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The Full DWTS Season 33 Cast: Meet The Winner, Finalists, And The Most Controversial Contestants Of 2024

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The ballroom drama, dazzling costumes, and unexpected celebrity transformations of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) Season 33 captivated audiences in late 2024, delivering one of the most talked-about seasons in the show's history. This latest installment, which concluded in November 2024, brought together a wildly diverse cast, ranging from Olympic athletes and former NFL stars to a convicted fraudster and beloved reality TV personalities, all vying for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

As of today, December 23, 2025, the buzz surrounding the Season 33 cast, their incredible journeys, and the shocking eliminations continues to dominate pop culture discussions. Whether you're catching up on the results or looking for fresh details on the champions and the most controversial celebrity dancers, this is your definitive guide to every star who stepped onto the DWTS stage for the 2024 season.

The Complete Season 33 Cast & Celebrity Biographies

Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars featured a lineup of 14 celebrity contestants, each paired with a professional dancer. The cast was notable for its combination of high-profile athletes and headline-making personalities. Here is a detailed look at the champion, the finalists, and the most discussed contestants of the 2024 season.

  • Joey Graziadei (Winner): Born May 24, 1995, Joey Graziadei is an American television personality best known for his run as the lead on Season 28 of The Bachelor. A native of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, he previously worked as a teaching tennis professional in Hawaii. His charisma and underdog story made him a fan favorite, ultimately leading him and his partner, Jenna Johnson, to victory.
  • Ilona Maher (Runner-Up/2nd Place): Ilona Maher is an Olympic rugby union player and a major social media personality. As a member of the U.S. Women's National Rugby Sevens Team, she competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her infectious energy, athletic power, and viral TikTok presence translated perfectly to the ballroom, securing her a spot as the first-ever rugby player to appear on DWTS and finishing in second place with partner Alan Bersten.
  • Chandler Kinney (3rd Place): Born August 3, 2000, Chandler Kinney is an American actress and singer. She is widely recognized for her role as Willa in the Disney Channel franchise Z-O-M-B-I-E-S. Having trained in tap, jazz, and hip-hop at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, her natural dance ability was evident throughout the competition, where she finished third with partner Brandon Armstrong.
  • Stephen Nedoroscik (4th Place): Affectionately known as "The Pommel Horse Guy," Stephen Nedoroscik is an Olympic gymnast and pommel horse specialist for the United States men's national gymnastics team. His technical precision and unexpected showmanship—despite his lack of traditional dance training—earned him a spot in the finale, finishing fourth with professional Rylee Arnold.
  • Danny Amendola (5th Place): Danny Amendola is a former professional football player who spent 13 seasons in the NFL, notably winning two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. His competitive spirit and athleticism were on full display as he and his partner, Witney Carson, made it to the final five.
  • Anna Delvey (Controversial Contestant): Anna Sorokin, better known by her alias Anna Delvey, is a convicted fraudster and social media personality whose story was dramatized in the Netflix series Inventing Anna. Her casting was one of the most controversial in the show's history. Paired with Ezra Sosa, her time on the show was brief but highly publicized before her elimination in Week 2.

Full DWTS Season 33 Contestants and Elimination Order

The 33rd season of the American dance competition series premiered on September 17, 2024, and concluded on November 26, 2024, with a total of 14 couples competing. The judges for the season were Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, while the show was hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough.

Here is the complete list of all celebrity and professional pairings, ranked by their final placement:

The Finalists:

  • 1st Place: Joey Graziadei & Jenna Johnson
  • 2nd Place: Ilona Maher & Alan Bersten
  • 3rd Place: Chandler Kinney & Brandon Armstrong
  • 4th Place: Stephen Nedoroscik & Rylee Arnold
  • 5th Place: Danny Amendola & Witney Carson

Eliminated Couples:

  • 6th Place: Phaedra Parks (Reality TV Personality) & Val Chmerkovskiy (Eliminated Week 6)
  • 7th Place: Brooks Nader (Model) & Gleb Savchenko (Eliminated Week 5)
  • 8th Place: Dwight Howard (Former NBA Player) & Peta Murgatroyd (Eliminated Week 4)
  • 9th Place: Reginald VelJohnson (Actor) & Koko Iwasaki (Eliminated Week 3)
  • 10th Place: Eric Roberts (Actor) & Daniella Karagach (Eliminated Week 3)
  • 11th Place: Tori Spelling (Actress) & Artem Chigvintsev (Eliminated Week 2)
  • 12th Place: Anna Delvey (Convicted Fraudster) & Ezra Sosa (Eliminated Week 2)
  • 13th Place: Jamie Lynn Spears (Actress/Singer) & Sasha Farber (Eliminated Week 1)
  • 14th Place: Tayshia Adams (Reality TV Personality) & Pasha Pashkov (Withdrew Week 1 for personal reasons)

Why Season 33 Was the Most Talked-About DWTS in Years

The 2024 season of Dancing with the Stars saw a significant surge in media attention, largely due to the unique casting choices that sparked curiosity and debate among viewers and critics alike. The production team successfully generated topical authority by selecting celebrities who were already trending across social media and news cycles.

The Anna Delvey Controversy

The inclusion of Anna Delvey (Anna Sorokin) was arguably the biggest casting shockwave of the season. Her story of posing as a wealthy German heiress to defraud New York's elite was a global sensation. Her presence created an immediate, must-watch scenario, as viewers were curious to see how a figure of such notoriety would be received in the family-friendly environment of the ballroom. Although her time was short, her casting ensured that the premiere episode dominated headlines.

The Rise of the Unexpected Athlete

While the season had its share of professional athletes like Danny Amendola and Dwight Howard, the success of Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik proved to be a major storyline. Ilona Maher’s background in rugby—a sport not typically associated with ballroom grace—combined with her massive TikTok following, created a perfect storm of athletic prowess and viral appeal. Similarly, Stephen Nedoroscik's transformation from a highly specialized pommel horse gymnast to a graceful dancer was a powerful narrative that resonated deeply with the audience, highlighting the show's core theme of personal growth and unexpected talent.

The Bachelor Nation Triumph

The victory of Joey Graziadei, a fan-favorite from The Bachelor, solidified the strong connection between reality TV fandoms and the DWTS audience. Graziadei's journey was characterized by consistent improvement and a genuine bond with his partner, Jenna Johnson. His win was a testament to the power of the public vote, proving that a strong connection with the audience can overcome initial scoring deficits and lead to the Mirrorball Trophy. This triumph also added another layer of LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords, linking The Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars in the current media landscape.

The entire Season 33 cast, from the early-eliminated stars like Tori Spelling and Eric Roberts to the eventual champion, made the 2024 run a masterclass in modern reality television casting. The blend of sports legends, viral sensations, and controversial figures provided a fresh, unique, and highly engaging viewing experience that keeps the DWTS franchise relevant in the highly competitive entertainment world.

contestants in dancing with the stars
contestants in dancing with the stars

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