Dylan O’Brien’s younger sibling, Julz O’Brien, has publicly alleged that the two have been estranged for over a year—despite the actor’s previously public support of the LGBTQ+ community, including praise for his trans sibling in a resurfaced 2024 interview.
Julz O’Brien, who identifies as transmasculine and uses he/they pronouns, made the claims on May 1 in response to an Instagram post shared by Gay Times. The post highlighted Dylan’s supportive remarks about queer and trans communities, which he made during a 2024 interview with Vulture while promoting his queer-themed film Ponyboi.
Supportive Words Resurface—And Spark Reaction
In the 2024 Vulture interview, Dylan O’Brien said:
“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 quote was widely praised at the time and resurfaced again this week. But according to Julz, the reality of their relationship with Dylan paints a different picture.
Julz Responds: ‘He Didn’t Even Wish Me Happy Birthday’
In a comment under the Gay Times Instagram post [the post has since been deleted], Julz wrote:
“He didn’t check in when I had top surgery. He didn’t even wish me happy bday last week! But glad I could deepen his experience in this world and make the world love him that much more.”
Julz also clarified that they do not identify as nonbinary, as Dylan had stated in his interview, but as transmasculine.
Photo: Julz O’Brien/Instagram
“Transmasculine,” according to Healthline, refers to individuals assigned female at birth who identify more with a masculine gender identity.
While it is unclear when communication between the siblings ceased, Julz last posted a photo with Dylan in 2023, alongside a heartfelt birthday message that read:
“I love you so much.”
The public shift in tone has left fans surprised, as previous social media posts suggested a loving relationship.
View this post on Instagram
No Comment From Dylan’s Team
As of press time, representatives for Dylan O’Brien have not responded to requests for comment regarding Julz’s statements. However, in past interviews, Dylan has spoken candidly about his learning process when it comes to gender identity and inclusion.
In a 2024 interview with Adobe, O’Brien said working on Ponyboi—a film about a gender-nonconforming sex worker—was “enlightening.”
“This was such an enlightening experience for me,” he said. “I’ll have [co-star River Gallo] with me for the rest of my life as a friend.”
While the actor’s remarks about queer inclusion were previously met with praise, Julz’s allegations highlight the tension that can exist between public support and personal relationships.
As of now, Dylan has not addressed the comment or Julz’s clarification about their identity.
