Dylan O’Brien Siblings: All About Julia O’Brien
Actor Dylan O'Brien PHOTO/Hollywood Reporter
Dylan O’Brien, born on August 26, 1991, in New York City, is an American actor whose charisma and versatility have made him a recognizable figure in Hollywood.
Raised in Springfield Township, New Jersey, until age twelve, he later moved with his family to Hermosa Beach, California.
Initially, he aspired to follow his father’s path into cinematography or pursue sports broadcasting, with dreams of working for the New York Mets.
However, his trajectory shifted after he began posting comedic videos on his YouTube channel, moviekidd826, at age fourteen, catching the eye of a local producer.
This early exposure to filmmaking, coupled with his natural talent, led him to abandon plans for Syracuse University and dive into acting.
Siblings
Dylan has one sibling, an older sister named Julia O’Brien, who is often referred to as Julz.
Born approximately sixteen months before Dylan, Julia shares a close bond with her brother, though their relationship has experienced periods of distance.
Julia, who identifies as trans masculine and uses he/they pronouns, has been open about their identity, notably in public discussions following Dylan’s comments about having a trans non-binary sibling in a 2024 Vulture interview.
In that interview, Dylan expressed gratitude for how Julia’s identity and the presence of queer individuals in his life deepened his worldview, particularly informing his role in the queer-themed film Ponyboi.
However, in May 2025, Julia responded to recirculated comments from the interview, stating they had not spoken to Dylan in over a year, citing a lack of contact during significant moments like their top surgery or birthday.
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Career
O’Brien’s acting debut came in 2010 with a small role in the TV series Sweety High, but it was his portrayal of the witty and loyal Stiles Stilinski in Teen Wolf that defined his early success.
The role, which he landed after four auditions and a deliberate choice to play Stiles over the lead character Scott, showcased his comedic timing and emotional depth across six seasons.
During a hiatus from the show, Dylan ventured into film, starring in the 2012 romantic comedy The First Time opposite Britt Robertson and appearing in the 2013 comedy The Internship with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.
His career-defining moment came with the lead role of Thomas in The Maze Runner trilogy (2014–2018), a dystopian sci-fi series that grossed over $660 million worldwide and solidified his status as a leading man.
Despite a serious injury on the set of Maze Runner: The Death Cure in 2016, which left him with facial fractures and a concussion, Dylan returned to complete the trilogy and continued to diversify his portfolio.
He played Caleb Holloway in the 2016 disaster film Deepwater Horizon, voiced Bumblebee in the 2018 Transformers spin-off, and took on the action role of Mitch Rapp in American Assassin (2017).
More recent projects include the adventure comedy Love and Monsters (2020), the horror mystery Caddo Lake (2024), and Ponyboi (2024), where he played a pimp in a queer drama, reflecting his willingness to tackle complex narratives.
Other notable roles include appearances in The Outfit (2022), Not Okay (2022), and a guest spot in Curb Your Enthusiasm (2021), demonstrating his range across indie films, blockbusters, and television.
Accolades
O’Brien’s talent has been recognized with several awards and nominations, particularly early in his career.
His role in Teen Wolf earned him significant acclaim, including three Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Villain in 2014 for his portrayal of the Nogitsune-possessed Stiles, and Choice TV Scene Stealer in 2013 and 2015.
The Maze Runner series further boosted his profile, with the cast winning the 2015 MTV Movie Award for Best Fight and Dylan himself securing the MTV Movie Award for Best Hero in 2016.
That same year, he won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy category for Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.
His performance in the trilogy also earned him the 2015 Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Chemistry alongside co-star Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Beyond these, Dylan was named one of Yahoo! Movies’ 15 Breakout Stars to Watch in 2014, a nod to his rising prominence.