that Danielle was a Traitor. So I might have used that to my benefit to do away with Danielle instantly and take all of it myself. I believe Danielle made the suitable determination not selecting me, perhaps the improper determination recruiting Brittany.
There’s a whole lot of debate over whether or not it’s simpler to win this recreation as a Traitor or as a Trustworthy. Clearly, you received as a Trustworthy, however do you suppose you could possibly have had a better time as a Traitor, or was this all the time the suitable path for you?
I do suppose, inherently, being a Traitor is healthier. I believe they’ve executed research on this recreation in The Economist and stuff that show the Traitors have a bonus on this recreation. However that’s assuming you don’t crack. That’s assuming you don’t give away your tells. And for me, it was lots, being on my first actuality present. I may need cracked and I may need had some tells, and that may have given me away.
It appeared like most individuals within the recreation ended up actually liking and trusting you. How a lot of that was a acutely aware technique moving into — had been you focusing extra in your relationships or on discovering Traitors?
A mixture of each. As soon as I discovered a Traitor, it actually cleared my title. I knew I used to be in danger for murders at evening, however everyone knew after that Bob the Drag Queen vote that I used to be a Trustworthy, so then I actually doubled down and tried to make as many genuine relationships as I might. If I had one ability going into this recreation that perhaps different individuals don’t, it’s the flexibility to make pals, due to what I do for a dwelling on social media. I’ve been capable of journey and make pals around the globe fairly shortly. And I’m used to touring with individuals I don’t know and making finest pals by the tip of the journey. So it was a ability set for me — a really unusual ability set, however I believe that paid off properly.
You got here into the present known as Zac Efron’s brother. Do you are feeling like doing The Traitors helped you escape that affiliation, or is that not even one thing you are worried about?
It’s by no means been one thing I fear about. I genuinely imagine and know Zac’s been my No. 1 assist since I used to be a child, and I’ve all the time been grateful to the life I’ve, and Zac’s an enormous a part of that. So when individuals name me Zac’s brother, I don’t get offended in any respect.
Nicely, I used to be personally very offended by the Bob the Drag Queen remark about Zac’s appearing. I used to be questioning what you’d recommend that he watch to know Zac’s expertise.
The enjoyable reply is Baywatch. The true reply is Iron Claw. If he watches Iron Claw and doesn’t respect Zac’s appearing, he’s obtained an issue.
On the finish of the reunion, it appeared such as you actually did depart on good phrases with everybody. Did watching the present again change your notion of anybody, or is it actually no onerous emotions?
No onerous emotions in any respect. As quickly as they get up there and say they’re a Traitor — Britney didn’t get the prospect to try this — but it surely’s simply respect. As a result of it’s onerous. It’s onerous to be a Trustworthy, I can’t think about how onerous it was to be a Traitor. Danielle obtained a lot crap for her dangerous appearing, however man, it was lots, and she or he made it actually far on this recreation and made real relationships. I couldn’t be mad at her for attempting to control me. That’s the sport.
Now that you simply’ve executed this, are you desirous about different social-strategy actuality video games you’d need to strive?
I might undoubtedly do extra. The 12-year-old in me is simply freaking out. That is the dream I had watching Survivor at 12, to win a present like this. I very a lot am that individual that watches these reveals like, I’m wondering how I might do on this, I believe I might win. And I simply freaking did it. I’m undoubtedly open to extra. I’m open to every little thing, actually. I’ve all the time prioritized having experiences and dwelling my life to the fullest, and I need to maintain gravitating in the direction of — over cash, over fame. No matter it’s, I need to reside essentially the most attention-grabbing life I can. And whether or not that’s doing Particular Forces or beginning a profession in appearing, I need to maintain having new experiences and giving my all.
You referred to as The Traitors a “crash course in turning into a greater individual.” Are you able to clarify what you meant by that?
On this intense setting, there have been moments the place I used to be doing issues that I wouldn’t usually do. I used to be judging Gabby for causes I believed had been legitimate on the time, however clearly they weren’t. I used to be judging individuals and being cussed, believing my very own beliefs over different individuals’s beliefs. In order that second the place I needed to come to phrases with, Look, I’m not a genius. I’m not all the time proper. I’ve to hearken to different individuals, and now we have to work collectively, it was humbling. You see your self straying in instructions that you’re higher than, so it was cool that I had the prospect to see the opposite facet. If I had been eradicated nonetheless considering Gabby was a Traitor, I might have been bummed at myself that I didn’t have an opportunity to see that via and an opportunity to determine it out and be a greater individual.
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