Jackson Olson joins Dwts Cast 2026 as season 35 expands
Jackson Olson is now part of the dwts cast 2026 for season 35, after Disney’s Upfront presentation on Tuesday, May 12 added the Savannah Bananas player to Dancing With the Stars. The move extends a cast that already includes Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller ahead of the show’s fall return on ABC, Disney+, and Hulu.
Olson’s ballroom leap
Olson called the booking “manifested” when he discussed it on Wednesday, May 13, and said, “When I was a kid, I never thought any of this was possible, even like, playing for the Bananas or anything like that.” He added, “I was a shy kid that never danced, never put myself out there, never entertained and found a passion for it,” which gives the casting more than a novelty hook.
That matters because Olson is not arriving as a traditional reality-TV name. He is being sold as a viral internet sensation and a Savannah Bananas player, a pairing that broadens the season 35 mix beyond the usual alumni-and-actor lane the show often leans on.
Maggie Sajak’s May 12 praise
Maggie Sajak posted two Instagram Story messages on Tuesday, May 12: “SO PROUD @jacksonolson_ !!!” and “Beyond proud of you @jacksonolson_...the dance floor better get ready.” Her reaction kept the announcement in motion after Olson’s name went public.
Her support adds a personal layer, but it also feeds the publicity cycle the show wants from a cast reveal. Maggie Sajak is the daughter of former Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, so her posts give the announcement a second lane of attention without changing the core fact: Olson is in the season 35 lineup.
Season 35’s early shape
The cast already had two other names in place: Love Island’s Maura Higgins and Summer House star Ciara Miller. Olson’s addition gives season 35 another recognizable social-media-driven figure, which helps the series push a wider mix of audiences before the fall premiere window.
Olson’s own comments suggest the show got a contestant who knows how to turn a casting reveal into content. He said he had posted TikToks last year joking about joining the show and even pranking his coach that he was going to be on it, which makes the announcement feel less like a surprise pickup and more like the payoff to a running bit.
The practical takeaway for viewers is simple: Olson is on the roster, the fall return is the target, and the season is already leaning into a cast built for reach as much as ballroom skill. If the series wants attention before the first dance airs, it already has one cast member who knows how to generate it.
