Dancing With the Stars Season 25 Cast Revealed—But Did 5 Random People Even Know Who They Are?

We asked a lawyer, a former entertainment reporter, a milennial, a college freshman and a super-fan if they knew who anyone from Dancing With the Stars' season 25 cast is!

By Tierney Bricker Sep 06, 2017 5:24 PMTags

Dancing With the...who?!

After more than 20 seasons, it's understandable that sometimes Dancing With the Stars has to stretch the definition of the word "celebrity" when it comes to assembling their roster of talent. And season 25's line-up, which was announced on Good Morning America on Wednesday, was no exception. 

For the last few seasons now, we've asked a panel of five random people—a DWTS super-fan, a former entertainment reporter, a lawyer, a college freshman and a millennial—to weigh in on the new cast, with the new season's line-up including a married couple, a few former teen idols and a Pretty Little Liar. 

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Dancing With the Stars Season 25 Cast

These are their answers: 

Nick Lachey

DWTS Super-Fan: Oh my god, really?! He's doing it! That's Jessica Simpson's ex-husband!
Former Entertainment Reporter: The frontman of 98 Degrees. Fun fact: I used to think "My Everything" would be the first dance song at my wedding.
Lawyer: Oh, duh. I know who that is. 98 Degrees. Ashlee Simpson's ex-husband.
College Freshman: Hockey player? He sounds like he was cute in high school. 
Millennial: No way! I love that. If Jessica Simpson isn't in the audience for at least one performance I am rioting. 

Who He Really Is: Lead singer of the boy band 98 Degrees, Nick is married to fellow competitor Vanessa Lachey (and was once married to Jessica, not Ashlee), and his brother Drew Lachey won season two of DWTS.

Vanessa Lachey

DWTS Super-Fan: Um, Nick Lachey's wife?! [Laughs.]
Former Entertainment Reporter: If anyone puts "Nick Lachey's wife," please correct them because she is a "FORMER TRL VJ" and she should be respected as much.
Lawyer: Nick's wife?! They're competing against each other.
College Freshman: 98 Degrees' guy's wife? 
Millennial: I love that even more. I hope JS is in the audience 10 times more now. 

Who She Really Is: A former Miss Teen USA, the TV personality was once an MTV VJ and co-hosts Top Chef Jr. She and husband Nick Lachey have three kids together. We wonder who they will root for?!

Lindsey Stirling

DWTS Super-Fan: Hm...that name sounds familiar. Does she have dark hair? Is she from a soap opera?
Former Entertainment Reporter: I don't know who this is, either.
Lawyer: Oh, is she the surfer that lost her arm to the shark? 
College Freshman: Nope. Nada. Nothing. Have never heard that name before. Washed-up soap actress?
Millennial: She's the violinist who has actually become mainstream somehow, which is so cool. Her and Taylor Swift have also had a handful of interactions, so that's what brought her to my attention. 

Who He Really Is: The violinist and dancer has over nine million subscribers on YouTube, and made it to the quarterfinals on season five of America's Got Talent

Frankie Muniz

DWTS Super-Fan: Oh, I think he's from the Disney Channel.
Former Entertainment Reporter: The star of Malcom in the Middle. Also the star of one of the sickest Twitter burns of all time.
Lawyer: Oh, Malcolm. Right? Malcolm? What the f--k he's been doing?
College Freshman: MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME. MY BOY. BIG FAT LIAR IS A CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE.
Millennial: Malcolm in the Middle was my life when I was like 12 years old! And Big Fat Liar?! I wanted to be as cool as him and Amanda Bynes in that. Child star legend!!!

Who He Really Is: Muniz, 31, became one of Hollywood's most bankable teen stars after he starred as Malcolm on Fox's hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Frankie later went on to became a pro race car driver and band manager. 

Jordan Fisher

DWTS Super-Fan: I don't know, an athlete? 
Former Entertainment Reporter: Every season I drift further from keeping up with who is relevant in pop culture. I just don't know who this is.
Lawyer: The other Fisher's sibling Didn't we already have a Fisher? Are they related? I have no f--king clue.
College Freshman: Sounds like a basketball player. Maybe?
Millennial: OK, I'm such a loser, but I know him because he sang the song for the new Disney World fireworks show, Happily Ever After. And I love Disney, so I just know of him by chance really. 

Who He Really Is: DOODY! The Disney Channel actor became the Internet's boyfriend after his breakout performance in Fox's Grease Live. He later went on to star on Broadway in Hamilton. Perhaps you've heard of it? 

Derek Fisher

DWTS Super-Fan: Are they related?! I don't know, I would say an athlete. 
Former Entertainment Reporter: SPORTS.
Lawyer: Amy's brother? That's a joke, I have no idea who Derek Fisher is. 
College Freshman: OK now I know who he is, basketball player! He like broke a scoreboard on a dunk!
Milennial: Oh gosh, couldn't tell you. Is he sports related? 

Who He Really Is: The Former NBA star and Knicks head coach is joining DWTS after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI charges in June. 

Nikki Bella

DWTS Super-Fan: She's a wrestler girl or something! She's very pretty. Her sister is having a baby or something, right? 
Former Entertainment Reporter: Wrestler!
Lawyer: Uh-huh. I have no idea.
College Freshman: JOHN CENA'S LADY! I know all my Bravo ladies!
Millennial: A WWE wrestler. She's on the show Total Divas and has a spinoff show with her twin sister now. I always thought millennials watched WWE kind of ironically, but I think people actually care about it again now. 

Who He Really Is: The Total Bellas and Total Divas star is a fan-favorite WWE personality, and is engaged to John Cena

Debbie Gibson

DWTS Super-Fan: Oh my god, she's a singer! I forget, but  she did have a popular song. She was the '80s, I guess?
Former Entertainment Reporter: The '80s singer?
Lawyer: Oh [pauses] she's a singer. [pauses] Was she part of a group? Like did she front a group? No. She's a singer, I can't quite place which one, but I know I would know her song if you told me. Right? Is she not a singer? She's a singer.
College Freshman: Hm...was she on Disney Channel? 
Millennial: The singer! She makes me think of '80s/'90s pop.

Who She Really Is: The '80s pop star once competed on Skating With Celebrities and was on the short-lived American Idol spinoff, American Juniors. Debbie, 47, has appeared on Broadway and calls her fans #Debheads. 

Drew Scott

DWTS Super-Fan: The Property Brother! I don't know which one. 
Former Entertainment Reporter: There's always a young Disney star who started on YouTube or Vine or something. Is it this one?
Lawyer: That sounds very familiar. Is it someone I would know?
College Freshman: Sounds like an Olympian! Was he a diver?
Millennial: My old roommate watched Property Brothers 24/7, so I know he's one of those twin brothers. I can't identity him specifically though. 

Who He Really Is: One-half of HGTV's insanely popular Property Brothers, he's the realtor to Jonathan's contractor, who is engaged to Linda Phan. The couple will have their own four-episode spinoff air on HGTV, Property Brothers at Home: Drew' Honeymoon House, which will document their home remodel. 

Victoria Arlen

DWTS Super-Fan: I have no clue. 
Former Entertainment Reporter: Ha! I know this one! She's on ESPN.
Lawyer: I have no idea. This is a pretty shitty line-up.
College Freshman: A model? I have no idea. 
Millennial: I remember reading about her. She's an Olympian who's in a wheelchair now...or has always been? I'm not completely sure, but I'm sure it'll be inspirational to watch her dance!

Who She Really Is: The 22-year-old former Paralympic swimmer (one gold, three silver medals) and ESPN personality was able to regain the ability to walk after being diagnosed with two rare conditions known as transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis when was 11. 

Barbara Corcoran

DWTS Super-Fan: She's from Shark Tank!
Former Entertainment Reporter: Please tell me this is Deb from One Tree Hill.
Lawyer: The real estate lady?! That's how she got her start!
College Freshman: The old woman from Shark Tank!
Millennial: It sounds so familiar, like I've definitely heard her name before. Maybe some sort of politician? 

Who He Really Is: Barbara, 68, a successful entrepreneur, is the third Shark Tank shark to compete on DWTS after Robert Herjavec danced in season 20, and Mark Cuban in season five. 

Sasha Pieterse

DWTS Super-Fan: I don't know, an actor or an actress? 
Former Entertainment Reporter: OK, some of these names have to be made up to make me feel out of touch.
Lawyer: Is that her real name? Educated guess: A member of Fifth Harmony. Am I right? How cool would it be I was right?
College Freshman: Alison from Pretty Little Liars!
Millennial: OK, I don't watch Pretty Little Liars because I love myself, but I know her from the underrated DCOM Geek Charming

Who She Really Is: One of the stars of Pretty Little Liars, which recently ended its seven-year run. The 21 year-old is engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Hudson Scheaffer

Terrell Owens

DWTS Super-Fan: Football player. 
Former Entertainment Reporter: T.O. the football star.
Lawyer: Football player.
College Freshman: Athlete.
Millennial: I don't know him, so probably a football player.

Who He Really Is: The NFL legend, and six-time Pro Bowler, has played for the Dallas Cowboys Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers before retiring in 2012. Known by his nickname T.O., the 43-year-old once had his on show on VH1, aptly titled The T.O. Show

Which cast members did you know? Which ones left you sounding like an owl, asking "who???" Sound off in the comments. 

DWTS premieres Monday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. on ABC.