‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Cast Revealed Jenna Dewan Julia Stiles Harry Shum Jr and More
Reality competition shows thrive on their casting choices, and few understand this better than ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ The franchise has spent decades sourcing talent from all corners of pop culture to fill its ballroom. Following a record-breaking Season 34 that attracted an unprecedented number of viewers, expectations were high for ABC’s next lineup to chase the coveted Mirrorball trophy.
Four names had already surfaced ahead of the official announcement, with reality stars Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Jackson Olson, and Guillermo Rodriguez confirmed as early competitors. This left fans buzzing with speculation about who else might join the cast, especially with rumors of a highly anticipated television actress entering the competition.
The confirmed cast features an exciting mix of personalities. Julia Stiles, known for her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for ‘Save the Last Dance,’ will partner with pro dancer Ezra Sosa. Meanwhile, ‘The Rookie’ star Jenna Dewan will team up with Val Chmerkovskiy, and ‘Glee’ alum Harry Shum Jr. will pair with Jenna Johnson.
Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis is also joining the competition, partnering with Alan Bersten. Additionally, ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ alum Tatyana Ali and ‘Bachelorette’ star Tyler Cameron, who will be paired with returning pro Sharna Burgess after her multi-year hiatus, add even more star power to the lineup. Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech and Olympic gold medalist Amber Glenn will bring their athletic prowess to the show, partnered with Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov respectively.
The newcomers also include Taylor Hanson from the band Hanson, who will be paired with Britt Stewart, and reality stars Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader, marking the show’s third-ever same-sex celebrity-pro duo. Notably, Leavitt is married to Season 34 competitor Whitney Leavitt, adding a familial touch to the new season.
This season also introduces changes to the professional dancer lineup. Adele Zaikman, winner of the summer spinoff ‘Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro,’ joins the main cast as Conner Leavitt’s partner, while Hailey Bills has been elevated from the troupe to full pro status for her pairing with Nader.
Longtime fan favorites Witney Carson, Sharna Burgess, and Mark Ballas are making notable returns this season, with Carson reportedly competing while pregnant. This mix of returning veterans and fresh pro talent gives Season 35 a distinct dynamic compared to recent cycles.
With ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 set to premiere with a two-night event on September 15 and 16 on ABC and Disney+, this diverse cast, representing film, food, music, sports, and reality television, sets the stage for what could be one of the most unpredictable seasons in the show’s history.
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