Actress Julia Stiles has sparked rumors she is joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars season 35 after sharing a coy social media post.
The 45-year-old mother of three, who boasts 861,000 Instagram followers, posted a slideshow on Sunday captioned "Ready for LA like…", followed by makeup-free photographs showing herself whitening her teeth and pampering her skin with a moisturizing face mask.
Production sources told TMZ that Stiles has officially been cast for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to premiere on September 15 on ABC and Disney+. The Daily Mail reached out to representatives for the Emmy nominee for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Julia Stiles dance background and career
Stiles is no stranger to performing on screen, having famously broken out her dance moves to The Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 hit Hypnotize in front of the late Heath Ledger in Gil Junger's beloved 1999 teen romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, a movie that launched both of their Hollywood careers.
The New York-born blonde later took on the lead role of an aspiring ballet dancer who incorporates hip-hop moves into her Juilliard School audition in Thomas Carter's 2001 hit dance flick Save the Last Dance.
In 2023, Stiles gamely recreated her memorable 10 Things I Hate About You dance routine alongside Chloe Fineman during a Weekend Update segment on NBC's Saturday Night Live.
Beyond acting, the Columbia University graduate and Golden Globe nominee made her feature directorial debut last year with the tragic romance Wish You Were Here, which starred former Dancing with the Stars season 11 champion Jennifer Grey.
Stiles has not taken on an acting gig since portraying Clio in Heather Graham's 2024 dramedy Chosen Family. However, her upcoming acting roles include Kevin Cate's holiday road trip comedy Unbearable Christmas, as well as K Period Media's eight-part psychological thriller series Recap.
Guillermo Rodriguez and confirmed contestants
Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel Live! sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez is already deep into rehearsals for the competition. The 55-year-old former security guard admitted he is already "tired" while practicing a "hard" cha-cha routine alongside his professional partner, reigning champion Witney Carson, who is currently four months pregnant with her third child.
During Wednesday night's episode of the late-night talk show, Rodriguez took matters into his own hands by approaching celebrity guests including Josh Gad, Jodie Foster, Chris Evans, and Lisa Kudrow, asking them to sign contracts "swearing" they will vote for him on the show.
Other celebrity contestants previously announced for season 35 include Summer House star Ciara Miller and Love Island alum Maura Higgins. Higgins expressed her excitement on her Instagram story on Thursday, writing, "I can't believe it's all starting."
Savannah Bananas second baseman Jackson Olson also shared his enthusiasm on his Instagram story on Thursday. "First week was incredible! So much fun, so much learning and so much more to go! Now off the St. Louis to do my other job. This is so fun!" Olson posted.
Rumored contestants and show lineup
Additional rumors surround Love Thy Nader star Sarah Jane Nader, who has previously dated Pete Davidson and Alexis Williams. According to TMZ, Nader will allegedly be paired with a female professional dancer for the season.
Another potential competitor generating buzz is Jenna Dewan. Commentators note Dewan might hold an unfair advantage over fellow contestants given her extensive past experience as a professional backup dancer for major music stars including Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Missy Elliott.
The rumor list also features The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum Tatyana Ali, The Bachelorette runner-up Tyler Cameron, and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Conner Leavitt.
That brings the current tally to 10 potential celebrity competitors so far, which is four fewer than the number of participants who competed in the previous season. Fans will not have to wait much longer for official confirmation, as the complete cast lineup will be revealed live on Good Morning America on September 2.
When the new season begins, Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are set to resume their co-hosting duties. Meanwhile, Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli are all expected to return to the judges' table for season 35.
