Dancing With the Stars Season 35 is in full swing on the 2026 TV schedule. The two-night premiere brought the heat to the ballroom, and the competition is stiff. There are already some frontrunners, too, including The Rookie star Jenna Dewan, and she's paired with Val Chmerkovskiy. Notably, her pro's wife, Jenna Johnson, is also on the show, and she's paired with Grey’s Anatomy star Harry Shum Jr. Not surprisingly, now that Chmerkovskiy has two Jennas in his life, he has given Johnson a funny nickname.
It’s not uncommon for DWTS to have more than some cast members, whether celebrity or pro, who have the same name. On Season 35 alone, there are three pairs of people who share the same name, including Johnson and Dewan. Dewan just so happens to be with Johnson’s hubby, and I can only imagine it can sometimes get a bit confusing, especially if they’re all in the same room. Hilariously enough, Chmerkovskiy already has a nickname for his two-time Mirrorball champ wife, as he told EW:
It's Jenna Dewan and Jenna De-wife. And Jenna De-wife loves Jenna Dewan.
I am absolutely obsessed with them, and I love how much fun they’re having with it. Dewan even admitted that she and Johnson are going to play on the same-name situation for as long as she’s on the show, and I really hope that means TikToks with the two Jennas. Not only do they have the same first name, but they also look kind of similar, making the whole thing even better.
Even with Dewan also working on The Rookie while doing DWTS, I would guess that she’s going to make it pretty far, especially if her moves in Step Up are any indication. I would love to see her make it to the finals, and maybe even win. Along with me thinking she's a true contender, I also think that the farther she goes, the more she’s going to play into the Jenna-squared scenario, and I desperately need more of Jenna Dewan and Jenna De-wife.
Meanwhile, Chmerkovskiy has opened up about the challenges of having Dewan as a dance partner, noting that due to her dance experience, there are going to be some high expectations. So he’s going to push her and himself, and it’s not going to be easy. Dewan, however, is excited for the challenge. Between all the rehearsals and The Rookie, she is really going to be pushing herself, but I know it’s going to be worth it.
This season of Dancing With the Stars is already so fun and so intense, and I cannot wait to see how these next two months go. Hopefully, Dewan makes it far, and not just because I need more content of her and Johnson. New episodes of DWTS air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and with a Disney+ subscription.
