season 35’s stars announced on GMA, from ’90s icons to gold medalist Olympians

Fresh off her appearance on The Traitors season 4, where she finished as the last Faithful standing, Love Island alum Maura Higgins was the first contestant announced for the season during April’s Hulu Upfront. And we’re hoping she brings her many hats with her!

She said at the event: “I’m a strong believer in manifesting. I had it on my vision board. And now it is happening, which I cannot believe, and I know it’s going to be so, so hard. But because I really want to do it, I’m going to put my all into it.” She’ll be dancing with her Traitors co-star Mark Ballas.

Also revealed during the Hulu upfront was fellow Traitors alum Ciara Miller, following her breakout summer when she was caught on the right side of a Summer House fallout. When Ciara’s best friend Amanda Batula began a romance with her ex-boyfriend West Wilson, just like Ariana Madix before her, she became the nation’s sweetheart.

“I am so excited to join Season 35 of ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ I feel like this is the perfect moment,” she shared at April’s Upfront. She’ll be dancing with Brandon Armstrong.

In May, at Disney’s own Upfront, Savannah Bananas second baseman and TikTok sensation Jackson Olson was announced as the third contestant joining the cast. On translating his moves from the field to the ballroom, he told E! News: “I can’t move my feet in a way that I can on a ballroom floor that I can on dirt and grass.”

“It’s so tough on that baseball field to dance. But in that ballroom, I’ve become a different animal, I think, because it’s a three-hour rehearsal block. And I’m like, ‘Let’s go for three more hours.’ I want to get this down.” He’ll be dancing with Emma Slater.

Guillermo Rodriguez, best known as Jimmy Kimmel’s lovable sidekick and red carpet correspondent, became the fourth star announced for the season 35 cast, confirmed by the late night host himself back in June.

In August, pro Witney Carson (the defending champion, after winning season 34 with Robert Irwin) confirmed that she would be Guillermo’s professional partner, the first pairing to be fully revealed.

We’re going to Save the Last Dance for Julia Stiles, who’ll be bringing a wave of nostalgia into the ballroom. The actress is best known for starring in some of the most iconic teen films of the late ’90s and early aughts, from 10 Things I Hate About You to Down to You, as well as the Bourne franchise, Hustlers, and shows like The Lake and Blue. She’ll be partnered up with Ezra Sosa.

While Tyler Cameron first rose to fame as a model, and while he now works as a general contractor in Florida, he is still best known as the runner-up on season 15 of The Bachelorette, just missing out on getting Hannah Brown’s final rose. And funnily enough, he has big shoes to fill, with Hannah actually winning season 28 of DWTS. He’ll be dancing with Sharna Burgess.

Sarah Jane Nader, a model and one of the stars of the reality show Love Thy Nader, is fulfilling a legacy similar to last year’s champ Robert, appearing on the show after her older sister Brooks Nader participated in season 33. Unlike Bindi Irwin, though, Brooks was the fifth out. She’ll be dancing with Hailey Bills.

Dance is second nature for actress Jenna Dewan, who first got her start as a backup dancer for the likes of Christina Aguilera, Pink and Missy Elliott, before breaking through with the 2006 dance film Step Up. She has hosted and judged several other dance competitions, although is now best known for playing Bailey Nune in The Rookie. She’ll be dancing with Val Chmerkovskiy.

MomTok is back in the ballroom! After his wife Whitney Leavitt was eliminated just short of the finale in season 34, her husband Conner Leavitt will be stepping into her shoes. Will the finance professional and Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star avenge his wife, though? He’ll be dancing with Adele Zaikman.

While Tatyana Ali has been acting for decades, including a lengthy recurring stint on the soap opera The Young and the Restless, to most fans, she’ll always be The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s Ashley Banks. And with Alfonso at host, we’re all set for a Fresh Prince reunion! She’ll be dancing with Jan Ravnik.

He’s MMMbop-ping his way to the top! Taylor Hanson, member of the iconic ’90s band Hanson, will be bopping his way into the ballroom. He’ll be dancing with Britt Stewart.

Two-time Paralympian AND two-time gold medalist Ezra Frech is continuing the tradition of Olympic athletes making their way into DWTS. The pro athlete and disability rights advocate will be dancing with Daniella Karagach.

You may know Harry Shum Jr. for his turns in Grey’s Anatomy and Shadowhunters, but ardent fans will always remember him as the smooth grooving Mike Chang in Glee. He’ll be dancing with Jenna Johnson, bringing his expertise from not only the hit Fox teen musical comedy, but also his involvement with the Step Up franchise.

Social media superstar Connor Wood, aka Fibula, will be taking his comedic chops to the ballroom this season. The online personality, who went viral for his posts about everyday life and unemployment during the Covid-19 lockdowns, and boasting nearly one million followers on TikTok alone, will be dancing with Rylee Arnold.

And she sticks the landing! Fresh off her gold medal winning turn at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, figure skater Amber Glenn will be taking her triple axels onto the dancefloor. She’ll be dancing with Pasha Poshkov.

Trust Food Network stalwart and Daytime Emmy winner Giada De Laurentiis to bring some actual flavor to the ballroom. The restaurateur and popular cookbook author will be dancing with Alan Bersten this season.