Dancing with the Stars‘ 20th anniversary cast is stacked with reality TV divas, former child stars, beloved singers, and talented athletes. As usual, viewers can anticipate a mix of dance know-how, from rhythm-less to potentially too skilled for this show. Considering the past rivalry between two of the contestants and the teased surprises for the season to celebrate the competition’s milestone year, fans are in for a ride.
DWTS season 34 cast
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are set to host for the third year in a row. Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli will all return to judge the dancers and their progress.
- Jen Affleck (26), star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives | Pro: Jan Ravnik
- Hilaria Baldwin (41), author and wellness influencer, married to Alec Baldwin | Pro: Gleb Savchenko
- Jordan Chiles (24), Olympic gold medalist | Pro: Ezra Sosa
- Baron Davis (46), NBA player | Pro: Britt Stewart
- Alix Earle (24), social media influencer | Pro: Val Chmerkovskiy
- Dylan Efron (33), The Traitors season 3 winner and Zac Efron’s brother | Pro: Daniella Karagach
- Corey Feldman (54), ’80s icon | Pro: Jenna Johnson
- Danielle Fishel (44), podcaster and Boy Meets World star who played Topanga | Pro: Pasha Pashkov
- Elaine Hendrix (54), actress best known for playing Meredith Blake in The Parent Trap | Pro: Alan Bersten
- Scott Hoying (33), Pentatonix singer | Pro: Rylee Arnold
- Robert Irwin (21), wildlife conservationist and son of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin | Pro: Witney Carson
- Lauren Jauregui (29), Fifth Harmony singer | Pro: Brandon Armstrong
- Whitney Leavitt (32), star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives | Pro: Mark Ballas
- Andy Richter (58), comedian known for his work with Conan O’Brien | Pro: Emma Slater
What DWTS Fans Can Expect
Be prepared for a change in format as DWTS celebrates its 20th anniversary. They’re pulling out all the stops to ensure their milestone year is bigger and better than ever. In an interview with TV Insider, showrunner Conrad Green teased:
It’s a landmark season for us, so we want to break new ground and keep expanding what the show can do. There will be some really fun new theme nights and changes to competition rounds that we’ve never seen before — and for those who reach the end we’ll have the most demanding finale in the shows’ history.
The celebration extends to the return of fan-favorite dancers as guest judges. There will be a special guest judge for the 20th anniversary episode, where former champions will come back and be involved in the competitive rounds. Could this include General Hospital‘s Kelly Monaco, who was the show’s very first winner way back in 2005?
Green stated it will be “a memorable night.”
As for the contestants, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt have buried the hatchet, but do expect a healthy but friendly competitive spirit between the two. Affleck told the outlet, “I’m excited to have [Leavitt] there to push me and have a friend to go through the journey with when it gets hard.” However, Leavitt joked that she’s not about to be out cha-cha’d on national television.
And, while Robert Irwin doesn’t have his sister, Bindi, in the season to push him, her legacy will likely loom large. She won season 21 with then pro dancer Derek Hough. Irwin described himself as having so little rhythm that it’s scary. But he’s looking forward to Hough’s critique as a judge. He shared, “[Derek] really has such a detailed eye when it comes to dancing. He’s one to not only critique the dance, but also give really important advice,” so Irwin does see the competition as a means of getting rid of his two left feet.
Dancing with the Stars season 34 premieres Tuesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. The next day, streaming will be available on Hulu.
