The Dancing With the Stars 2026 cast has arrived. Season 35 will feature actors, athletes, musicians and reality television personalities. ABC revealed the complete lineup Wednesday, Sept. 2, during Good Morning America.
Sixteen celebrities will enter the ballroom with professional dance partners. The season begins with two premiere nights on Sept. 15 and 16. Both episodes air at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+.
Dancing With the Stars 2026 cast brings major names
Jenna Dewan will dance with Val Chmerkovskiy. Dewan starred in Step Up before joining the cast of The Rookie. Her professional dance background could make her an early favorite.
Meanwhile, Julia Stiles will compete with Ezra Sosa. Stiles became a major film star through 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance. She has also followed the competition for more than a decade.
Harry Shum Jr. will join professional dancer Jenna Johnson. The actor appeared in Glee and Grey’s Anatomy. He also worked as a professional dancer before building his acting career.
Bachelor Nation personality Tyler Cameron will dance with Sharna Burgess. In addition, Tatyana Ali will compete with Jan Ravnik. Ali remains best known for playing Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis will join Alan Bersten. Hanson singer Taylor Hanson will dance with Britt Stewart. Comedian and podcaster Connor Wood will compete alongside Rylee Arnold.
Athletes and reality stars enter the ballroom
Two decorated athletes could become serious contenders this season. Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech will dance with Daniella Karagach. Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn will compete with Pasha Pashkov.
Glenn already understands timing, movement and performance pressure. However, ballroom dance will present a different technical challenge. Frech’s athletic strength could also help him manage the demanding rehearsal schedule.
Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson will dance with Emma Slater. Meanwhile, Guillermo Rodriguez of Jimmy Kimmel Live! will join Witney Carson. Carson enters the season while expecting her third child.
Reality television will also have a strong presence. Summer House star Ciara Miller will compete with Brandon Armstrong. Love Island UK and The Traitors personality Maura Higgins will dance with Mark Ballas.
Sarah Jane Nader will enter the ballroom with new professional Hailey Bills. Nader is the sister of former contestant Brooks Nader. Their partnership will add another same-sex team to the program’s history.
Conner Leavitt will dance with Adele Zaikman. Leavitt is the husband of former contestant Whitney Leavitt. Zaikman earned her professional role after winning Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.
Returning hosts and judges prepare for Season 35
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will return as co-hosts. Both bring extensive dance and television experience to the live broadcast. They will guide viewers through each performance and elimination.
Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough will return to the judges’ table. Their scores will combine with audience voting throughout the competition. The celebrities will compete for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
The wide range of experience makes the early favorite difficult to predict. Dewan and Shum bring professional dance backgrounds, while Glenn offers elite skating skills. Stiles also carries strong name recognition from her film career.
Still, Dancing With the Stars often rewards improvement and audience connection. Therefore, contestants with limited experience could advance deep into the season. Unexpected partnerships have frequently produced the show’s most memorable performances.
Two-night premiere builds excitement
Season 34 ended with the program’s largest finale audience in nine years. About 9.24 million viewers watched the final episode. As a result, Season 35 enters the fall television schedule with strong momentum.
The Dancing With the Stars 2026 cast combines nostalgia with current entertainment appeal. Several contestants already know how to perform before large audiences. Others will face live television pressure for the first time.
Season 35 begins Tuesday, Sept. 15, and continues Wednesday, Sept. 16. Viewers can watch both premiere episodes live on ABC and Disney+. Hulu will offer each episode the following day.
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