Dancing With the Stars Season 35: Meet the Celebrities Joining the Ballroom This Fall

Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Is Taking Shape

ABC is generating major buzz ahead of the highly anticipated 35th season of Dancing With the Stars, with the network strategically unveiling cast members ahead of the official full reveal. The complete lineup of celebrity competitors and their professional dance partners is set to be announced live on Good Morning America on September 2, but a few names have already made headlines.

Ciara Miller Among the First Stars Confirmed

Reality television personality Ciara Miller, best known for her role on Bravo's Summer House, is one of the first two celebrities officially confirmed for DWTS Season 35. Her casting was publicly announced during Hulu's Get Real House 2026 event — a reveal that came at a particularly turbulent moment in the reality star's personal life.

Miller has found herself at the center of one of Bravo's most talked-about recent controversies. The drama unfolded after months of speculation surrounding the relationship between her former close friends Amanda Batula and West Wilson. After persistent rumors and repeated denials, Batula and Wilson released a joint statement in late March confirming their romantic involvement. The revelation sent shockwaves through the Bravosphere, largely because Miller had previously dated Wilson and shared a close friendship with Batula.

A Casting Decision That Felt 'Right for the Moment'

DWTS executive producer Deena Katz opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about the decision to bring Miller onto the show, describing it as an instinctive and timely choice.

"I already knew Ciara. She was on Traitors, and she's wonderful. She's stunning, she's gorgeous — she's all these things," Katz explained. "And then the stuff that happened to her, it was a really of-the-moment thing that we all felt like it was the right time. We really wanted her on the show, but it was also the right time to announce her."

Katz noted that her familiarity with Miller dated back to casting her on Season 3 of The Traitors, giving producers confidence in her ability to shine on a competitive reality platform.

Miller's Rise Mirrors Ariana Madix's Post-Scandal Trajectory

Many observers have drawn parallels between Miller's current situation and the notorious Vanderpump Rules Scandoval — the controversy that erupted when Tom Sandoval was revealed to have had an affair with Rachel Leviss, a close friend of his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix. While the circumstances differ, both women experienced a significant professional upswing in the aftermath of their respective public ordeals.

Madix leveraged her moment in the spotlight by competing on DWTS and subsequently landing the hosting role on Love Island USA — a career trajectory that Miller now appears to be echoing. Miller has been confirmed as the co-host of Love Island USA's Aftersun companion show, and she is also expected to return for Season 11 of Summer House.

A Packed Schedule Before the Ballroom Beckons

Before Ciara Miller slips on her dancing shoes this fall, she faces an action-packed summer. Between co-hosting Aftersun and returning to film Summer House, Miller's schedule is anything but quiet. If her growing momentum is any indication, her debut on the DWTS dance floor could mark yet another major milestone in what is shaping up to be a remarkable professional resurgence.