Guillermo Rodriguez Is Heading to the Dance Floor: Jimmy Kimmel's Fan-Favorite Sidekick Joins 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 35

Table of Contents

• The Announcement Everyone is Talking About
• Who Exactly is Guillermo Rodriguez?
• Meet the Rest of the Season 35 Cast
• Why Dancing With the Stars Still Matters
• What to Expect From Guillermo on the Dance Floor

The Announcement Everyone is Talking About

If you have spent any amount of time watching late-night television over the past two decades, then you already know Guillermo Rodriguez – even if you have never learned his name. The lovable, quick-witted parking lot security guard turned television personality has been a fixture on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for years, charming audiences with his effortless humor and undeniable screen presence. Now, it appears the entertainment world is ready to see a completely different side of him, because Guillermo has officially been confirmed as one of the celebrity contestants heading into Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars. It is the kind of casting that makes you stop scrolling, sit up, and genuinely think, “Okay, I might actually watch this season.”

The announcement has generated significant buzz across social media, with fans of Jimmy Kimmel Live! expressing a mix of excitement, disbelief, and pure affection for the man they have watched deliver some of television’s most memorable comedic moments. Dancing With the Stars, which airs on ABC and streams on Disney Plus, has a long tradition of casting personalities from across the entertainment spectrum – athletes, actors, musicians, and reality TV favorites – but Guillermo represents something slightly different. He is a behind-the-scenes figure who became a front-of-camera star through sheer personality alone, and that is exactly the kind of energy that tends to make for compelling reality TV. Season 35 is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing rosters the show has assembled in recent memory.

Who Exactly is Guillermo Rodriguez?

For those who might need a quick refresher, Guillermo Rodriguez began his career at Jimmy Kimmel Live! working as a parking lot security guard at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre in Hollywood, where the show is filmed. Kimmel noticed his natural charisma early on and began incorporating him into segments, and what started as occasional on-camera appearances gradually evolved into a full-fledged television role. Over the years, Guillermo has become one of late-night’s most recognizable supporting personalities, known for his man-on-the-street interviews, celebrity interactions, and a particular willingness to throw himself into absurd situations with total commitment and an ever-present smile.

Some of his most memorable television moments have come from his coverage of major Hollywood events, including red carpet interviews at award shows and film premieres where his disarming charm tends to get celebrities to open up in ways that more polished interviewers sometimes cannot. He became something of a cult favorite during his annual appearances at the Toronto International Film Festival, where his interactions with A-list stars have become appointment viewing for Kimmel’s audience. His appeal is rooted in authenticity – there is nothing manufactured about Guillermo, and audiences have always been able to sense that. The question Dancing With the Stars is now asking is whether that same authenticity can translate into actual dancing ability, because on that particular front, the jury is very much still out.

Meet the Rest of the Season 35 Cast

Guillermo is not walking onto that dance floor alone, of course. Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars is shaping up to be a genuinely diverse lineup that pulls from multiple corners of the entertainment and reality TV worlds. Among the confirmed names joining Guillermo is Ciara Miller, the model and television personality who built a passionate following through her appearances on Bravo’s Summer House. Miller, who has never shied away from the spotlight, brings a combination of beauty, confidence, and competitive energy that suggests she could be a genuine contender once the professional choreographers get to work with her.

Also confirmed for the season is Maura Higgins, the Irish model and television personality who first captured global attention as a contestant on Love Island UK in 2019. Higgins has since built an impressive career across fashion, beauty, and entertainment, becoming one of the more recognizable faces to emerge from the reality TV boom of the late 2010s. Her confidence and physical presence make her another strong contender, and her existing fanbase – which spans the UK, Ireland, and well beyond – will likely bring a vocal cheering section to the competition. Together, the confirmed cast members represent a nice cross-section of entertainment niches, giving the show broad audience appeal across different fan communities.

Why Dancing With the Stars Still Matters

It would be easy to dismiss Dancing With the Stars as a relic of the mid-2000s reality television boom, but the show has proven remarkably resilient over its more than two-decade run. It has outlasted dozens of competitors in the celebrity competition space, adapted to the streaming era by finding a home on Disney Plus alongside its ABC broadcast, and continued to attract genuine cultural moments season after season. The format is simple but effective – pair celebrities with professional dancers, put them under the pressure of live performance and public voting, and let human drama do the rest. What has always made the show work is that dancing is uniquely vulnerable. No matter how polished a celebrity might be in their usual professional context, learning to waltz or tango in front of millions of viewers is a genuine equalizer.

The show has also served as a meaningful career moment for many of its contestants over the years. Athletes like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have used the platform to show a softer, more personal side of themselves. Actors and musicians have reconnected with audiences who might have drifted away. And reality TV personalities have used it as a stepping stone to broader mainstream recognition. For Guillermo Rodriguez specifically, Dancing With the Stars offers a unique opportunity to step out from behind Kimmel’s desk – metaphorically speaking – and claim his own spotlight in a completely new arena. Whether he can actually dance is almost secondary to the story of watching him try, which is arguably more compelling anyway.

What to Expect From Guillermo on the Dance Floor

Let’s be honest – nobody is tuning into Season 35 expecting Guillermo Rodriguez to deliver flawless footwork from week one. But that is precisely what makes him such an inspired casting choice. The best Dancing With the Stars contestants are not always the most technically gifted; they are the ones who make you genuinely root for them, who bring personality and heart to every performance, and who transform the learning process itself into entertainment. Guillermo has spent years proving he can hold an audience’s attention through sheer warmth and comedic timing, and those are qualities that do not disappear when you put on a sequined outfit and step onto a ballroom floor.

There is also something genuinely heartwarming about the broader narrative here. Guillermo Rodriguez is not a traditional celebrity in the Hollywood sense. He did not land his platform through a big movie role, a record deal, or a calculated social media strategy. He earned it one parking lot conversation at a time, through years of genuine connection with both the people around him and the audience at home. Seeing him compete on one of television’s most established stages feels like a full-circle moment – a celebration of what can happen when authentic personality is given room to grow. Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars does not yet have a confirmed premiere date beyond its expected fall 2025 window, but one thing is already clear: Guillermo’s journey on that dance floor is going to be one of the most genuinely feel-good storylines of the television season. And honestly? We are here for every single step of it.