15 Stars Who Want to Be on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35
A new group of celebrities are ready to take to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom floor.
The dance competition series will return for Season 35 on ABC and Disney+ this fall. Robert Irwin and Witney Carson took home Season 34’s Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy, followed by Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy in second place.
Following his win, Robert pitched for his mother, Terri Irwin, to compete on DWTS. “She is firmly like, ‘Nope, I’m not doing it. That’s not for me,’” he told The Hollywood Reporter in December. “And I’m like, ‘Well, I’m gonna wear you down,’ so let’s wear her down and get her on there, because I think she would be great.”
While Terri may not be interested, ABC has confirmed a handful of stars who will compete on the show later this year. In April, the network announced Summer House star Ciara Miller and The Traitors finalist Maura Higgins as the first two cast members of Season 35.
Less than one month later, Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson was revealed as the third cast member of the season.
Scroll down to see who’s pitching themselves for Season 35, from reality stars to Hollywood actors to influencers and more!
James Lafferty
When asked by a TikTok fan if he’d be interested in competing on DWTS, the former One Tree Hill star responded, “I think me going on Dancing With The Stars would be valuable not so much for the competition aspect, but for the comedy aspect.”
DWTS pro Ezra Sosa hopped in the post’s comments, writing, “He’s hot im down.”
Lafferty replied to Sosa’s comment in another TikTok video, stating, “Thank you Ezra, you’re very kind, and you’re not so bad yourself.” He also said he would go on DWTS under one condition.
“I will come and do Dancing With The Stars, and would be happy to do Dancing With The Stars, if [my show] Everyone Is Doing Great cracks the top 10 TV shows in the U.S. [list] on Netflix,” the actor stated.
Jenna Dewan
The actress is no stranger to the world of dance, but she admitted that DWTS would be fun, new challenge.
“The thing with me is it’s like, I never say never,” Dewan said of possibly joining DWTS on the March 9 episode of Good Morning America. “And I, personally, because I love dance so much and I miss it so much, I just already know myself, and it would be one of those really hard things to say no to.”
Dewan noted that she has “never ballroom danced” before, so competing on the show would be “hard” for her. “I have so much respect for everyone on that show,” she gushed.
Madison Chock & Evan Bates
The ice dancing duo took home gold and silver metals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Although they are partners on and off the ice, they are interested in competing against each other on DWTS.
“I think we should trade our skates for some ballroom shoes. That might be fun,” Chock shared on the March 11 episode of Live With Kelly and Mark. “I would love to do Dancing With the Stars. I love that show. I’ve been watching it since it first started.”
Host Kelly Ripa thinks either member of the duo would be a frontrunner in the competition, as she declared, “One of you will win!”
Amber Glenn
After taking home a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the figure skater revealed she’s setting her sights on taking home the mirrorball trophy. While chatting with DWTS Season 26 winner Adam Rippon in a February 21 social media video, Glenn revealed that the ABC competition series is on her “post-Olympics bucket list.”
“Dancing With the Stars for sure. I just love everything about it, [like] the costuming, the set design,” she told Rippon. “I can’t wait to see and inquire about that.”
Flavor Flav
After making a memorable appearance as a guest judge during Season 34, Flavor Flav revealed he has been approached about joining DWTS as a contestant.
“They want me to,” the rapper told People in an interview published on February 3. “They want me to come back and dance. I don’t know. I might do it if I think I could do it.”
As for whether he thinks he has what it takes to succeed in the ballroom? “No, no, I don’t,” he quipped.
Rob Gronkowski
During a January appearance on Today, the former NFL star revealed that he’s always had an interest in joining the DWTS family.
“Dancing With the Stars has always been on the plate. There’s not doubt about that,” Gronkowski shared. “I actually hosted [Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve] this year with Julianne Hough. Yes, I did, and she just brought it up continuously. ‘When are you coming on with Dancing With the Stars?’”
However, there’s one major thing holding Gronkowski back from hitting the ballroom floor. “It’s really tough because it’s during football season, it really is, but it’s always gonna be in my back pocket,” the Fox NFL Sunday cohost explained. “When I feel like the time is right, and then, if I feel like it’s appropriate, then I would do it.”
Brittany Cartwright
While chatting with DWTS Season 32 alum Harry Jowsey on a January episode of his Boyfriend Material podcast, Cartwright revealed whether she has any interest in competing on the ABC series.
“I think I would. I think it would be fun because I do have, like, a cheerleading background,” the Vanderpump Rules alum shared. “So, hopefully I would be able to, like, pick it up, you know,? But I don’t know. I think that would be fun.”
Ginnifer Goodwin
“I think you’d be great with Val [Chmerkovskiy]. We’d put you on there. You would be jamming. He would get you in hold,” DWTS cohost Alfonso Ribeiro told Goodwin in a December 2025 interview with On the Red Carpet.
The Zootopia 2 actress said she would be “honored” to join the show, under one condition. “Could I do it in sneakers, though, this time?” she asked, referring to how she sported heels for ABC’s 40th Anniversary Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade special.
Jake Shane
The social media influencer and comedian said he’d be open to joining DWTS after watching his pal Earle’s journey on the show. “Time will tell,” he told People in December 2025. “They haven’t made the offer yet, so I can’t even say yes or no.”
As for how the podcast host thinks he would do on the dance floor? “I think it would be too funny,” Shane joked. “I think it would be a joke. I don’t think I’d be able to do it. I think I will be laughing, is what I think would happen.”
Nia Sioux
After being mentioned in a TikTok user’s DWTS Season 35 cast predictions video, the Dance Moms alum hopped in the post’s comments to confirm whether she’s interested in doing the show. “MY DREAM,” she wrote.
The TikTok user suggested that Sioux be partnered with Brandon Armstrong. The pro dancer replied to Sioux’s comment, writing, “So…. What’s up?👀🤝.”
Nic Vansteenberghe — "Love Island"
Nic Vansteenberghe rose to fame with Olandria Carthen on Season 7 of Love Island USA.
He was crowned the runner up alongside Carthen on Day 32.
Simu Liu
“I think about it, like, at least once a week. I don’t follow them on Instagram, but I love dance, and I love watching people dance, and I love dancing,” the Marvel actor told Entertainment Tonight in November 2025. “I feel like I’ve weirdly kept up with this season and watching Dylan Efron and watching Robert Irwin and all that. Trust me, I think about it regularly. So, I mean, I don’t know, if at some point in the future I can block out that amount of time, I would be down.”
Gia Giudice
Following her Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test Season 4 win, Giudice told TV Insider that she would “love” for DWTS to be her next reality show. “Shawn [Johnson] really wants [her husband] Andrew [East] to do it. So, if you guys are hearing this, if I could be on a season with Andrew, I would really love that,” the reality star shared.
Bart Johnson
The actor has previously expressed interest in joining the show. He has a connection to the DWTS cast, as both he and pro Britt Stewart appeared in all three High School Musical films. Johnson famously starred as Troy Bolton’s (Zac Efron) father, while Stewart was a backup dancer.
“Do you know how many times people have said, ‘Coach, you’ve got to get on Dancing With the Stars and you’ve got to dance with Britt,’” Johnson said to Stewart on a November 2025 episode of the Get Your Head in the Game podcast. “I’m like, ‘I’m in. Sign me up. Let’s go!’”
The pair’s podcast interview ignited new fan interest in Johnson joining DWTS. “Would BE OBSESSED AND LIVE TO SEE THIS PAIRING🙌,” one user commented underneath an Instagram clip from the podcast. “Yes!!! Would love to see y’all paired together on DWTS!! 🤞🏼,” another person added.
Taylor Frankie Paul
A few months before her costars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt began their DWTS Season 34 journeys, the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star expressed her interest in joining the show via TikTok.
“When DWTS asked any dance experience? …umm no but I am the creator of the Baja blast🤷🏻♀️,” she captioned a July 2025 clip of herself busting a move. “I’ll be here if you need ppl next season.”
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S
Who? And who? And who? ….
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A
Disney Channel actress Christy Carlson Romano has been campaigning to be on the show for years. I think she would be great.
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J
I don't know who most of those people are. I think the definition of the word "star" in the title of the show is being stretched to oblivion.
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K
We need more people in Disney Channel actress and actors to try dancing with the stars
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G
So very true. The word Star doesn’t mean much these days !!
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T
Jennifer Goodwin and Val peta and rob
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T
Brittany Carterwtight and. Esso
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Nia and Alan Jenna dewights and mark ballas
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T
Nick and Whitney
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T
Guia guduince and shasha.
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D
Influencer Maggie Thurmon needs to be invited to this party.
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R
Jenna Johnson and Ryan Hickey
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T
Jackson Olson and Rylee
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T
Maura Huggins and. Brandon.
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Strim Lu and. Emma
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Taylor Frankie and. Mark ballas
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Mark ballas and Jennifer dwan
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Q
Gia gudnice and. Shasha paried together season 35 dwts
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Q
I hope Jennifer good win and. Alan are paired together. Taylor Frankie Paul Paired with mark ballas. Come on give mark another chance. Jackson. Olson and. Emma Jake Shane and. ShaRna. BART Johnson and Lindsay andorld or Rylee simu and. PETA.
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