“Dancing With The Stars,” known for casting the likes of former Olympic athletes and A-list actors, has never shied away from recruiting former reality TV show stars to boogie, shimmy and shake their way to the coveted Mirror Ball trophy. In 2024 alone, reality stars like Jenn Tran (“The Bachelorette”), Phaedra Parks (“Real Housewives”) and Joey Graziadei (“The Bachelor”) joined the long-running celebrity dance competition series for its 33rd season.
Reality stars were similarly contacted to join the cast of the show’s upcoming 34th season, set to premiere on September 10, 2025. While some, like “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” stars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, accepted the offer, others, namely legendary “Survivor” player Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, allegedly declined the opportunity.
Boston Rob Allegedly ‘Approached’ by ‘DWTS’ Casting Agents
Boston Rob made his first reality TV appearance on the cast of “Survivor: Marquesas” in 2002 before returning to the competition series for “Survivor: All Stars,” “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains,” “Survivor: Redemption Island,” which he won, and “Survivor: Winners at War.” He similarly appeared as a mentor to contestants on “Survivor: Island of the Idols.”
Widely known as one of the greatest “Survivor” players in history, Boston Rob currently holds the record for the most days of “Survivor” played.
In 2025, following his successful career on the series, Boston Rob was recruited for appearances on other reality competition shows, including “Deal or No Deal Island” and “The Traitors,” where his role as one of the season’s cloaked assassins cemented his fan-favorite status.
While Mariano has since expressed that he’s more-or-less “retired” from reality TV, an unidentified source speaking to The US Sun regarding leaked casting decisions for “Dancing With The Stars” Season 34, claimed that the “Survivor” star was “approached” by producers earlier this year.
“After ‘The Traitors’ hype, he was another top name,” the source added.
Mariano allegedly turned down the opportunity. “‘DWTS’ isn’t his style, and he has his own projects in the works he is focusing on,” the source revealed.
‘DWTS’ Still Eyeing Boston Rob’s ‘The Traitors’ Co-Star for Season 34
While the report made it clear that Boston Rob won’t be joining “DWTS,” the inside source added that Mariano’s “The Traitors” Season 3 co-star, Dylan Efron, is “still in the running” to join the as-yet incomplete cast.
So far, only wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, social media star Alix Earle, and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” stars Whitney Leavitt and Jennifer Affleck have been confirmed as contestants on “DWTS” Season 34. Does this mean that Efron is likely to appear on ABC screens this September? According to the inside source, “He’s not counted out yet.”
“They would’ve loved to have both [Boston Rob] and Dylan Efron on the season,” they added, explaining that producers allegedly hope to “pull in younger viewers” by capitalizing on the Emmy-winning success of shows like “The Traitors.”
“These guys, mixed with the influencers and reality stars will, they’re hoping, get some more Gen Z interest,” the source concluded.
Keep in mind that these are purely rumors and may not reflect any actual casting decisions from ABC. As to whether Dylan Efron will join “Dancing With The Stars” in Boston Rob’s stead, only time will tell.
Season 34 of “Dancing With The Stars” will return to ABC and Disney+ on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 8:00pm ET.
