Actor Dylan O’Brien is currently facing harsh criticism from none-other than his own sibling Julz, who claims the actor hasn’t spoken to him in a year.
Julz, who identifies as trans-masculine and uses he/they pronouns, recently responded to a now-deleted Instagram post that highlighted something Dylan (33) previously said about their bond while promoting his movie Ponyboi.
“I have a trans, nonbinary sibling and I know people in my personal life as well who are queer, and I am so grateful for how much it deepens my experience in this world,” the “Teen Wolf” alum said in a January 2024 conversation with Vulture.
Dylan’s remarks were picked up in a recent Gay Times story, which was shared on Instagram on May 1. In that post’s comment section, Julz alleged, “He also hasn’t spoken to me in over a year. He didn’t check in when I had top surgery. He didn’t even wish me a happy bday last week! But glad I could deepen his experience in this world and make the world love him that much more.”
In another comment, Julz wrote, “Kinda funny that this article didn’t ask me for a single thing about myself? It’s about me and uses my photo. I’m not even tagged.”
Before the storm
Their relationship hasn’t always been strained. Back in August 2022, Julz posted an Instagram tribute to Dylan on the actor’s birthday.
Alongside photos of the pair, Julz wrote, “Happy Birthday, Dyl!! Love you so much .”
Two years earlier, Julz called the “The Maze Runner” star their “very first best friend” in another birthday tribute.
In 2019, Julz shared a throwback picture of the siblings and wrote, “I know I’m over a week late on this one, but I was too busy celebrating with you in person to fish out a cutie pic of us HAPPY 28TH BIRTHDAY LIL BRO! I love you literally more than I know how to express ♥️.”
Ponyboi
In the 2024 film “Ponyboi”, O’Brien portrays Vinny, a complex and morally ambiguous character who plays a pivotal role in the narrative. Vinny is depicted as a small-time pimp and drug dealer in New Jersey, entangled in a secretive and emotionally charged relationship with the film’s protagonist, Ponyboi, an intersex sex worker portrayed by River Gallo.
The film has been noted for its groundbreaking representation of intersex individuals and its exploration of themes such as identity, love, and the complexities of human relationships.
O’Brien told Adobe last year about the film, “Going in, I was extremely uneducated on intersex and the intersex community. This was such an enlightening experience for me, and [River is] someone I hold so dearly now: a friend I’ll have with me for the rest of my life.”
His involvement in the project underscores a commitment to diverse storytelling and brings attention to narratives that are often underrepresented in mainstream cinema.
Fans React
After Julz’s comments went viral, fans took to the internet to blast Dylan, as this situation has sparked discussions about the authenticity of public allyship and the importance of aligning public statements with personal actions.
“Truly diabolical to pretend to have a great relationship with your sibling, and paint yourself out to be an ally, when you don’t even speak to that sibling,” one wrote.
“I feel like using other people’s life experiences for brownie points is in poor taste, whether you’re close with them or not. That’s just my opinion tho,” another wrote.
“This is honestly heartbreaking. Public words mean nothing if you’re not there when it counts. Actions > posts.”
As of now, Dylan has not publicly responded to Julz’s comments.
