Taylor Frankie Paul wasn’t one of the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars to join Dancing With the Stars — but she’s throwing her hat in the ring for season 35.
“When DWTS asked [about] my dance experience? Umm … no but I am the creator of the Baja blast,” Taylor, 31, captioned a Friday, July 25, TikTok of her dancing. “I’ll be there if you need people next season.”
During the Mormon Wives reunion special, which aired earlier this month, host Nick Viall surprised the cast when he told Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt that they were chosen to compete after several of the show’s cast members auditioned.
ABC previously confirmed that TikToker Alix Earle and Steve Irwin‘s son, Robert Irwin, are taking part in the next season, but the rest of the celeb competitors have yet to be announced. While fans await more celebrity casting news, DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy exclusively told Us Weekly how he has very high expectations after the show “went viral” on social media.
“When I think of a partner, I just want somebody that — after being on the show for 20 seasons now — I just want somebody that’s excited to be there,” Chmerkovskiy, 39, shared in April. “I’ve seen a lot of really incredible people and I’ve worked with a lot of really talented dynamic people. But it is from that excitement that I’m really inspired and now you have me really going the distance for you.”
DWTS has seen a resurgence in popularity due to the dances going viral on TikTok. After season 33, ABC told Deadline in October 2024 that there were more than 14 million fan votes received for the episode where Anna Delvey and partner Ezra Sosa as well as Tori Spelling and her partner, Pasha Pashkov, got eliminated on live TV.
“The record number of votes that week suggests to me that a lot of our audience are very passionate about a lot of our stars this year, and the increased ratings year or year would suggest that it is the case,” DWTS executive producer Conrad Green told Deadline. “At core, as always, the cast is what defines the season.”
Green continued: “This group of stars are really likable, talented and love being on the show — and that passion for what they’re doing really comes through on live TV. There’s real dance talent across the cast and a lot of unique stories as well as so much potential in the couples to grow as performers.”
At the time, Green reflected on the show’s long-lasting success.
“Also, Dancing With the Stars is a really positive show at a time when the world is feeling pretty bleak, so there’s a certain escapism and sense of community that comes with watching which helps remind us of what we have in common as Americans,” Green continued. “We’ve also been on air long enough now that a new generation of viewers are watching with their kids and the popularity of the show on social apps like TikTok has exploded and introduced new viewers.”
Dancing With the Stars season 34 premieres on ABC and Disney+ September 16 at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes will stream the next day on Hulu.
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