Tatyana Ali, Julia Stiles, and 4 Other Icons of the '90s and '00s Are Competing on 'Dancing with the Stars' – See Their Before & After Photos

Some careers are instantly recognizable from a single photo, but decades later, the stories behind those familiar faces can be far more surprising than the images themselves. From unexpected reinventions to résumés that suddenly matter in a whole new way, these throwback favorites have plenty of history worth revisiting before the next dance begins.

The ballroom is suddenly looking a lot like a time machine, and the transformations are almost as entertaining as the competition itself. But keep scrolling, because while fans revisit these stars' early eras, one contestant's résumé is creating a very different kind of conversation.

As Variety reported, Season 35 of "Dancing with the Stars" ("DWTS") is notably stacked with performers who already know their way around a stage, including stars with extensive dance backgrounds. The cast was unveiled on "Good Morning America" ahead of the two-night Sept. 15 and 16 premiere on ABC and Disney+.

That makes this lineup catnip for nostalgia lovers — but it also means some contestants walked into the ballroom with very different levels of experience.

Julia Stiles: From Teen-Movie Rebel to a Whole New Chapter

According to TV Insider, Julia Stiles began acting professionally before she even reached high school, appearing on "Ghostwriter" before moving into movies like "The Devil's Own" and 1998's "Wicked." Her real breakthrough arrived with 1999's "10 Things I Hate About You," which turned her into one of the defining young actresses of that era.

The success led to prominent roles in "Hamlet," "O," "Save the Last Dance," and "Mona Lisa Smile," while Stiles also later became part of the "Bourne" franchise as Nicolette Parsons. Remarkably, she was pursuing something very different at the same time: a college education at Columbia University.

Her career later stretched into television with "Dexter" and "Riviera," as well as films including "Silver Linings Playbook," "Jason Bourne," and "Hustlers." Instead of simply riding the nostalgia surrounding her early work and later roles, Stiles eventually decided to take much more creative control.

As The New York Times reported in 2024, she made her feature directorial debut with "Wish You Were Here" while raising three children. Stiles said motherhood had actually helped prepare her for directing, explaining that both require thinking ahead, managing time, responding to people's needs, and still knowing when to hold a boundary.

Before: The Julia Stiles Era Fans Never Forgot

After: A More Seasoned, More Self-Directed Julia Stiles on 'DWTS'

Tatyana Ali: The Sitcom Sweetheart Who Quietly Built a Powerhouse Résumé

For millions of viewers, Tatyana Ali will forever be Ashley Banks — but her entertainment career actually began years before "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." According to her TV Guide bio, Ali started acting at only four years old, appeared in commercials, and became a regular on "Sesame Street" in 1985.

Her work on "The Fresh Prince" brought her major recognition, including a Young Artist Award in 1991 and an NAACP Image Award in 1996. Ali did not stop at acting: her 1998 debut album, "Kiss the Sky," went gold and gave her the chance to tour with both 'NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

Away from the spotlight, she also achieved something fans who mainly remember her sitcom years may have missed. Ali graduated from Harvard University in 2002 with a degree in African-American Studies and Government, while also becoming involved with charitable organizations including the Millennium Momentum Foundation and Step Up Women's Network.

Her later résumé includes producing "Love That Girl!" and the web series "Buppies," as well as multiple NAACP Image Award wins connected to "The Young and the Restless." In other words, the childhood star viewers remember from the '90s quietly built a career that became much broader than Ashley Banks alone.

Before: The Child Star Who Became a '90s Favorite

After: A Star with Far More Range than People May Remember

Taylor Hanson: The Teen Idol Whose Life Now Looks Wildly Different

Taylor Hanson was only nine when he began performing a cappella alongside brothers Isaac and Zac, according to TV Insider. The brothers eventually added instruments, began performing as Hanson, and landed a record deal after some time playing festivals, fairs, and showcases.

Then came "Middle of Nowhere" in 1997. Its breakout single, "MMMBop," became an international hit, earned two Grammy nominations, and helped send the album to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 — making the artist one of the most recognizable young musicians of the decade.

He never completely left music behind, either. In 2009, the entertainer formed the supergroup Tinted Windows with Adam Schlesinger, James Iha, and Bun E. Carlos, and he later founded the Tulsa-based organization Food on the Move to fight food insecurity.

But the biggest "wait, really?" detail for fans who still picture teenage Hanson may be his home life. As People reported in 2020, he and his wife Natalie were preparing to welcome their seventh child — fittingly enough, since Hanson himself is also one of seven siblings.

Before: Peak Teen-Pop Taylor Hanson

After: The Former '90s Heartthrob with a Very Different Surprise Factor

Giada De Laurentiis: From Kitchen Standout to TV Mainstay

Giada De Laurentiis may be synonymous with food television now, but she was born into a family with deep Hollywood roots. Her Biography profile notes that her grandfather was famed Producer Dino De Laurentiis, while her mother, Veronica De Laurentiis, is an actress and her father, Alex De Benedetti, worked as an actor and producer.

After moving from Italy to the United States at age seven, Giada eventually graduated from UCLA with a degree in anthropology before following her passion for cooking to Paris. She trained at Le Cordon Bleu and later worked at the Ritz-Carlton Fine Dining Room and Wolfgang Puck's Spago before launching her own catering business, GDL Foods.

Her leap to television came after a Food & Wine article about her family's Sunday meal traditions caught the attention of a Food Network executive. "Everyday Italian" debuted in 2003, and De Laurentiis soon expanded into bestselling cookbooks, "Giada's Weekend Getaways," "Giada at Home," appearances on "Today," and work as a mentor and judge on "Next Food Network Star."

Her personal life evolved along with her career. Giada married Todd Thompson in 2003, welcomed daughter Jade in 2008, and announced in 2014 that the couple had decided to end their marriage after an amicable separation — while emphasizing that their daughter and family's happiness remained their focus.

Before: Building the Giada De Laurentiis Brand

After: Still Polished, Still Camera-Ready, Still Evolving

Jenna Dewan: The Contestant Who Was Practically Built for This Kind of Show

Jenna Dewan did not discover dancing after becoming famous — dancing is how she entered show business in the first place. According to TV Insider, she began dancing at age six and eventually moved to Los Angeles, where her first major music-video job came as a backup dancer in Janet Jackson's "All for You.

That led to more high-profile work with stars including Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin, Missy Elliott, Toni Braxton, and Mandy Moore. She also toured with Jackson and Timberlake before beginning to pursue acting, initially landing smaller television and film roles.

The two worlds collided in 2006, when she appeared in both "Take the Lead" and "Step Up." The latter became her breakout, pairing her with Channing Tatum and helping turn Dewan from an accomplished working dancer into a recognizable Hollywood actress; she later expanded into projects including "American Horror Story," "Witches of East End," "Supergirl," and hosting "World of Dance."

Her relationship with Tatum ultimately became a major part of her public story as well, as they went on to marry and welcome a daughter together. However, in April 2018, Dewan shared their joint Instagram announcement, telling fans they had "lovingly chosen to separate as a couple" and stressing that there were "no secrets nor salacious events at the root" of their decision.

Before: The Dance-World Breakout

After: Still Glamorous, Still Dance-Coded, Still a Threat

Harry Shum Jr.: The Star Whose Dance Background Has Everyone Talking

And then there is the guy accused of having an unfair advantage. Harry Shum Jr. has spent years moving between dance, acting, producing, and other creative work. His official “Dancing with the Stars" bio traces his career from professional dancing and "Step Up 2: The Streets" to "Glee," where his performance as Mike Chang helped introduce him to a much larger audience.

He later expanded far beyond dance-heavy roles, appearing in "Crazy Rich Asians," "Everything Everywhere All at Once," "Shadowhunters," "Love Hard," and "Grey's Anatomy." Shum has also produced and co-choreographed "The LXD: The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers," executive produced the scripted podcast "Echo Park," and co-authored the children's book "Martee Dares to Dance" with wife Shelby Rabara.

But once he joined "DWTS," that earlier chapter of his career immediately became impossible to ignore. Shum had previously danced professionally and performed with artists including Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez — exactly the kind of résumé that prompted viewers to wonder whether he was entering the competition with an unusually big head start.

After the Sept. 15 premiere, Shum addressed that debate directly in an interview with E! News. "I think a lot of people who had dance backgrounds don't make it very far," he said.

Shum argued that the show is about far more than dancing, pointing to storytelling, personality, partnership, and connecting with the audience. "That's what I love about the show. Because I used to see it as dancing only, and when I watched last season, I was like, 'Oh, there's just so much more.'"

His own explanation also complicates the "trained dancer" label somewhat. Shum said he never had the formal training people might assume and recalled spending past dance jobs trying to pick things up quickly enough so he would not get fired.

Still, his debut certainly did not quiet the conversation. Shum and partner Jenna Johnson earned 21 points for their cha-cha, the highest score of the evening, while Johnson admitted even she was impressed by the way he came alive in front of a full audience.

Upon watching the episode, one viewer in a Reddit discussion about the dance-experience debate offered a simple counterpoint: "Figure skaters and gymnasts have advantage too."

Still, another commenter was far less convinced by the argument that prior experience should be downplayed: "Just own that it's a huge advantage. Especially at his and Jenna D's level. Not just in terms of being able to move and pick up choreography quickly, but also they are used to performing in front of audiences. In their cases, audiences of thousands of people. Last night we saw a lot of the men struggling with nerves for [sic] example."

A different viewer had mixed feelings about Shum's participation, writing, "I do think it's unfair for the other contestants to compete with Harry since he was a professional dancer. But I'm going to support him because I like him, and there hasn't been an Asian male competitor since S19 (and only 3-4 total). And I'm excited to see what type of routines he will do."

And on a separate Reddit discussion, one commenter suggested there was another layer to the discourse altogether: "Oh there's double standards all around for the women (celebs and pros) compared to the men. Male ringers have never gotten a fraction of the hate female ringers have [sic].”

The discussion is especially interesting in a season that also includes Dewan, whose own professional dance history is impossible to overlook, too. In other words, Shum may currently be the lightning rod of the debate, but he is hardly the only contestant entering the ballroom with serious experience.

Before: The Performer Who Was Always Going to Raise Eyebrows

After: The Frontrunner Energy Fans Can't Stop Dissecting

From Ashley Banks and Kat Stratford to "MMMBop," Food Network stardom, "Step Up," and "Glee," this season of "DWTS" has pulled together an unusually nostalgic group of names. The before-and-after photos tell one story — but what happens once all that experience collides on the ballroom floor in Season 35 may be an even more interesting one.