Confirmed and Rumored Contestants for 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 35 Revealed
Confirmed and Rumored Contestants for 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 35 Revealed
Paulette CohnSat, April 25, 2026 at 1:55 PM UTC
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Last year, Dancing with the Stars began the reveal process for the next season’s celebrity participants earlier than normal, by introducing one – Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy Winner Robert Irwin -- at the Hulu Get Real event. This year, the ABC/Disney+ competition series did one better by revealing two of the celebrity dancers for the new season.
Even so, there are plenty of other celebs who have yet to be confirmed, and the rumor mill is churning away as to who may be hitting the dance floor this fall.
Following is everyone who is confirmed and rumored to take part in 2026’s Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.
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Dancing with the Stars Cast for Season 35 (2026)Ciara Miller
Ciara MillerPhoto by JC Olivera/WWD via Getty Images
Ciara was a cast member on Season 10 of Summer House and competed in Season 3 of Peacock’s The Traitors. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she is a registered nurse who specialized as an ICU travel nurse during the pandemic and has been modeling since age 16.
Ciara has been the talk of the town recently, in the center of a whirlwind involving her Summer House castmates, as a profuse amount of drama has come out over a secret affair between her frequent partner, West Wilson, and former bestie Amanda Batula. The subsequent fallout has brought many Bravo fans to her side, and, hopefully, they’ll be following her to the ballroom as well.
Maura Higgins
Maura Higgins on "Love Island" in 2019ITV
Maura is an Irish television personality, model, and presenter who rose to fame as a finalist on Season 5 of Love Island UK in 2019. She followed up her appearance as a contestant by serving as a social media ambassador for Love Island USA and Love Island Games and currently hosts Love Island USA: Aftersun. She also appeared in Season 4 of The Traitors as a “Faithful,” finishing as the runner-up.
On The Traitors, she played the entire time in the castle alongside fellow Love Island alum Rob Rausch, completely unaware he was in the turret the entire season. And so, she experienced the most shocking blindside of the season in the closing minutes, as the two of them went to the end together, only for him to take the money he thought she had won. The good news: He bought her a Birkin bag for consolation.
Related: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Reveals Its First Celebrity Contestants for 2026
RUMORED CAST MEMBERSHenry Winkler
Henry Winkler visits 'Extra'Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images
It was William Shatner who suggested that Henry Winkler would be an excellent contestant after viewing a dance video that Henry had posted from a dance he performed back when he starred as the Fonz on Happy Days.
But Henry is having none of it. He replied, "Love to you but NO dancing thank you."
Related: ‘Happy Days’ Star Says DWTS Isn’t Happening 50 Years After Iconic Classic TV Episode: ‘No Dancing, Thank You’
Nic Vansteenberghe
Nic Vansteenberghe (Photo by Brianna Bryson/WireImage)Getty Images
Nic Vansteenberghe finished in second place with Olandria Carthen on the 2025 Love Island (Season 7) and he recently told Glamourthat he’s got his sights set on his next reality TV series: Dancing with the Stars. In fact, he went so far as to say he’s “going to start training soon.”
What would make Nic an excellent choice is the fact that he has no previous dance training, so he would be someone we could root for from the get-go to watch improve from week to week.
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“The thing about it is the progression would be insane. I would win most improved. I just want to dance,” Vansteenberghe said.
Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'DonnellChelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images
Despite the fact that Rosie O’Donnell has moved to Ireland, her name was one that has been fronted as a possibility for Season 35 of DWTS. But while the actress/comedienne might bring some laughs to the competition, it turns out she’s not interested and she issued a denial after this fictitious post began circulating.
On April 13, she posted on Instagram: "this made me laugh- reminds me to never get a perm !!! completely untrue but funny 😁"
Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav of Public Enemy (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage)Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage via Getty Images
Last season on Dancing with the Stars, Flavor Flav served as a guest judge for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, and it was a memorable appearance because he made a scoring error on Alix Earle, giving her a 9 when he meant to give her a 10.
According to what the rapper told People, that error hasn’t stopped them from wanting him to return. “They want me to come back and dance. I don’t know. I might do it if I think I could do it.”
But more seriously he told the magazine, “No, no, I don’t [think I could do it].”
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret at a film festival in 2025 (Photo by Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
In an exclusive interview with Parade,Ann-Margret revealed that she has been asked several times to compete on Dancing with the Stars, but it’s always been bad timing. As for Season 35, she says, “Oh, I have no idea,” adding, “I really am enjoying my time off.”
But she does enjoy watching the show as she identifies with both the celebrity and pro dancers: “I know all of the nerves that go through everybody when, all of a sudden, well, it’s your time to perform and [you think], ‘help!’ I go through the same emotions that they go through.”
Related: Would Ann-Margret Ever Do ‘Dancing With the Stars’? The 84-Year-Old Icon Weighs In (Exclusive)
Rob Rausch
Rob RauschAmber Asaly
The Traitors’ Season 3 winner Dylan Efron definitely made an impression last season on DWTS, so it’s no surprise that Season 4 winner Rob Rausch is rumored to join the cast this season.
A source told the US Sun, “Nothing is finalized but he’s been given the offer and there’s a spot on the cast that is his if he wants it.” Then added, “DWTS knows he’ll be a huge heartthrob of the season. That mixed with his charm and popularity will guarantee him a decent run on the show.”
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Cast
After the success of Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck in Season 34, the names of other cast members from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives are being bandied about, but no one for certain yet.
Related: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Launching New Spinoff to Crown the Next Pro
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the TV section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
