Dylan Efron, fresh from his successful run on “The Traitors,” is navigating his newfound public spotlight with authenticity and a touch of humor.
“On these talk shows I’m going on, I don’t have to put on an act,” Efron told PAPER. “I don’t have to be anything but who I am.”
Efron’s appearance on the reality competition show has propelled him into the public eye, drawing attention both for his personality and his style. A friendship with Antoni Porowski, forged at a fashion event years ago, has now blossomed into a collaboration, with Porowski styling Efron for a recent photo shoot. “I was fanboying over Antoni at the event,” Efron admitted.
As his television appearances have increased, Efron has found himself paying more attention to fashion. “My only real style until now has been board shorts and shirtless,” he said. “So I love the idea of dabbling in fashion. I’m very much on my fashion journey right now.”
From Fanboy to Friend
Efron and Porowski’s connection began at a Filson event in Seattle, a trip that involved a seaplane journey to Whidbey Island. “Filson is a good representation of why I admire Antoni’s style in general: it’s masculine, it’s outdoorsy, it’s a heritage brand,” Efron explained. “That was like two years ago. I was fanboying over Antoni at the event.”
Porowski recalled their shared approach to the trip. “We were moving the same way on that trip, running around and moving lots, while others were hungover and staying out,” he said. “We were the first ones to be like, ‘I’m crashing.’”
Their friendship grew through DMs, with Efron seeking Porowski’s advice on brands and styles. “He’d message me every once in a while, asking about a brand or something I was wearing,” Porowski said. “Then I went to the Todd Snyder show [at NYFW] and he reached out, saying, ‘Hey, Traitors reunion is coming up, tell me about the look.’”
Personal Style and Comfort
When it comes to personal style, both Efron and Porowski prioritize comfort and authenticity. “I’m a very nostalgic person,” Porowski said. “I have a strong loyalty to things that I responded to when I was a kid. It’s always for me about pieces I can tie into my actual lifestyle.”
Efron, raised in California, described his style as “board shorts, white tee, no shoes.” He added, “I loved camping, if I wasn’t at the beach, so I love having rugged clothes—like jeans I haven’t washed in two months with mud stains.” He is now embracing the new world of fashion. “I’ve always wanted to get into fashion. That’s why ‘The Traitors’ press run has been so cool, it’s a chance to actually do that.”
On “The Traitors,” Efron opted for comfort over high fashion. “I really just wore a lot of what I already had,” he said. “It turned into a real comfort sweater look. I was never really going for best-dressed there, but I was definitely the most comfortable.”
Porowski praised Efron’s choice of Birkenstocks. “My heart was singing when you wore the Birks,” he said. “I hated those like six months ago, but now they’re my entire identity, it’s all I wear.”
Navigating the Press Circuit and Viral Moments
Efron’s press circuit has been a new experience. “It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “On the show, I’m pretty much just myself. So on these talk shows, I don’t have to put on an act.”
Porowski acknowledged the intensity of press tours. “I get so exhausted when it’s even just a five minute live segment,” he said. “It’s a workout for your brain, which I’m not used to.”
Both Efron and Porowski have experienced viral internet moments. “It’s fun, honestly,” Efron said. “The key for me is to be able to laugh at myself. You can’t take yourself too seriously, you have to be in on the joke. You have to lean into it.”
Porowski described viral moments as “strange.” “There is something fun about the electricity and excitement of being in the cultural zeitgeist, but it’s also terrifying,” he said. He also discussed his experience being in the Taylor Swift’s chiefs box. “It was one of those moments when, obviously, you’re with Taylor, it becomes a whole thing because of who she is and the eyeballs she gathers.”
Efron has found ways to manage the constant connectivity of modern life. “It’s all about letting go, for your mental health,” he said. “I’ve been experimenting with, like, modern-day office hours. Technically I’m accessible by phone at all hours. But for me it’s been about forcing myself to put my phone on airplane mode when I’m at the gym, when I’m walking my dog, to just be offline for a sec.”
Reflecting on “The Traitors”
As the finale of “The Traitors” approached, Efron expressed excitement. “I’m excited to experience it with everyone, for everyone to see the conclusion,” he said. “It’ll be a nice way to wrap it up.”
He also addressed the discourse surrounding Danielle’s performance as a Traitor. “The thing about Danielle that didn’t come across on camera is that we all had this very genuine friendship with her,” he said. “She’s an awesome person. I always looked at her as someone I could trust.”
Efron admitted to misjudging Gabby during the show. “I think I was too quick to judge Gabby, because she is so quick-witted and it’s intimidating,” he said. “I thought I had valid reasons and, of course, they were wrong.”
Porowski defended Efron’s instincts, citing his suspicion of Bob The Drag Queen. “You trusted your gut and went with your instinct,” he said. “I think that was when everyone fell in love with you.”
When asked whether he would want to be a Traitor or a Faithful on the show, Porowski said, “I’d love to be a Traitor. But I’m a terrible liar. I’m an innocent Canadian boy, though, so I think I’d be a great Faithful, too.”
