Dancing with the Stars Season 35 continues building its celebrity lineup with the addition of Guillermo Rodriguez, Jimmy Kimmel Live's beloved sidekick and comedy foil. Rodriguez joins an already eclectic cast that reflects the show's broadening reach beyond traditional entertainment celebrities.
The late-night personality brings decades of on-air chemistry with Kimmel to the ABC ballroom competition. Rodriguez has been a fixture on Jimmy Kimmel Live since its inception, known for his pranks, street segments, and ability to riff with the host. His presence signals the show's continued appetite for personalities with established fan bases rather than A-list movie stars.
He enters a Season 35 roster that skews toward reality television and niche celebrity. Maura Higgins brings The Traitors and Love Island credibility. Ciara Miller represents the Bravo demographic via Summer House. Jackson Olson, the Savannah Bananas second baseman, adds athletic representation and Gen-Z appeal through his role with the viral exhibition baseball team.
This casting pattern reflects Dancing with the Stars' strategic shift. The show has moved away from chasing aging film legends toward building a cast with younger, digitally native audiences and cross-platform relevance. Reality TV stars, content creators, and personalities with strong parasocial connections to their audiences deliver better engagement metrics than traditional celebrities.
Rodriguez's participation particularly interests industry observers given his age and physical comedy background. The sidekick role requires constant movement and physicality on late-night television, which could translate to ballroom adaptability. His humor and self-awareness might also provide entertainment gold during the competition's inevitable learning curve.
Season 35 airs this fall on ABC, with professional dancers yet to be announced. The full cast announcement continues across coming weeks as ABC rolls out reveals strategically designed to maximize social media momentum leading into premiere week. Rodriguez joins what