Dancing With the Stars Season 32 Cast Revealed: Did 5 Random People Recognize the Celebs?
Please welcome to the ballroom...who?
Dancing With the Stars officially announced its lineup of celebrities for season 32, which premieres on Sept. 26 and will be hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough. The soon-to-be-Samba-ing stars set to put on their dancing shoes include beloved Vanderpump Rules alum Ariana Madix, a member of The Brady Bunch and a newly minted Marvel superhero. Oh, there's also an Oscar winner and the husband of a Real Housewife. DWTS really does have the range.
The latest crop of mirrorball hopefuls is, per tradition, an eclectic experiment in levels of fame, which is why we love to conduct this annual, highly scientific and, sure, slightly shady focus group to find out who from our esteemed panel of five random people—a DWTS super-fan, a recent college graduate, a personal injury defense attorney, a school teacher and a former entertainment reporter—has ever heard of each star.
So, just how famous are Dancing With the Stars' season 32 contestants? Let's find out...
DWTS Super-Fan: Oh, is he a boxer?
Former Entertainment Reporter: Supermodel and star of Britney Spears' iconic music video "Toxic."
School Teacher: I mean, everyone knows who Tyson Beckford is. I'm just surprised he's never been on this show before. Wait, has he been on it before? Can you do it more than once like Survivor?
Recent College Grad: Sounds like a football player maybe?
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: I know this. Isn't he the guy in Fast & the Furious? Wait, wait, no. He's a male supermodel right?
Who He Really Is: In addition to being a model, Beckford is also an actor and host. And, of course, he was famously name-dropped in the Blessid Union of Souls' hit song "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me)." He has not been on DWTS before.
DWTS Super-Fan: No clue. Maybe Selena Gomez's little sister.
Former Entertainment Reporter: That's America Chavez!
School Teacher: I know her because I'm a Marvel head. She's America Chavez. And I know she was in The Baby-Sitters Club before that. I guess you need something to do between Marvel gigs. I bet she'll do well. Not even knowing the rest of the cast, I put her in top three.
Recent College Grad: An international sensation, like a pop star.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: I don't know. Selena's sister?
Who She Really Is: She's only a Marvel superhero, NBD. Gomez made her debut in the MCU as America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
DWTS Super-Fan: American Pie.
Former Entertainment Reporter: Amazing comedic actress and personally I think the underrated MVP of How I Met Your Mother.
School Teacher: My knee-jerk reaction is she's too good for this. But I guess I haven't seen her in much since How I Met Your Mother went off the air and that was, what? 10 years ago now. And, of course, Buffy and American Pie. People are going to love her. She's a cutie patootie. Happy for her! Go Alyson!
Recent College Grad: A soap opera star who was famous back in the day but is trying to reinvent her image.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: The chick from American Pie. And How I Met Your Mother.
Who She Really Is: Hannigan has starred in two hit series—Buffy the Vampire Slayer and How I Met Your Mother—and one time she went to band camp in the American Pie film franchise.
DWTS Super-Fan: I have absolutely no clue. A skater?
Former Entertainment Reporter: Seems like an influencer of some kind or some podcast dude.
School Teacher: Another name I'm sure I've never heard in my life. Which means he is probably sports or a reality TV dating show.
Recent College Grad: Doesn't he host a game show?
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: That can't be the guy from Jersey Shore, can it?
Who He Really Is: A British reality star who appeared on the first season of Netflix's Too Hot to Handle, Jowsey is now—you guessed it—an influencer.
DWTS Super-Fan: A Housewife.
Former Entertainment Reporter: I don't know this one, an athlete?
School Teacher: Literally have never heard this name in my life. It sounds like the name an author would come up with for the lead of their rom-com novel. If I had to guess, I'd say maybe someone from The Bachelor-verse? If only because that's my biggest blindspot.
Recent College Grad: Sounds like a girl who ditched her two star small town to head to the big city, so I will say a D-list actress. Maybe she does reality TV?
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: I have a feeling she was in some sort of cheerleader movie.
Who She Really Is: The most recent lead of The Bachelorette, this family therapist found love with Dotun Oloniyo.
DWTS Super-Fan: Isn't she a reality star?
Former Entertainment Reporter: Vanderpump Rules star! "I regret ever loving you" a.k.a. "Scandoval" was my entire personality for a bit earlier this year.
School Teacher: Queen! I know we're collectively burnt out on "Scandoval," at least, I am, but I'm rooting for her to win. Hopefully she brings the same seriousness she had about sketch comedy to the dance floor.
Recent College Grad: WOW! I would have to say she might be the most exciting contestant thus far. America is rooting for you, queen! I hope that worm with a mustache watches her slay from his rotten hole in the ground. She is clearly the No. 1 guy in this group.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: Is that Ariana Grande's real last name? Oh f--king hell, that's the girl from VPR? I didn't know her last name. Can I change my answer to, "She's in Vanderpump Rules, obviously." Because I do know who she is. I just didn't know her last name.
Who She Really Is: Raise your glasses high because this Vanderpump Rules star is continuing to flourish after the Bravo world was rocked by the news that Madix's boyfriend of almost 10 years, Tom Sandoval, had been having an affair with her fellow cast mate and best friend, Raquel Leviss.
DWTS Super-Fan: He's a singer.
Former Entertainment Reporter: Singer/songwriter - every person who got married in 2008 probably had "I'm Yours" on their playlist (rightfully so).
School Teacher: Jason "I'm Yours" Mraz is going to be on Dancing With the Stars?! This cast is next-level randomista. Waiting For My Rocket to Come was a seminal album for my teenage self, but I don't think of him as a dancer. You can't really foxtrot to "Bubbly."
Recent College Grad: I know he is the singer that wears the fedora.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: The greatest singer of all time. He's the guy who sang my wedding song.
Who He Really Is: This singer-songwriter's got the remedy, the experience...no, really, Mraz is best known for his hit songs "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" and "I'm Yours" and he's won two Grammys.
DWTS Super-Fan: I want to say a football player.
Former Entertainment Reporter: Former NFL running back.
School Teacher: For a second I was going to say isn't that the guy that used to be on Heroes? But I haven't seen or heard from him in like a decade, so that would be shocking, even for DWTS standards. Shot in the dark: Sports? Or also from The Bachelor? Turns out, those are actually both blind spots for me.
Recent College Grad: Oh my god, he plays for the Seahawks, I love myself for knowing that.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: He's an NFL running back who played for the Detroit Lions. Sorry, the future Super Bowl champion Detroit Lions.
Who He Really Is: A seven-time Pro Bowl NFL star, Peterson is one of football's top running backs, though he hasn't played since the 2021 season.
DWTS Super-Fan: From the Ponds family, like the skincare brand.
Former Entertainment Reporter: When I don't know, I just guess YouTube star.
School Teacher: I feel like I have heard this name, but I can't place it. Is she a singer? I could imagine this being the name of someone whose song went viral on TikTok and I would know 15 seconds of it.
Recent College Grad: The Vine girl? Yuck.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: Is she married to an NBA player?
Who She Really Is: A singer and actress who first rose to prominence as the most followed-woman on Vine (R.I.P.). After the platform shuttered, Pons moved over to YouTube, where she's amassed 18 million subscribers.
DWTS Super-Fan: An actress! From The Godfather movies or something.
Former Entertainment Reporter: ROMY F'IN WHITE - do you think she'll say "Would you excuse me? I cut my foot before and my shoe is filling up with blood" if she gets injured during a dance?
School Teacher: Awww, I love this for her and I really hope she does well. She deserves a big comeback and I hope everyone will remember how much we love her and then Hollywood will cast her in more things. My dream audience guest is obviously Lisa Kudrow. Romy and Michelle for life!
Recent College Grad: I think she has a perfume line at Macy's?
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: Oh, she's an actress. What was she in though? I know her from something. I know her from a lot of things, but there's one I'm thinking of. She's in one of the best movies, Way of the Gun. I watched that movie in college for years.
Who She Really Is: The inventor of the Post-It Note. Okay, not really, but she is an Oscar-winning actress best known for Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion, Mighty Aphrodite and The Sound of Freedom.
DWTS Super-Fan: Duh. From Zoey 101. I know she's Britney Spears' sister. I mean, duh.
Former Entertainment Reporter: Related to the one and only iconic, beautiful Britney Spears.
School Teacher: It is not surprising that Jamie Lynn would sign on for this at the same time Britney's book is coming out, but it is shameless. Will Lynne Spears be in the audience? That might get me to tune in for an episode and then immediately check Britney's Instagam after.
Recent College Grad: My most memorable teen pregnancy scandal to date! I think she did Britney dirty, so I hope she loses quickly.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: Britney's sister.
Who She Really Is: The younger sister of Britney Spears, Jamie Lynn rose to fame as the star of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 and recently reprised the role in Zoey 102. She's also appeared in Netflix's Sweet Magnolias and competed on Fox's Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.
DWTS Super-Fan: I am going to say a football player.
Former Entertainment Reporter: Married to "Goodbye Kyle!" Richards. Some people say he's the hottest Housewives husband.
School Teacher: They couldn't even get a Housewife?! They had to get a Househusband of a Housewife? This is a new low. I guess they are looking to capitalize on Kyle Richards' A Tale of two Mos, but I don't think he'll bring in the amount of Bravo viewers that ABC is probably hoping for.
Recent College Grad: NO WAY. The people's house husband?! He needs to be protected at all costs.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: Yeah, I don't know that guy. The name does not ring a bell.
Who He Really Is: Recently separated from his wife, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards, Umansky is a real estate mogul who also fronts Netflix's Buying Beverly Hills.
DWTS Super-Fan: Definitely a newscaster.
Former Entertainment Reporter: I assume this is the really talented/funny actor from Veep/etc. and not the OTHER one - seeing this name was a jump scare.
School Teacher: Matt Walsh from Veep? That would be hilarious, but I'm assuming this is a Bachelor. Is he the one that's friends with Tyler Cameron?
Recent College Grad: Retired football player.
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: He's a man. He was in a USA show, wasn't he? Oh, I'm thinking of Matt Bomer. I know him. He's an okay comedian.
Who He Really Is: A founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, Walsh has made TV audiences laugh on The Daily Show, Reno 911! and Veep. He's also made appearances in movies such as The Hangover, Bad Santa and Role Models.
DWTS Super-Fan: Oh my gosh! Greg from The Brady Bunch!
Former Entertainment Reporter: Greg Brady!!!
School Teacher: This is becoming embarrassing for me, or for DWTS. The name sounds familiar in a very generic way, so I'll probably kick myself when I find out. I guess sports? Maybe he's a baseball player.
Recent College Grad: Does he do infomercials?
Personal Injury Defense Attorney: Does he play baseball for the Braves? Oh, he was on The Brady Bunch? Sounds like he plays for the Braves.
Who He Really Is: An actor best known for playing the eldest Brady kid, Greg, on The Brady Bunch.
Dancing With the Stars season 32 premieres Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The season will simulcast LIVE on Disney+ and be available next day on Hulu.
