Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali Reportedly Join ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Cast

Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali are reportedly joining the cast of “Dancing With the Stars” Season 35, adding two recognizable television and film actresses to an increasingly diverse lineup of rumored contestants.

According to reports, the upcoming season is expected to bring together actors, reality television personalities, athletes and celebrity family members. The reported names include Stiles, Ali, Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader, although ABC had not yet officially announced the complete cast at the time of the reports.

The reported lineup has already generated interest because several contestants have connections to previous seasons of the competition.

Julia Stiles reportedly heads to the ballroom

Julia Stiles is one of the most recognizable names reportedly joining the new season.

The actress became a major star among young audiences through films such as “10 Things I Hate About You” and “Save the Last Dance.”

Her career has since expanded across film and television, giving her a résumé that stretches well beyond the romantic comedies and teen dramas that first made her famous.

A ballroom competition would represent a very different challenge for Stiles.

Unlike an acting role, where performers can work through multiple takes and rely on a carefully structured production process, “Dancing With the Stars” requires contestants to learn demanding choreography under intense time pressure.

If Stiles does officially take part, audiences will get the chance to see a different side of an actress who has spent much of her career working in scripted productions.

Tatyana Ali would bring another familiar face to DWTS

Tatyana Ali is also reportedly joining the Season 35 cast.

Ali became widely known as Ashley Banks on the classic sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

The role introduced her to audiences at a young age and helped establish her as one of the show’s memorable performers.

She later continued her acting career with appearances in television and film, including a lengthy run on “The Young and the Restless.”

Joining “Dancing With the Stars” would give Ali an opportunity to connect with viewers through a completely different form of performance.

Although she has extensive experience performing for cameras, ballroom dancing demands a distinct combination of technique, timing, physical conditioning and partnership with a professional dancer.

That difference could make her journey one of the season’s more interesting storylines.

Conner Leavitt adds a family connection

The reported Season 35 cast also includes Conner Leavitt, whose appearance would give the new season another connection to a recent “Dancing With the Stars” competitor.

Conner is the husband of Whitney Leavitt, who competed during Season 34 with professional dancer Mark Ballas.

Whitney reportedly made it as far as the semifinals during her season.

If Conner takes to the ballroom, the couple’s connection to the show would create an unusual dynamic. Viewers would already have a reference point for the family through Whitney’s previous experience.

It could also provide an interesting opportunity for audiences to compare their approaches to the competition.

Sarah Jane Nader continues the Nader family’s DWTS connection

Another reported contestant with a familiar connection is Sarah Jane Nader.

Sarah Jane is the sister of model Brooks Nader, who competed on “Dancing With the Stars” during Season 33.

Brooks participated in the 2024 season alongside professional dancer Gleb Savchenko and finished ninth in the competition.

Her appearance also generated attention because of her relationship with Savchenko during and after the season.

Sarah Jane’s reported casting would therefore mark another appearance by the Nader family in the ballroom.

It also illustrates how the show has increasingly become a place where celebrity connections can continue from one season to another.

The rumored cast is already unusually varied

The reported Season 35 lineup extends well beyond traditional Hollywood casting.

In addition to Stiles, Ali, Leavitt and Nader, reports have connected other recognizable names with the season, including Guillermo Rodriguez, Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller.

Other reported participants include Jenna Dewan, Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson, who has been associated with Savannah Bananas.

If the reported lineup is accurate, Season 35 would bring together performers and personalities from several different corners of popular culture.

That variety is central to the appeal of “Dancing With the Stars.”

The show does not require contestants to be professional dancers. Instead, its premise depends on watching people with very different backgrounds learn ballroom and Latin choreography from professional partners.

Some contestants arrive with performance experience, while others have athletic, television or social-media backgrounds.

The question is always how quickly they can adapt.

Guillermo Rodriguez already has an announced place

Among the names associated with the upcoming season, Guillermo Rodriguez has already been highlighted as part of the cast.

The 55-year-old television personality is known to millions of viewers through his work on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

Rodriguez is expected to compete with reigning champion professional dancer Witney Carson.

That partnership could immediately attract attention because Carson enters the season as one of the show’s most accomplished professionals.

Her experience and previous success could be particularly valuable to a contestant who is entering the competition without a traditional ballroom background.

Witney Carson faces a unique challenge

Carson’s participation is notable for another reason.

The professional dancer is expected to compete while pregnant with her third child with husband Carson McAllister.

That creates an unusual situation for one of the show’s established professionals.

Carson acknowledged the challenge during an appearance on “Good Morning America.”

“I would be lying if I said it wasn’t very daunting,” she said. “I’ve never been this far along pregnant and competing on Dancing With the Stars, ever.”

Her participation adds another layer of interest to the upcoming season.

Professional dancers on “Dancing With the Stars” already face demanding rehearsal schedules and physically intensive performances. Competing during pregnancy introduces additional considerations that will make Carson’s preparation different from previous seasons.

ABC has not yet revealed the complete lineup

Despite the growing number of reports, viewers should distinguish between reported casting information and official ABC announcements.

At the time covered by the reports supplied for this article, ABC had not revealed the complete Season 35 celebrity lineup.

That means reported names can potentially change before the network’s official announcement.

The complete celebrity-professional pairings were expected to be revealed on “Good Morning America” on September 2.

That announcement should provide the definitive lineup and clarify which reported contestants will actually compete.

When does “Dancing With the Stars” Season 35 premiere?

The upcoming season is scheduled to premiere across two nights, September 15 and September 16.

The two-night launch gives ABC an opportunity to introduce the contestants, their professional partners and the early dance performances before the competition settles into its regular rhythm.

For fans, the first episodes will also answer one of the biggest questions surrounding every new season: which celebrities have natural dance ability, and which ones will need considerably more time to find their footing?

That uncertainty is part of what keeps the format compelling.

Why Julia Stiles could be an interesting contestant

Stiles has spent decades performing in front of cameras, but acting experience does not automatically translate into ballroom success.

Dance competitions require performers to master choreography while maintaining posture, rhythm, footwork and connection with a partner.

At the same time, Stiles’ professional experience could give her some advantages.

She is accustomed to memorizing scripts, taking direction and performing under production pressure. She also has experience with physically demanding roles, which could help during rehearsals.

Whether those skills translate into the ballroom remains one of the season’s unanswered questions.

Tatyana Ali has a different kind of performance background

Ali’s career could provide another interesting contrast.

Having grown up on television, she is familiar with live-performance energy and the demands of working before an audience.

Her long career also means that viewers have had an opportunity to watch her evolve from a child actor into an established performer.

“Dancing With the Stars” would nevertheless challenge her in a new way.

The competition requires contestants to reveal themselves through movement rather than dialogue, while judges evaluate technical execution alongside performance quality.

That combination often produces unexpected results.

Season 35 could continue the show’s celebrity-family tradition

The inclusion of Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader, if confirmed, would continue an increasingly recognizable pattern within the franchise: contestants with direct connections to previous competitors.

These connections give longtime viewers an additional reason to follow the season.

Fans who watched Whitney Leavitt or Brooks Nader compete can now potentially watch members of their families enter the same ballroom.

The connection also creates an unusual form of continuity between seasons.

Instead of every new cast beginning with a completely blank slate, familiar names and relationships can carry stories forward.

The biggest question now is who will officially make the floor

With September approaching, anticipation is building around the official Season 35 announcement.

Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali would be significant additions if their reported casting is confirmed. Their careers span different eras and areas of entertainment, while the reported participation of Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader adds a family dimension to the competition.

But until ABC formally announces the full lineup, the reported cast should remain described as unconfirmed.

That distinction matters, particularly as entertainment casting can change before official announcements.

For now, the reported names suggest that “Dancing With the Stars” is preparing another season designed to bring together familiar faces from Hollywood, reality television, sports and popular culture.

The official announcement on September 2 is expected to settle the speculation.

Then, when Season 35 begins on September 15 and 16, the real test will begin: learning the steps, surviving the judges’ scores and proving that celebrity status can translate into ballroom success.