'Dancing With the Stars' Season 23: Will Cast Include Current Rio Olympic Athletes? [VIDEO]
The new season of ABC's Dancing With the Stars premieres in less than a month, but the show's casting director is still trying to make some final cast additions.
Considering the nation (and the world) has a major case of Olympics fever, Dancing With the Stars is hoping to take advantage. DWTS casting director Deena Katz is apparently looking for an Olympian or two to compete in this fall's 23rd season of the dance competition.
"You know it worked with Shawn Johnson, it worked with Misty May [Trainor], it worked with Evan Lysacek, and that is our show, that's America," Katz told ABC News recently. "I've talked to a lot of Olympians but, unfortunately for them, I can't really lock someone in so it's kind of like putting that call out and then they're all just waiting. And yet, they're a little busy right now, too. So it's this thing of, 'OK, I've talked to you, you guys are great, now let's wait and see what happens.'"
Past Olympians who have gone on to win Dancing With the Stars include Apolo Anton Ohno, Shawn Johnson, Kristi Yamaguchi and Meryl Davis. Even athletes who haven't competed in the Olympics have done well on the show, with other athlete winners including Emmitt Smith, Hélio Castroneves, Hines Ward and Donald Driver.
Even if DWTS can't land any current Olympians, Katz is hoping to make the cast "really topical," while also having, "a little bit of current with a little bit of nostalgia."
As always, Katz is hoping beyond hope to someday get one notable celebrity to do Dancing With the Stars.
"You know, I ask Bill Clinton every time," she admitted. "But this time I actually didn't ask him because I thought he might be a little busy."
Dancing With the Stars season 23 premieres Monday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. The cast announcement should occur a few weeks before the premiere, as per tradition.
