Dancing With the Stars unveils season 35 cast, with Julia Stiles, Harry Shum Jr. and pro promotions

Producers have released the full cast for Dancing With the Stars season 35, giving viewers their first look at who will compete this year. The announcement bundles celebrity contestants and the professional dancers who will partner them, signalling the start of a new competitive chapter. While the list includes several names, the reveal singles out two high-profile additions: Julia Stiles and Harry Shum Jr., both celebrity entrants.

The disclosure sets out the pairings and pro lineup that will shape the season’s storytelling and competitive arcs, and it gives fans a chance to start speculating about routines and showdowns before the season begins.

Among the celebrities named for season 35 are Julia Stiles and Harry Shum Jr., whose participation adds extra attention to the series.

Their inclusion points to a blend of different talents and profiles taking part this time around. For viewers, familiar names often help frame expectations—fans will watch to see how these celebs adapt to ballroom and how their backgrounds influence choreography and performance choices. Their presence in the cast announcement will likely spark discussion online and in entertainment coverage as anticipation builds for opening night and the weeks that follow.

Season 34 troupe member Hailey Bills has been elevated to a professional dancer role for season 35. That promotion marks a step up in the Dancing With the Stars hierarchy, moving from troupe performances to the main competitive partnerships that receive most of the attention. Alongside the promotion, Bills has been placed in what the show describes as its third-ever same-sex pairing. For a dancer making the move from the ensemble to full pro status, this season will be an opportunity to show range, partner-work skills and leadership in rehearsals and live shows as she navigates her new responsibilities on the ballroom floor.

The season 35 announcement marks the third time Dancing With the Stars has featured a same-sex professional pairing. That milestone underscores the show’s evolving approach to casting and choreography, and it will inevitably draw attention from viewers and commentators interested in representation in televised dance. Same-sex pairings can open up new stylistic and narrative possibilities in ballroom routines, pushing choreographers and performers to rethink traditional roles and storytelling. While the pairing is explicitly noted in the cast reveal, the show’s creative teams will determine how they stage and present these performances as the season unfolds.