14 Celebrities You Forgot Were On Dancing With The Stars
The following article includes a brief reference to drug and alcohol addiction.
"Dancing with the Stars" is one of the most competitive reality shows. It's no wonder the series, with its thrilling dance routines and fantastic costumes, has been on air for 32 seasons, as of 2023. What makes this show so loved by fans is watching celebrities across diverse industries participate in different dance styles while also getting to vote for their favorite.
Since its 2005 debut, viewers have watched actors, singers, former Bachelor Nation stars, Olympic athletes, politicians, and even astronauts take on different dance routines with their professional partners. Celebrities who have won the coveted Mirrorball trophy range from boy band members like 98 Degrees' Drew Lachey, social media influencer Charlie D'Amelio, and professional athletes such as former NFL player Rashad Jennings and NBA star Iman Shumpert.
As of this writing, there have been nearly 400 celebrities competing on the series! We got to give it up to these stars who dared to waltz, tango, and foxtrot on the dance floor on live television. With so many celebs taking part in one of the most-watched shows on air, there's a chance you might have forgotten quite a few stars who have participated on "Dancing with the Stars." Take a look!
Pamela Anderson was among the DWTS all-stars
"Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson appeared on Season 10 of "Dancing with the Stars" and was partnered with professional dancer Damian Whitewood. Appearing as a guest on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," the actor shared that she was asked to be on the show multiple times but declined. However, she was ready to give it a go in 2010. "I just thought it would be fun. I want to learn how to dance, number one. I've never danced in my life, I've never taken a lesson, I've always wanted to," Anderson shared, jokingly adding that she was among the first celebrity contestants to ask for higher heels when competing.
Anderson certainly did okay for someone who never had a dance lesson. Her final performance with Whitewood was the waltz before she was eliminated 6th. In an interview with ABC, Anderson shared that she continued dancing with Whitewood nationwide two years after her elimination. In the same interview, she also announced that she was chosen to compete in Season 15's "Dancing with the Star: All-Stars" edition. Although having just danced on the show for Season 10, the former Playboy star was eliminated first after dancing the cha-cha-cha with partner Tristan MacManus. Before getting booted off, she told People, "I know I'm not the best dancer, but I have a lot of heart and I have a lot of guts, and I want to be able to portray that."
Kim Kardashian was rated one of the show's worst dancers
You never see major A-list celebrities on "Dancing with the Stars." With their busy schedules, there is no way they can take months off to learn how to master different dance techniques. So, while it's hard to believe that Kim Kardashian would ever participate in the dance competition, think again.
Viewers of the long-running show may remember Kardashian participating back in Season 7, which took place in 2008. A year before, the SKIMS founder and her famous family debuted their reality series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." People reported that after it was announced that she would be dancing with professional dancer Mark Ballas, Kardashian took to her MySpace to share her excitement and that she had already been preparing dance routines with Ballas. "Of course I have my moments where I lose my balance or I lose my place, and some days are better than others," she shared on the social media platform.
Unfortunately, Kardashian was subpar in her performances, especially when she and Ballas took on the mambo in Week 2 with the fitting song "Baby Got Back." Viewers even labeled her as one of the worst celebrity dancers on the show. Kardashian only got to show off her moves for three dance routines and became the third contestant to be eliminated, ending up in 11th place.
Mark Cuban gained notoriety after his DWTS appearance
Before Mark Cuban gained fame as a panel member on "Shark Tank," he was known as a billionaire businessman and owner of the Dallas Mavericks. He competed in the fifth season of "Dancing with the Stars," which premiered in 2007, and was partnered with professional dancer Kym Johnson. However, Cuban's dance skills unfortunately didn't get him far in the competition, and he and Johnson were the fifth couple eliminated after performing the samba to the song "I Dream of Jeannie."
In an interview with Today, Cuban had nothing but good things to say about his experience on the show. However, he did reveal that players on the Mavericks poked fun at him at first for participating. That said, after they watched Cuban compete week after week, they understood the intensity of it. "And what I later heard most was that I had some big ones for getting out there and doing it live," he said.
It wasn't until 2011 that Cuban joined the second season of "Shark Tank." While he was on the show for over a decade, the businessman announced in November 2023 that he would leave the series after its 16th season. Interestingly, his "Shark Tank" castmate, Robert Herjavec, married Johnson in 2016.
Mischa Barton regretted her time on the show
Celebs usually walk away feeling a sense of accomplishment after appearing on "Dancing with the Stars." However, "The O.C." star Mischa Barton's experience was far from gratifying.
Throughout her brief Season 22 stint, where she was partnered with dancing professional Artem Chigvintsev, it was clear that Barton was having second thoughts on whether she wanted to even be on the series. The couple's last performance came in Week 3, though it wasn't their worst — that came the previous week, with their cha-cha-cha effort. In the video package shown prior to their final samba dance, footage taken following their ill-fated cha-cha-cha performance showed Barton and Chigvintsev talking about their routine, which received a low 15 out of 30 from the judges. "You were already in the zone of ... not wanting to do this," the dance pro told Barton. She was later heard saying, "I can't do another week of this." Luckily for Barton, they were the second couple to be eliminated.
In a 2016 interview with The Ringer, Barton revealed that she had a very unpleasant experience on "Dancing with the Stars." "I was supposed to control the costumes, I was told that I could do the design aspect of it, that's kind of the reason why I agreed to do it," she said. "That didn't happen. It wasn't collaborative like a choreographer on a film set. ... I was so confused by it. It was like 'The Hunger Games.' It was all a popularity contest. It was awful. I was so glad to get kicked off."
Lil' Kim was voted off of DWTS too soon
Rapper Lil' Kim was extremely impressive during her Season 8 run on "Dancing with the Stars" with her partner, Derek Hough. From the dance couple's sultry Argentine tango to their thrilling Paso Doble, they consistently had high scores from judges and were fan favorites. It was a total shock when Lil' Kim and Hough were eliminated in Week 9, putting them in fifth place. After her elimination, Lil' Kim told hosts Samantha Harris and Tom Bergeron, who were just as stunned at the results, "I think this is one of the greatest experiences I've ever experienced in my life," she said, adding that she helped bring in more viewers "because I know people who never watched the show."
Before she was voted off, Lil' Kim shared with Today that she wanted to be on the hit show to make her mother proud. "My mom loves the show, and with me going to prison and everything, I feel like my mom has been through so much," the rapper touchingly said of her year-long prison stint after being found guilty in 2005 of lying to a federal grand jury over some friends' involvement in a 2001 shootout. "I've seen her cry a million and one times," Lil' Kim added. "I've seen her look at me like, 'I know my daughter has potential. I know this is not what God wanted her career and her life to be.' So I look at her now, and if she has tears of joy, that makes me happy."
Buzz Aldrin's dance moves were less memorable than his steps on the moon
On July 21, 1969, astronaut Buzz Aldrin became the second person to walk on the moon. In 2010, at 80 years old, he became the second-oldest person to compete on "Dancing with the Stars."
Aldrin appeared in Season 10 and was partnered with professional dancer Ashly Costa. However, viewers would only see the moonwalker try his hand at three dance techniques — the cha-cha-cha, foxtrot, and the waltz — before becoming the second couple to get eliminated and placing 10th overall. In an interview with Reality TV magazine (via BuzzAldrin.com), the astronaut admitted that learning a new dance routine every week was more difficult than his lunar landing. "Walking on the moon is a piece of cake. This is a challenge!" Aldrin said.
Although Aldrin briefly stayed on the dance competition, he told "Good Morning America" that he was glad he did it, especially for someone his age. "I'm very proud to have had the opportunity to inspire a number of us who are trying to keep very active," he shared.
Cloris Leachman was the oldest competitor on DWTS
Actor Cloris Leachman is the oldest person ever to compete in "Dancing with the Stars" to date. At 82, Leachman appeared in the show's seventh season and was partnered with Corky Ballas, fellow dancing pro Mark Ballas' father. Leachman became known for her outspokenness and antics throughout her time on the show, but she and the elder Ballas consistently received low scores from the judges for their dance routines. However, votes from the viewers helped Leachman continue until the duo's elimination, in which she placed 7th overall.
Leachman's dream, it turned out, was to participate in "Dancing with the Stars." In a 2008 interview with The New York Times, the comedic icon — whose credits, of course, included the likes of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Young Frankenstein" — shared that she was looked over twice by ABC producers before getting a chance to compete. Although Leachman believed it was due to her age, the network denied this. "My son became my manager, and he said to me, 'Mom, if you could do anything you wanted to do, what would it be?' And out of my mouth immediately came 'Dancing with the Stars,'" she explained. "I hadn't been watching it all these years; I passed it by once and watched part of it and I just loved it."
Leachman died in her sleep in January 2021. She was 94.
Bill Nye's time on the show was brief
For the 17th season of "Dancing with the Stars," the show brought everyone's favorite scientist, Bill Nye, as a contestant. He was partnered with professional dancer Tyne Stecklein, but unfortunately, he became the second celebrity to get booted off the show.
Nye only got to showcase his moves with three different dance routines but received low scores from the judges. Unfortunately, he sustained a leg injury in his second week, and he and Stecklein had to get creative for their jazz routine in Week 3. Dancing to the song "Get Lucky," Nye dressed up as a robot because of his limited mobility and mainly used his upper body. Despite low scores, Nye received encouraging words from late judge Len Goodman: "To perform with that type of injury takes guts; it takes determination and bravery. And I'm sure lots of celebrities, if they had that, would just fold and give up. And that shows a lot about the man. Well done."
Appearing on "Good Morning America," Nye reflected on his short-lived stint on the show. "It was the coolest thing. I mean, it was great," he said.
Kristin Cavallari's story wasn't good enough for DWTS voters
MTV's "The Hills" star Kristin Cavallari's time on the 13th season of "Dancing with the Stars" was cut short despite receiving fairly good scores during her dance routines with professional dancer and partner Mark Ballas. She was eliminated after her Week 3 samba routine, where she received her highest score. However, Cavallari may have lacked enough votes from viewers, sending her packing when she became the third celebrity to be eliminated.
Each couple's dance that night had significant meaning, which is one reason why Cavallari believed she was given the axe. When the reality star and Ballas appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (via The Hollywood Reporter), Jimmy Kimmel noted that each celebrity had to choose a dance that marked a critical time in their lives. "J.R. picked 2003, a year he was severely injured by a landmine in Iraq. Chyna Phillips picked the year she stopped abusing drugs. David Arquette did 2010, when his marriage fell apart and he started drinking heavily," the host said. Kimmel added, "Your year was 2005, and it was most memorable because you had to choose between going to college and a reality show!" As Cavallari put it, "It wasn't a sob story."
Speaking to E! News the night of her elimination, Cavallari said, "I'm really sad. But I'd rather go out on top and have people be shocked rather than like, 'Thank God, she's leaving! It's about her time.'"
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
How could we forget about Carole Baskin dressed up as a lion?
One of the most-watched documentaries during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic was Netflix's "Tiger King." The 2020 series followed the life of former zookeeper and convicted felon Joe Exotic. His story also involved his nasty years-long feud with Carole Baskin, owner of Big Cat Rescue and the woman he allegedly tried to have murdered by paying a hitman. The show was an instant hit, and later that year, "Dancing with the Stars" announced Baskin would be joining Season 29.
However, casting Baskin had viewers in an uproar because of alleged reports that she had murdered her first husband, Don Lewis, and fed him to her tigers. Lewis' family has long feuded with Baskin since his 1997 disappearance. (He was declared legally dead in 2002.) So when Baskin took to the dance floor with partner Pasha Pashkov for their debut (they danced the Paso Doble to "Eye of the Tiger"), the Lewis family and their attorney ran an advertisement during the commercial break asking for Lewis' whereabouts and offered a $100,000 reward.
Baskin wouldn't do so great on the show. She was the second celebrity to be eliminated. Her last performance had Baskin and Pashkov dressed as lions and dancing the samba to "Circle of Life."
James Van Der Beek got the boot too soon
Long before "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek landed a spot on the 28th Season of "Dancing with the Stars," he portrayed a version of himself pretending to be on the reality dance competition series in the 2012 sitcom "Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23." Speaking to ET about his role, Van Der Beek said, "The real me has never done 'Dancing with the Stars,' but that doesn't mean the 'Apartment 23' version can't do it. The 'Apartment 23' version of me is kind of an attention whore. He gets offered 'Dancing with the Stars' and immediately he takes it incredibly seriously." Van Der Beek added that he had been offered a chance to compete, but the timing was not right.
However, fans finally got to see Van Der Beek compete in 2019. When the celeb contestants were announced, Van Der Beek shared with ET, "I just love being on stage. ... I love to dance, I love to move. It just seemed like the most fun thing I could possibly do." The actor added, "I started out doing theater and I really miss that audience. So, I think I'm just going to let the crowd pull me through."
Van Derk Bee was partnered with Emma Slater and did exceptionally well on the show. He improved each week, receiving scores of 8's, 9's, and even a 10, but was shockingly eliminated by the judges during the semifinals in Week 10, placing 5th.
Mario Lopez was on the third season of DWTS
"Saved by the Bell" actor and television host Mario Lopez competed on the third season of "Dancing with the Stars" and made it to the finals. He and his partner, Karina Smirnoff, had great chemistry on the dance floor, but the pair lost out to former NFL player Emmitt Smith and dance pro Cheryl Burke in the popular vote, placing 2nd. Many viewers believed Lopez was robbed of the Mirrorball trophy. "I would like to think the criteria was based solely on being the best dancer, and I thought we did enough to accomplish that," Lopez told the New York Post. He added, "I figure if this was truly a dance competition, they would have voted for the better dancer."
Lopez and then-girlfriend Smirnoff continued their relationship after the show. They dated from 2006 to 2008, splitting after Lopez allegedly cheated on Smirnoff. In her 2008 interview with People, Smirnoff claimed, "He pretty much confirmed everything. It felt like the world came to an end for a second. I hit the ground, and I couldn't get up. That was when all the little pieces came together in my head. You come to that realization that this is not what you want out of love and out of life, and this is not who you want to be with."
That said, after Lopez took on his "America's Best Dance Crew" hosting gig, he expressed interest in reuniting with his ex on the dance floor, telling People of Smirnoff, "She's the best partner and the best teacher."
Floyd Mayweather felt the judges didn't treat him fairly
The fifth season of "Dancing with the Stars" saw professional boxer Floyd Mayweather using his quick footwork on the dance floor. He was partnered with Karina Smirnoff but would only make it to Week 4, where he and Smirnoff were eliminated, placing 9th.
Throughout his short-lived time on the show, Mayweather believed judges were mistreating him despite getting good feedback on his dance routines and only having his score increase week after week. Before his elimination, Mayweather received a 23 out of 30 for his Paso Doble performance. Still, it wasn't enough for Mayweather. During a 2007 interview with "The Grand Rapids Press," the fighter elaborated on why he felt the judges were negatively perceiving him. "I can see that the judges are judging me ... for the boxing. ... 'All he wanna do is count money and drive expensive cars,' but that's not true," Mayweather said. "I care about giving back to the kids. ... I feed people on Thanksgiving — and those are things that they don't talk about."
At least his "DWTS" elimination gave him time to focus solely on his much-anticipated boxing match against Ricky Hatton at the end of the year. Mayweather won by TKO. And overall, it seemed as though he mostly enjoyed his experience on the dance competition, telling host Tom Bergeron after getting the boot (via ESPN), "It was marvelous just being here, just to get to this plateau. ... We had a great time."
Zendaya gave stellar DWTS performances week after week
It's hard to believe that Zendaya was once a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars." She's won two Emmy awards thanks to her role in "Euphoria" and has starred as MJ in three "Spider-Man" films. However, before she made it big with these roles, she was known for portraying Rocky Blue in the Disney Channel show "Shake It Up." The series ended in 2013, the same year the then-16-year-old joined the 16th season of the reality competition.
Zendaya was the youngest contestant to participate in the show at the time and partnered with professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy. The dance couple did exceptionally well on the show and consistently earned the highest scores from the judges week after week. During an interview with News ABC 12, Zendaya shared that the most challenging dance routine she had to learn was the Argentine tango. However, all that practice earned "The Greatest Showman" star her first 10 from the judges. "That's all I really want is to be able to give a great performance, entertain people, and inspire people with those performances, and then I know I've done my job," Zendaya said.
The singer-actor seemed to be a shoo-in to win the Mirrorball trophy. However, she placed runner-up to "American Idol" alum Kellie Pickler and her partner, Derek Hough. The win was shrouded in controversy, as a technical glitch on ABC.com meant that all votes on the site didn't count, and voters had to instead use texts, calls, and Facebook.