From Security Guard to Ballroom: Guillermo Rodriguez Joins DWTS Season 35

It’s the career arc nobody saw coming — and that’s exactly what makes it perfect.

Guillermo Rodriguez, the beloved sidekick and red carpet interviewer on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is trading his parking lot security guard duties for sequins and choreography. During a June 2026 episode of the late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel announced that Rodriguez would be joining Dancing With the Stars season 35 this September.“This September, Guillermo will become the first-ever parking lot security guard to dance with the stars,”Kimmel declared.“Don’t lose a single adorable pound!”It’s a joke that lands perfectly because it captures exactly who Rodriguez is — genuine, self-aware, and utterly likable.

What makes this news resonate isn’t just the novelty of a talk show sidekick hitting the dance floor. It’s that Rodriguez has spent more than two decades on Jimmy Kimmel Live! transforming from a security guard into one of late-night television’s most recognizable personalities. His on-air chemistry with Kimmel became legendary, and viewers have watched him evolve from a background presence into someone fans genuinely care about. The DWTS casting feels earned — this is a guy who’s already proven he can connect with an audience and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable or silly on camera.

Rodriguez has already shown he’s game for unexpected opportunities. In 2024, he modeled Kim Kardashian’s Skims Everyday Sculpt Bodysuit on Kimmel’s show, an appearance that led to Kardashian asking him to become a fit model for the brand. More recently, he opened up about his business venture, Guillermo’s Salsa, during a 2026 appearance on Good Morning America, calling it“real good”and“fresh.”The guy’s building a life beyond being a sidekick, and that entrepreneurial energy is exactly the kind of thing DWTS rewards.

With confirmed cast members including Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, and Jackson Olson already announced, season 35 is shaping up to be interesting. But Guillermo stepping into the ballroom adds something the show sometimes lacks: genuine warmth and a person fans have actual history with. The full celebrity and pro dancer lineup will be revealed at a later date, along with the winner of the DWTS spinoff, Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.

This is the kind of move that could either be a ratings boost or a feel-good underdog story — probably both. Either way, Guillermo Rodriguez proving he’s got dance moves is peak 2026 television energy.