Witney Carson Says Guillermo Rodriguez Could Be the ‘People’s Prince’ of DWTS Season 35 — And She’s Already Predicting a Fan-Favorite Run
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Witney Carson has a feeling her new partner, Guillermo Rodriguez, could become one of the biggest surprises of the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars. The pro dancer compared the late-night TV personality to last season’s unlikely fan favorite Andy Richter, while also opening up about competing while four months pregnant with her third child.
Witney Carson is already looking ahead to a potentially unforgettable season of Dancing With the Stars — and she believes her new partner, Guillermo Rodriguez, could have exactly what it takes to win over viewers.
The professional dancer will return for Season 35 of the ABC competition, this time paired with Rodriguez, best known for his long-running role on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. While the complete cast has not yet been revealed, Carson has already made it clear that she is excited about what her new partner could bring to the ballroom.
Before her partnership with Rodriguez was officially announced, Carson teased that she had particularly high hopes for him.
“I’m actually really excited for Guillermo,” she said. “I love Guillermo. I think he’s really funny and really sweet.”
But Carson didn’t stop there.
She predicted that Rodriguez could become the “Andy Richter” of the season — a reference to last year’s unexpected fan favorite who managed to survive week after week despite receiving lower scores than some of his competitors.
And Carson believes that same combination of personality, charm and audience support could work in Rodriguez’s favor.
“I think he’s gonna be the people’s prince, for sure,” she said.
Carson Sees Another Andy Richter-Type Run
The comparison to Andy Richter is particularly interesting because his journey on Season 34 proved that DWTS isn’t always about having the highest judges’ scores.
Richter and professional dancer Emma Slater quickly became fan favorites, with viewers continuing to vote for the pair even when their performances weren’t necessarily at the top of the leaderboard.
The duo ultimately made it all the way to Week 9 and finished seventh overall.
For Carson, Rodriguez could have a similar trajectory.
The dancer admitted that she is curious to discover exactly how much natural ability her new partner has because she has never actually seen him dance before.
“I’m really curious to see what he has in store, because I don’t think I’ve ever seen him dance,” she teased.
That uncertainty could make their partnership one of the more intriguing ones heading into the new season.
Carson also had plenty to say about some of the other celebrities joining the competition. She expects Summer House star Ciara Miller and The Traitors personality Maura Higgins to make strong impressions, while Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson is also among the confirmed contestants.
“I think it’s gonna be, probably, the best cast we’ve had in a long time,” Carson said.
The full lineup, however, remains tightly under wraps, with the complete Season 35 cast set to be revealed on Good Morning America in September.
A Very Different Season for Witney
Emma Slater and Andy Richter on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 (Disney/Eric McCandless)
While Carson is excited about her new partnership, Season 35 will also present an enormous personal challenge.
The professional dancer recently revealed that she is expecting her third child with husband Carson McAllister — and she will be competing on Dancing With the Stars while four months pregnant.
Carson, who already shares sons Leo and Jet with McAllister, admitted that the experience is both exciting and intimidating.
“I would be lying if I said it wasn’t very daunting,” she said.
She explained that she has never competed this far along in a pregnancy before and isn’t even sure whether the situation has been done on the show previously.
“So, you guys will definitely see a big bump,” she joked.
Rather than attempting to disguise her pregnancy, however, Carson plans to embrace it.
She said she is proud to be pregnant and excited to show audiences what her body can do while continuing to compete at the highest level.
“I am so proud to be a woman, to be creating life and growing this human,” she said. “And to be able to do the show and compete and be able to grow this life is such a huge blessing.”
Her attitude could make her own journey one of the biggest storylines of the season.
‘I’m Gonna Kick Butt’
Carson isn’t pretending that balancing pregnancy with the intense demands of Dancing With the Stars will be easy.
The competition requires professional dancers to spend long hours rehearsing, learning new choreography and performing under enormous physical and emotional pressure.
Doing all of that while pregnant will present an entirely new challenge.
Still, Carson appears determined not to let the circumstances define her performance.
“I’m gonna kick butt while doing it,” she declared.
The dancer also described motherhood as the greatest blessing she could ask for and said she feels grateful for the opportunity to compete while welcoming another child.
“It wasn’t on my bingo card to compete on Dancing With the Stars and be four months pregnant,” she admitted. “But I think that it’s a beautiful thing.”
Now, she hopes Rodriguez will be right beside her throughout the journey.
“I want to feel empowered. I want to see what my body can do,” Carson said. “And, hopefully, Guillermo will be right there beside me and we can work as a team.”
That partnership could prove to be one of the season’s most entertaining combinations.
Rodriguez brings a huge personality and years of experience entertaining audiences, while Carson brings the technical expertise needed to turn an inexperienced celebrity into a legitimate ballroom competitor.
Whether he can actually dance remains to be seen.
But if Carson is right about his ability to connect with viewers, Rodriguez may not need perfect scores to become one of Season 35’s biggest stars.
For now, the pair’s biggest question is simple: Can Guillermo Rodriguez turn his “people’s prince” status into a deep run on the dance floor?
With Carson determined to compete while embracing her pregnancy and Rodriguez potentially emerging as the season’s next unlikely fan favorite, Dancing With the Stars Season 35 may already have one of its most compelling stories.
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