Guillermo Rodriguez, the beloved sidekick on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, will compete on the upcoming season of "Dancing With the Stars." The ABC competition series has tapped the personality known for his comedic bits, enthusiastic audience interactions, and signature tequila-soaked personas for Season 35.
Rodriguez joins a cast that already includes reality television veterans Maura Higgins from "The Traitors" and "Love Island," and Ciara Miller from Bravo's "Summer House." The announcement continues ABC's strategy of mixing established celebrities with reality television personalities and entertainment industry figures for the long-running dance competition.
Rodriguez has become a fixture on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" for years, building a devoted following through his chemistry with host Kimmel and his willingness to participate in increasingly absurd sketches. His casting signals the show's effort to bring recognizable personalities from talk show ecosystems into the dance competition format, a strategy that has consistently drawn viewers who follow these figures across different programming.
"Dancing With the Stars" has cycled through numerous celebrity contestants since its premiere, balancing A-list film and television actors with reality stars and niche entertainers. The show pairs each contestant with a professional dancer for the season-long competition, which culminates in a finale determining the winner based on judges' scores and audience voting.
The addition of Rodriguez, who has minimal dance experience compared to some competitors, plays into the show's appeal. Audiences tune in partly to watch celebrities attempt unfamiliar territory under professional instruction. His comedic background could translate well to the performance aspect of ballroom and Latin dances, disciplines that reward personality alongside technical execution.
Season 35 premieres later this year on ABC, with Rodriguez preparing to trade his talk show desk for the dance floor.