Updated

Updated · Just Jared · Aug 30

Maura Higgins Joins Dancing With the Stars Season 35 as 15 Other Celebrities Emerge

Updated

Updated · Just Jared · Aug 30

Maura Higgins Joins Dancing With the Stars Season 35 as 15 Other Celebrities Emerge

Q: Which heavily rumored 90s icons are reportedly hiding behind masks at the DWTS rehearsal studios ahead of the official cast reveal?

The heavily rumored ’90s icons reportedly hiding behind masks at the “Dancing with the Stars” rehearsal studios are **Taylor Hanson, Tatyana Ali and Julia Stiles**. Taylor Hanson, of Hanson and “MMMBop” fame, has been repeatedly cited in casting reports as a likely Season 35 contestant. Separate reporting and fan-tracking around the rehearsal studios also fueled speculation that two ’90s actresses — Tatyana Ali of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and Julia Stiles of “Save the Last Dance” — were among the masked celebrities arriving for practice ahead of the official reveal. Those names remain in the rumor category until ABC announces the full cast on “Good Morning America” on Sept. 2. But based on the available reporting, Hanson, Ali and Stiles are the main nostalgia-era stars believed to be concealing their identities at rehearsals.

Q: Why did a newly confirmed DWTS star publicly ban a specific professional dancer from being her partner before the season even began?

Maura Higgins publicly ruled out Gleb Savchenko because of his past treatment of her friend Brooks Nader and because she said she dislikes “the way he speaks about women.” Before the “Dancing with the Stars” season 35 pairings were announced, Higgins told E! News she would be “happy with anyone except Gleb.” She said her stance was rooted in loyalty to Nader, who had previously been paired with Savchenko on the show and later dated him. Their relationship ended badly, with Nader suspecting he had cheated on her, an allegation Savchenko has denied. Higgins also made clear that her objection was not only personal loyalty but also her view of Savchenko’s public comments. She said she did not want to spend long rehearsal hours with “someone like that,” adding that she did not like how he talks about women. Savchenko pushed back after Higgins’ remarks became public, saying they had never met and that he was disappointed to be judged on what he called “a one-sided version of events.” But the reason Higgins spoke out before the season began was straightforward: she wanted to distance herself from a pro dancer she associated with her friend’s messy breakup and with behavior she found objectionable.

3 articles · Updated · Just Jared · Aug 30

Maura Higgins, 35, is the only contestant confirmed so far for Dancing with the Stars Season 35, while a broader cast list remains unannounced.
15 other celebrities are circulating as rumored competitors, including Hanson musician Taylor Hanson, 43, reality TV figure Conner Leavitt, 32, and model Sarah Jane Nader, 24.
Two of the 16 names reportedly have major dance experience, adding an early competitive wrinkle as the ABC season takes shape.
Professional partners have not been confirmed for Higgins or the rumored contestants, leaving key casting details still unresolved ahead of Season 35.