Every year, Dancing With the Stars fans take guesses and look for any clues as to who might be on the next season’s cast of stars, but every year there might be one or two names that make you think, “waittt, who is that again?”
And this year, it seems to be happening a bit more than usual with a ton of buzz online about some of the newly announced stars and where they may be recognized from.
So, if you don’t immediately recognize every star’s name on the cast list, THAT’S OK!!! Because from one DWTS fan to another, I’m about to break down who they are, what they are known for and some of their viral moments you might recognize without even knowing it.
Tatyana Ali – Yeah, that’s Ashley Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Starting off strong with a 90’s throwback, icon Tatyana Ali is most recognizable from her role as Ashley Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She played Will Smith’s younger cousin throughout the show’s run and basically grew up on the set.
But Fresh Prince isn’t the only show you might recognize her from. Most recently, Ali appeared in Abbott Elementary, which may be where more younger fans know her from. And, for long time DWTS fans, one of her cast-mates Alfonso Ribeiro is a host on the show!! Is the dance floor ready for an Ashley and Carlton reunion? I sure hope so!
Tyler Cameron – Hey Bachelor Nation, This One is for You!
If you’re a fan of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise, then there is a good chance you know who Tyler Cameron is. Tyler was the runner-up on Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette and he quickly became a fan favorite in the franchise. Even after his time on Bachelor Nation, he’s continued with his career as a reality TV personality and has made appearances on shows like Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test and The Real Dirty Dancing.
Basically, if you watched The Bachelorette in 2019, this one needs no explanation.
Giada De Laurentiis – You’ve Probably Watched Her on Food Network
You might not recognize Giada De Laurentiis’ name immediately, but show her face to anyone who grew up watching Food Network on their living room TVs and there’s a good chance they’ll know exactly who she is.
Giada is an Emmy-winning celebrity chef, cookbook author and long time television personality known for shows like Everyday Italian and Giada at Home. She has been a Food Network staple for years, meaning there is a very good chance you’ve seen her make pasta at some point sitting on your parent’s couch.
This time, instead of teaching us how to make Italian food, she’s taking on ballroom dancing. This is a transition I need to see.
Jenna Dewan – Step Up Fans, You Already Know
If the name Jenna Dewan isn’t sticking, two words might do the trick: Step Up.
Dewan starred as Nora Clark alongside Channing Tatum in the 2006 movie. And yes, before you ask, she does have a serious dance background. Before becoming known primarily as an actress, Jenna worked as a professional dancer and even performed with artists like Janet Jackson
More recently, you might recognize her from her part as Bailey Nune on The Rookie. But considering Step Up is literally a dancing movie, seeing her name pop up on a DWTS cast list feels very fitting.
Ezra Frech – Meet The Paralympic Gold Medalist
Ezra Frech may be one of the less familiar names for viewers who don’t closely follow track and field, but his accomplishments are pretty insane.
Frech is a Paralympic athlete who won two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, taking gold in both men’s T63 high jump and the T63 100 meter sprint. Outside of competing, he’s also become an advocate for athletes and people with disabilities.
DWTS loves an athlete, and considering the combination of athleticism and determination Ezra already has, I’m very interested to see how that translates to the ballroom.
Amber Glenn – From Olympic Ice to the Ballroom
If you watched the 2026 Winter Olympics, Amber Glenn might already be a name that stands out to you.
Amber is a Team USA figure skater who helped the United States take home gold in the team figure skating event at the 2026 Winter Olympics. And if DWTS history has taught us anything, it’s that figure skaters can be VERY good on this show.
Obviously, ballroom dancing and figure skating aren’t the same thing, but the musicality, performance skills and ability to learn choreography definitely make Glenn a top competitor this season.
Taylor Hanson – You Definitely Know a Song or Two
Maybe the name Taylor Hanson isn’t immediately registering, but I’m willing to bet you’ve heard one very specific song.
“MMMBop.”
Yeah, THAT “MMMBop.”
Taylor Hanson is one of three in the sibling band Hanson, which became a massive culture phenomenon after releasing the song in the 90’s. Taylor is the middle Hanson brother and serves as one of the group’s lead vocalists.
So, if you saw Hanson’s name pop up on the cast list and have no idea who he is, go listen to “MMMBop.” I have a feeling things will start falling into place pretty quickly!
Maura Higgins – Love Island Fans Need No Introduction
Now THIS is one for my fellow reality TV people.
Maura Higgins originally became a fan favorite on Love Island UK, where her personality and one-liners quickly made her one of the show’s most memorable Islanders. Most recently, American audiences may recognise her from The Traitors, where she made it all the way to the finale.
If you watched her on The Traitors, you already know that Maura is ridiculously entertaining television, so I personally cannot wait to see what happens when they put her on the dance floor, give her sequins and make her dance live every week.
Conner Leavitt – AKA Whitney Leavitt’s Husband
Conner Leavitt is known from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives alongside his wife, Whitney Leavitt. And if you’re a DWTS fan thinking that name sounds extra familiar, it’s because Whitney competed on the show last season.
So after watching Whitney take on the ballroom, Conner is officially giving it his own shot at the mirrorball.
Ciara Miller – From Summer House to Love Island Aftersun
Bravo fans definitely don’t need an introduction to Ciara Miller.
Miller is best known as a cast member on Bravo’s Summer House, but her reality TV resume has expanded quite a bit beyond the Hamptons. She has also appeared on The Traitors and co-hosted Love Island USA Aftersun this past summer.
So, whether you’re a Bravo girl, a Traitors fan or spent your summer completely consumed by Love Island USA, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen Ciara somewhere recently.
Sarah Jane Nader – Yes, She’s Brooks Nader’s Sister
If Nader sounds familiar but you can’t quite figure out why, you might be thinking of Brooks Nader.
Sarah Jane stars alongside her sisters on the reality series Love Thy Nader and is the younger sister of model Brooks Nader, who DWTS fans will recognize from her own time in the ballroom last season.
So even if you haven’t watched Love Thy Nader, the Nader-to-DWTS pipeline might be enough to make Sarah Jane feel a little familiar.
Jackson Olson – You’ve Probably Seen Savannah Bananas on Your FYP
This is probably one of the biggest “you’ve seen him without knowing his name” contestants of the season.
Jackson Olson plays for the Savannah Bananas, the viral baseball team that has basically turned baseball into part sporting event, part comedy show, and part TikTok fever dream.
The Bananas are known for dancing on the field, performing skits, interacting with fans and doing things you would absolutely never expect to see during a normal baseball game. Their videos are ALL over social media, and Olson has built a huge following of his own.
So, if you’ve ever been scrolling on TikTok and randomly stopped on a video of baseball players dancing instead of, well, playing baseball, then you may have already seen Jackson Olson bust a move.
Guillermo Rodriguez – From Jimmy Kimmel Live!
You may not immediately recognize Guillermo Rodriguez, but you’ve almost definitely seen him stand next to a celebrity at some point.
Guillermo is best known from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he went from working as a parking lot security guard to becoming one of the show’s most recognizable personalities. He’s particularly known for his hilarious celebrity interviews, including his red carpet segments.
He’s interviewed basically everyone, but now he’s the celebrity getting thrown completely out of his comfort zone.
Harry Shum Jr. – Gleeks, This One is for Us
I fear i cannot not fan girl over this one.
Harry Shum Jr. is an actor and dancer best known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy, Shadowhunters and Crazy Rich Asians. But most importantly, at least for my inner Gleek threatening to come out, he played Mike Chang on Glee!
And oh man could Mike Chang DANCE.
As a HUGE Glee fan, getting to see Mike Chang dancing on my screen again is bringing out the Gleek in me in a way I was not prepared for. Shum actually has an extensive dance background outside of Glee too, so expectations are definitely going to be high.
All I’m saying is that if we somehow get a Glee-themed dance out of him this season, I’m sat.
Julia Stiles – Looks Like She’s Saving Another Dance
Julia Stiles is basically a walking 2000s movie marathon.
She’s known for movies including 10 Things I Hate About You, Save the Last Dance and the Bourne franchise
If you’ve seen 10 Things I Hate About You, she’s Kat Stratford. If you’ve seen Save the Last Dance, then she’s Sara. And if neither of those titles mean anything to you, I am begging you to watch some classic 2000s movies immediately.
Connor Wood – Yes, “I Have Purse” Guy
Last but certainly not least, we have one for the chronically online crowd.
Connor Wood, also known online as Fibula, is a comedian and content creator who became popular through TikTok. He’s also known for Brook and Connor Make a Podcast, which he hosts with Brooke Averick.
But there is another extremely important piece of Connor Wood lore: “I have purse.”
If you’ve seen the viral clips of Connor doing his “I have purse” bit (including the podcast chaos surrounding it with Kelsey Kreppel) congratulations, you already know one of this season’s DWTS contestants even if you had absolutely no clue what his actual name was.
So, Maybe You Do Know This Cast After All
At first glance, Season 35’s cast might have you asking “Who?” a few more times than usual. But once you connect the names to their shows, movies, songs and viral moments, they start looking A LOT more familiar.
From Glee and Love Island to “MMMBop” and even athletes taking over your FYP, there’s someone for almost every type of fan this season. Now, all that’s left to find out is who can dance!!