Perhaps one of the more interesting rules for potential “Dancing with the Stars” contestants is that they can’t volunteer to do the show. While there have been plenty of celebrities who have expressed interest in competing for a Mirrorball Trophy, those who are cast must be contacted by the team and not the other way around.
In a 2016 interview with Slate, “DWTS” casting director Deena Katz explained that only a small group of people who have reached out to be on the show actually landed the role, including WWE personality Stacy Keibler, who competed on Season 2. “It doesn’t matter if you were the MVP of the Super Bowl. For your marketing, for your career, this is like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket,” Katz said.
Casting is an extensive process because, at the end of the day, “DWTS” is a television show. There needs to be the right mix of celebs, athletes, reality stars, and perhaps an unexpected name thrown in, just to make things interesting. “It’s trying to find a little something for everyone and, yet, trying to find people that cross over a little more. And my dream is always you turn on this show because you’re looking for one or two or you can’t wait to see Carole Baskin, but then you end up falling in love with the people that you might not have been so aware of,” Katz explained to Cinema Blend in 2020.
