Witney Carson Under Fire For 'Shady' Text About Dylan Efron And Zac Efron

"Dancing With the Stars" champion Witney Carson is facing backlash after fans accused her of throwing shade at fellow finalist Dylan Efron, and his superstar brother, Zac Efron, in the hours leading up to the Season 33 finale. Carson, who took home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy with partner Robert Irwin earlier this week, briefly posted a Reel that included a screenshot of her text messages with her husband, Carson McAllister. The clip was meant to show McAllister hyping her Witney Carson before showtime, but viewers immediately noticed a different part of the exchange, one that many felt crossed a line.

In the now-deleted Reel, McAllister could be seen praising Carson and telling her that her performance was “freaking good.” But just above that exchange was a message referencing Dylan Efron’s family support.

“Zac Efron is here,” McAllister texted, referring to the actor’s appearance at the November 18 semifinals to cheer on his younger brother.

Carson responded, “I saw! They are trying to get votes.”

Fans immediately interpreted the message as a dig at Dylan and at Zac’s presence, suggesting they were using star power to rack up viewer support. The backlash grew quickly, prompting Carson to delete the Reel.

Once the screenshot hit social media, Reddit users were quick to label Carson’s comment “shady” and “rude,” especially given that her own partner, Robert Irwin, also had family cheering him on throughout the competition.

Several fans pointed out that Bindi Irwin, Robert’s older sister and a former "DWTS" winner, showed up repeatedly this season, and even joined them onstage, to support him.

One commenter noted the double standard, writing that Carson herself had “done the same thing every week with the Irwin fam.”

Others argued that Zac, like Bindi, had every right to show up for his sibling.

Another fan wrote that the whole situation could have been avoided entirely, “OOP the shade, she could have cropped that one out LOL.”

Despite the controversy swirling around Witney Carson’s deleted text, the "Dancing With the Stars" Season 34 finale ended in a major win for her and partner Robert Irwin. The duo officially claimed the Mirrorball Trophy, marking a full-circle moment for the Irwin family after Robert’s sister, Bindi, previously won Season 21 with Derek Hough.

Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach ultimately landed in fourth place, while runner-up honors went to influencer Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy. Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa secured third, and actress Elaine Hendrix with Alan Berstenrounded out the Top 5.

After their victory, Irwin expressed gratitude, noting that the experience had been life-changing. Carson echoed the sentiment, praising their partnership and calling their friendship a win in itself.

But outside the ballroom and in addition to the "shady" text, some viewers weren’t completely sold on the final results. Hours before the finale, reports circulated that Robert was dealing with a rib injury, leading some fans to believe the pair had to scale back their choreography.

Several viewers pointed out that the finals lacked the high-energy lifts and tricks Robert had showcased throughout the season. Others argued that the judges’ perfect score didn’t match the performance delivered.

The controversy hit at a delicate moment, not only because it surfaced around the time of the finale, but because Dylan Efron and his partner, Daniella Karagach, had built a strong fanbase of their own. Many viewers felt Carson’s comment implied they were trying to stack the deck, despite celebrity siblings being a long-standing "DWTS" tradition. For some, the issue wasn’t just the text, but it was the fact that Carson chose to share it publicly, even briefly.

With the finale wrapped and the Mirrorball in hand, Carson hasn’t addressed the deleted screenshot or the criticism, but fans continue to debate the move online.