The dwts season 35 cast reveal date is officially set for September 2, 2026, giving fans a firm date to circle on their calendars as ABC prepares to unveil the complete celebrity lineup and professional pairings for the new season of Dancing with the Stars. The announcement is expected to settle weeks of speculation surrounding several high-profile names, while the ballroom competition itself is scheduled to begin later that month.
Season 35 is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched editions of the long-running dance competition. Several contestants have already been announced, while additional stars have been reported as participants ahead of the official reveal. With rehearsals already underway and the premiere only weeks away, excitement is building rapidly.
Key Points Summary
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║ – The complete Dancing with the Stars Season 35 cast is scheduled to be revealed September 2, 2026. ║
║ – The official announcement will take place on Good Morning America, shortly before the new season begins. ║
║ – Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez are among the celebrities already announced. ║
║ – Julia Stiles, Tatyana Ali, Tyler Cameron, Jenna Dewan, Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader are among the additional names reported for the season. ║
║ – Season 35 premieres September 15, 2026, with a two-night launch continuing September 16. ║
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When Is the DWTS Season 35 Cast Reveal?
ABC is preparing to reveal the full Season 35 cast on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The announcement will take place on Good Morning America, where viewers are expected to learn which celebrities will officially compete and which professional dancers will be paired with them.
The September reveal is arriving at an especially important moment for the franchise. Unlike seasons in which fans have to wait until the official announcement to get a clear picture of the lineup, Season 35 has generated a steady stream of casting news and reports throughout the summer.
That has created a situation where viewers already know several contestants, while a larger group of names is being discussed ahead of the official ABC announcement.
The September 2 event should finally separate confirmed information from speculation.
When Does Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Premiere?
The new season is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, on ABC and Disney+.
The launch will be a two-night event, with another episode scheduled for Wednesday, September 16. That gives viewers an unusually quick opportunity to see the new contestants in action and begin evaluating the competition.
The timing also means the complete cast reveal will happen less than two weeks before the premiere. Once the September 2 announcement arrives, celebrities and professional dancers will have very little time before the season officially moves into competition mode.
For fans, that should make the first half of September one of the busiest periods of the DWTS preseason.
Who Has Already Been Officially Announced?
ABC has already introduced several Season 35 celebrities, giving fans an early look at the direction of the upcoming competition.
Maura Higgins
Maura Higgins is one of the first celebrities confirmed for Season 35.
The television personality gained widespread recognition through Love Island and later appeared on The Traitors. Her combination of reality-TV experience and an established fan following makes her an interesting addition to the ballroom.
Higgins is also the type of contestant who could benefit from DWTS’s live format. Reality personalities often arrive with audiences who are already emotionally invested in their journeys, which can become important once viewer voting enters the competition.
Her challenge will be converting that popularity into strong performances on the dance floor.
Ciara Miller
Summer House star Ciara Miller is another officially announced contestant.
Miller has built a profile through reality television and has become a familiar face to viewers who follow Bravo programming. Joining DWTS gives her an opportunity to reach an audience beyond reality TV.
Her casting also adds another contemporary reality personality to the Season 35 lineup.
The DWTS format has repeatedly demonstrated that reality stars can become serious competitors when they develop strong relationships with their professional partners and improve quickly from week to week.
Jackson Olson
Jackson Olson brings a different type of entertainment background to Season 35.
Known for his connection to the Savannah Bananas, Olson has experience performing in front of energetic crowds. The Savannah Bananas have developed a reputation for turning baseball into a highly theatrical entertainment experience, which could give Olson an advantage when it comes to stage presence.
However, ballroom technique is an entirely different challenge.
Fans will be watching to see whether his athleticism, personality and performance instincts translate into ballroom and Latin styles.
Guillermo Rodriguez
Guillermo Rodriguez is perhaps one of the most distinctive personalities announced so far.
The longtime Jimmy Kimmel Live! personality is moving from late-night television into a completely different kind of performance environment.
His casting gives Season 35 an obvious comedy component, but viewers should not assume that his role will simply be comic relief. DWTS has a history of celebrities improving dramatically throughout the season, and Rodriguez will have the opportunity to demonstrate whether he can develop into a legitimate competitor.
His professional partnership has already been confirmed.
Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson Make History Before the Premiere
Guillermo Rodriguez will compete alongside Witney Carson, a two-time Mirrorball Trophy winner and one of the show’s most accomplished professional dancers.
Carson revealed the partnership ahead of the full cast announcement, making it the first official celebrity-pro pairing for Season 35.
The pairing immediately attracted attention because Carson is coming off another championship season. She partnered with Robert Irwin during Season 34, helping him capture the Mirrorball Trophy.
Now she is entering a new season with a celebrity whose television persona is very different from Irwin’s.
That contrast could make their journey one of the season’s most interesting storylines.
Carson’s experience could also be particularly valuable because a professional dancer’s job extends well beyond teaching steps. Pros have to help celebrities build confidence, understand choreography, manage nerves and connect with viewers.
Julia Stiles Adds Major Hollywood Star Power
One of the biggest recent developments surrounding Season 35 is the addition of actress Julia Stiles.
Stiles is particularly interesting because dance has already played a major role in one of her best-known films, Save the Last Dance.
Her participation creates an obvious piece of DWTS storytelling: an actress who became associated with a dance-centered movie is now taking on the real challenge of competitive ballroom dancing.
That does not necessarily mean she will have an easy time.
The techniques used in ballroom and Latin competition differ significantly from the choreography audiences may remember from her movie work. She will have to learn posture, footwork, timing, partnering and the specific requirements of multiple ballroom styles.
Still, her existing familiarity with dance-related performance could give her a useful foundation.
Tatyana Ali Brings a Beloved Sitcom Connection
Another reported addition is actress and singer Tatyana Ali, best known for playing Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Her involvement would add another nostalgic element to the season because DWTS co-host Alfonso Ribeiro was also part of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast.
That connection could become one of the promotional highlights surrounding Season 35.
Ali has spent decades working in entertainment, giving her experience in television, music and performance. The ballroom will nevertheless test her in a new way because contestants must learn highly technical routines under intense rehearsal schedules.
If her reported casting is confirmed during the official reveal, Ali could quickly become one of the contestants with the strongest built-in nostalgia factor.
Tyler Cameron Reportedly Joins the Competition
Bachelor Nation favorite Tyler Cameron is another major name associated with Season 35.
Cameron became a household name among reality-TV audiences after appearing on The Bachelorette. His popularity continued after his reality-TV run, giving him a large existing audience.
DWTS has frequently benefited from contestants who enter the competition with passionate fan communities. Cameron could therefore have an advantage when the season reaches the voting stages.
The bigger question will be whether he can develop the dance technique necessary to remain in the competition.
If he combines strong performances with his existing popularity, he could become one of the season’s most competitive personalities.
Jenna Dewan Could Be One of the Most Experienced Dancers
Actress and dancer Jenna Dewan is another name reported for the Season 35 cast.
Dewan is especially intriguing because dance is already a major part of her professional background. She starred in Step Up and has extensive experience performing choreography.
That immediately raises expectations.
DWTS contestants with dance experience can sometimes have an early advantage, but ballroom competition requires more than simply being able to perform choreography. Celebrities must master different dance styles, maintain technique while performing live and adapt to partnering.
Dewan’s experience could nevertheless make her one of the contestants to watch from the first episode.
Family Connections Are Becoming a Season 35 Theme
Season 35 also appears to be developing an interesting connection to previous DWTS contestants.
Conner Leavitt, husband of Season 34 semifinalist Whitney Leavitt, has been reported as joining the competition.
If confirmed, his participation would create an immediate link between the previous season and the new one. Whitney Leavitt’s run with professional dancer Mark Ballas made her one of Season 34’s notable competitors, and Conner now has an opportunity to establish his own identity in the ballroom.
Another reported contestant, Sarah Jane Nader, is the sister of former DWTS contestant Brooks Nader.
Brooks competed in Season 33, making Sarah Jane’s reported involvement another example of the franchise welcoming a relative of a former contestant.
Those connections give Season 35 an added layer of familiarity for longtime viewers.
Other Names Generating Attention
Several other celebrities have been associated with Season 35 in reports and online speculation.
Among the names attracting attention are Giada De Laurentiis and Taylor Hanson. Both have generated interest among fans, but viewers should distinguish between reported casting information and official ABC announcements.
That distinction is particularly important during DWTS season because casting rumors can circulate for weeks before the network confirms the final roster.
The September 2 announcement should provide the definitive answer.
Until then, fans may continue to see new names connected to the show as celebrities begin rehearsals and production moves closer to the premiere.
The Professional Dancers Are Just as Important
While celebrity casting gets most of the attention, the professional lineup could ultimately determine how competitive Season 35 becomes.
Witney Carson is already confirmed as Guillermo Rodriguez’s partner, and the show is also preparing to introduce new professional talent through Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.
That spinoff competition is designed to identify a dancer who can earn a place on the main show’s professional roster.
The result means Season 35 could feature a combination of established DWTS veterans and newer professional talent.
For viewers, that creates another reason to pay close attention to the September 2 reveal. The professional partnerships can dramatically change expectations for individual celebrities.
A celebrity who looks like a potential underdog with one professional might become a serious contender with another, while a seemingly strong celebrity could struggle if the partnership chemistry is not there.
Why the September Reveal Is So Important
The dwts season 35 cast reveal date matters because the announcement should transform a summer of rumors into a complete competitive picture.
Once all the contestants and professional dancers are known, fans can begin comparing the cast based on dance experience, entertainment background, popularity and potential fan support.
The reveal will also help shape early predictions for the Mirrorball Trophy.
Some contestants will enter with dance experience. Others will have large television audiences. Some will have strong athletic backgrounds, while others may rely on personality and storytelling.
The most successful contestant, however, will need a combination of performance ability, improvement, audience connection and consistency.
What Happens After the Cast Reveal?
Once the complete cast is announced, attention will immediately shift toward rehearsal footage, professional partnerships and first-week predictions.
Fans will likely begin looking at which celebrities appear comfortable with choreography and which ones may need additional time to adjust.
The first two episodes on September 15 and 16 should then provide the first real indication of how competitive the season will be.
The premiere will also introduce viewers to the personalities behind the headlines. Casting announcements can only tell part of the story. DWTS becomes compelling when celebrities begin sharing their personal experiences, facing difficult choreography and responding to judges’ critiques.
That process is one of the reasons the franchise continues to attract viewers season after season.
Final Outlook for Dancing With the Stars Season 35
Season 35 is heading toward the ballroom with a cast that already includes reality-TV personalities, entertainers, athletes and major Hollywood names.
Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez have given fans an early look at the competition. Reports surrounding Julia Stiles, Tatyana Ali, Tyler Cameron, Jenna Dewan, Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader have only increased anticipation for the full announcement.
The professional side of the competition is also generating interest, particularly after Witney Carson was revealed as Guillermo Rodriguez’s partner.
With the season premiere scheduled for September 15 and the full lineup arriving on September 2, fans do not have much longer to wait.
The ballroom is nearly ready, rehearsals are underway, and the next Mirrorball Trophy race is about to begin.
Which Season 35 celebrity are you most excited to watch, and who do you think could become the surprise frontrunner? Share your predictions and keep following the latest DWTS updates!