Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Cast Officially Revealed
The Dancing With the Stars Season 35 cast has officially been revealed, bringing together a diverse group of actors, athletes, musicians, reality television personalities and online stars for another battle for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
The new lineup includes familiar names such as Julia Stiles, Jenna Dewan, Harry Shum Jr., Tatyana Ali and Taylor Hanson, along with Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, reality personalities Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller, and longtime Jimmy Kimmel Live! personality Guillermo Rodriguez.
The full cast was unveiled on Sept. 2, giving fans their first comprehensive look at the celebrities and professional dancers heading into the new season. The competition is scheduled to begin with a two-night premiere on Sept. 15 and 16, airing on ABC and Disney+.
With 16 celebrities entering the ballroom, Season 35 promises a wide range of personalities, backgrounds and experience levels. Some contestants have extensive performance experience, while others will be stepping far outside their professional comfort zones.
A Star-Studded Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Cast
One of the biggest names joining the competition is actress Julia Stiles, whose career includes popular films such as 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance. Stiles will partner with professional dancer Ezra Sosa as she takes on a competition that may bring her back to the dance-focused storytelling that helped define part of her early career.
Another contestant with significant dance experience is Jenna Dewan. Dewan began her career as a professional dancer and appeared alongside major music artists before starring in the 2006 dance film Step Up. She will compete with returning professional Valentin βValβ Chmerkovskiy.
Meanwhile, Harry Shum Jr. is also entering the ballroom with an impressive entertainment background. Known for his work on Glee, Crazy Rich Asians and Everything Everywhere All at Once, Shum will partner with professional dancer Jenna Johnson.
The presence of experienced performers could make the early stages of the competition especially interesting. However, Dancing With the Stars has consistently demonstrated that professional experience in one type of performance does not automatically guarantee success in ballroom competition.
Julia Stiles and Jenna Dewan Bring Major Dance Experience
The inclusion of Stiles and Dewan has already generated considerable attention among fans of the long-running competition.
Dewan’s background as a dancer may make her one of the contestants viewers watch most closely during the opening weeks. However, ballroom and Latin dance involve highly specific techniques, partnerships and competitive expectations that differ from commercial choreography and film performance.
Stiles, meanwhile, remains closely associated with dance through her role in Save the Last Dance, even though acting has been the central focus of her career. Her pairing with Ezra Sosa could give audiences an opportunity to see a different side of the actress as she returns to a performance environment centered on movement and choreography.
Harry Shum Jr. also enters with a substantial background in dance and musical performance. His partnership with Jenna Johnson could become another pairing to watch as the competition develops.
Together, these contestants give the Dancing With the Stars Season 35 cast a particularly strong group of performers. Still, the competition will also feature athletes and personalities who could bring completely different strengths to the ballroom.
Amber Glenn and Ezra Frech Represent the Sports World
Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn joins the competition after helping Team USA win gold in the figure skating team event at the Milan Cortina Olympics earlier this year. She will dance with Pasha Pashkov.
Glenn’s experience performing before large audiences and competing under pressure could prove valuable. Figure skating and ballroom dancing share some performance elements, including musicality, choreography and physical discipline. Nevertheless, adapting from ice to a ballroom floor presents an entirely new challenge.
Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech is also part of the Season 35 lineup. Frech, who has competed at the highest level in track and field, will partner with Daniella Karagach.
His participation adds another accomplished athlete to a season that features competitors from several different sports and performance backgrounds. Frech’s athletic determination and competitive mindset could become major advantages as the pressure increases throughout the season.
Reality Stars Join the Ballroom Competition
Reality television continues to be an important part of the Dancing With the Stars formula, and Season 35 includes several recognizable personalities from the genre.
Maura Higgins, who first gained widespread attention through Love Island, will compete with returning professional Mark Ballas. Higgins has continued to build an international television following through additional reality competition appearances.
Ciara Miller, known to audiences from Summer House, will partner with Brandon Armstrong. Miller has also appeared in The Traitors, giving her experience in high-profile reality television.
Conner Leavitt, who has appeared on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, will dance with Adele Zaikman. His participation creates another connection between the show and the expanding world of reality television personalities.
The cast also includes Sarah Jane Nader, who will partner with Hailey Bills. Their partnership represents the show’s third same-sex pairing, according to the Associated Press.
These contestants bring established fan bases with them, which could have a significant impact as the competition moves into the later stages and audience participation becomes increasingly important.
Giada De Laurentiis and Guillermo Rodriguez Add Unexpected Star Power
Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis is another high-profile addition to the Dancing With the Stars Season 35 cast. Known for her long television career, cookbooks and culinary businesses, De Laurentiis will partner with Alan Bersten.
Her participation represents the type of unexpected casting choice that has helped keep the series relevant for decades. Audiences who know her primarily from cooking shows will now have the opportunity to see her tackle an entirely different challenge.
Meanwhile, Guillermo Rodriguez will bring his familiar sense of humor to the ballroom. The longtime Jimmy Kimmel Live! personality is partnered with Witney Carson, who has returned for the new season. Rodriguez’s comedic personality could make his routines especially entertaining as the competition progresses.
The combination of experienced entertainers and personalities entering unfamiliar territory could be one of Season 35’s most compelling features.
Taylor Hanson, Tatyana Ali and More Join the Competition
Music fans will recognize Taylor Hanson, who rose to international fame as part of the band Hanson. Best known for the hit song βMMMBop,β Hanson will partner with Britt Stewart.
Actress and singer Tatyana Ali will also compete. Ali is widely known for portraying Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Her professional partner will be Jan Ravnik.
Tyler Cameron, who gained national attention through The Bachelorette and later expanded his career into television and other projects, will compete alongside returning professional Sharna Burgess.
Jackson Olson, a member of the Savannah Bananas baseball organization, will partner with Emma Slater. Olson’s entertainment-focused sports background could make him a natural fit for a competition that requires both athleticism and showmanship.
Finally, comedian and podcaster Connor Wood will dance with Rylee Arnold, adding another personality from the growing digital entertainment world to the lineup.
Full Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Cast and Partners
Here is the complete celebrity and professional dancer lineup announced for Season 35:
- Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik
- Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess
- Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten
- Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
- Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart
- Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas
- Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman
- Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong
- Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills
- Jackson Olson and Emma Slater
- Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson
- Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold
The full lineup and pairings were confirmed following the official cast reveal.
When Does Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Premiere?
Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars will begin with a two-night premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The show will air on ABC and Disney+, with episodes also available through Hulu afterward. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are set to return as hosts, while Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough will return to the judging panel.
The two-night opening should give viewers an extended introduction to the new celebrity competitors and their professional partners before the competition begins to intensify.
Why Season 35 Could Be One of the Most Competitive Yet
The Dancing With the Stars Season 35 cast is notable for the range of experience represented across its 16 contestants.
The lineup includes professional dancers, actors with dance-film backgrounds, Olympic athletes, reality television stars, musicians, comedians, culinary personalities and digital creators. That diversity creates uncertainty about who might emerge as an early favorite.
Contestants such as Jenna Dewan, Harry Shum Jr. and Amber Glenn may enter with obvious advantages in movement, performance or choreography. However, competitors with less traditional dance experience could surprise viewers through personality, rapid improvement and strong connections with their professional partners.
Reality stars such as Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller may also bring passionate fan communities into the competition, while established entertainers like Julia Stiles, Tatyana Ali and Taylor Hanson could attract longtime fans.
As always, the Mirrorball Trophy will ultimately require more than natural talent. Contestants must master demanding routines, connect with their partners, impress the judges and maintain audience support throughout the season.
