Season 8 Of "Dancing"
Gilles Marini
Gilles Marini exploded onto the scene as Dante in the "Sex and the City" movie, a role which earned him international recognition. Born and raised in France, he came to the U.S. to learn English and work as a model. He has appeared in series such as "Ugly Betty" and "Dirty Sexy Money." He teams with two-time champion Cheryl Burke.
Melissa Rycroft
Melissa Rycroft and her partner Tony Dovolani perform on "Dancing with the Stars," March 9, 2009, in Los Angeles. Rycroft, who had appeared on ABC's "The Bachelor" and had been proposed to by Jason Mesnick before he changed his mind on the show's season finale, was tapped as a last minute addition to the show to fill in for the injured Nancy O'Dell.
Ty Murray
Ty Murray has been labeled the most accomplished rodeo athlete in the history of the sport. With a record-setting seven All-Around World Championship titles and two bull riding world titles under his belt, Murray has earned his nickname as "King of the Cowboys." He teams with Chelsie Hightower, who makes her series debut.
Lil' Kim
Chuck Wicks
A gifted songwriter and vocalist, Chuck Wicks made a compelling impression with his Top 5 smash, Stealing Cinderella, the fastest-rising single by a debut country act in 2007. By the time his first album, was released in January 2008, he had begun a year-long 750,000 fan-packed tour opening for superstar Brad Paisley. Chuck teams with girlfriend and two-time champ Julianne Hough.
Lawrence Taylor
Widely regarded as the greatest defensive player in the history of the National Football League, Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor rewrote the record book and built a legendary following during one of the most storied careers in the history of American sport. Taylor spent his entire career with the New York Giants, leading them to two Super Bowl titles. He teams with Edyta Sliwinska.
Steve-O
Determined to build a career in television and film, Steve-O, a.k.a. Stephen Glover, sent his self-produced videos to anyone he thought might watch them including Jeff Tremiane (MTV's "Jackass" creator/director/producer). When MTV rejected his more dangerous ideas, Steve-O produced his own "too hot for TV" video series and stage show. He was paired with Lacey Schwimmer.
David Alan Grier
Grier is often recognized for his TV roles in "In Living Color," "Life with Bonnie" with Bonnie Hunt, "DAG," and most recently, "Chocolate News" for Comedy Central. He has also played memorable characters in feature films. A multi-talented and Yale School of Drama-trained actor, Grier began his professional career on Broadway. He was paired with Kym Johnson.
Holly Madison
Dimitry Chaplin, rear, and Holly Madison perform on "Dancing with the Stars." Madison, a star of "The Girls Next Door" and four-time Playboy cover model was a last-minute replacement on the show, stepping in for Jewel, who suffered fractures in both legs during pre-show training.
Steve Wozniak
A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for the past three decades, Steve Wozniak, a.k.a. The Woz, helped shape the computer industry with his design of Apple's first line of products, the Apple I and II, and influenced the popular Macintosh. After leaving Apple Computer Inc. in 1985, Wozniak was involved in various business and philanthropic ventures. He teams with Karina Smirnoff.
Denise Richards
Known for her roles in films such as "Wild Things" and "Starship Troopers," Denise Richards got her start as a fashion model before making her way into TV and movies. She was cast as Bond girl and geo-physicist "Christmas Jones" in the 1999 film "The World Is Not Enough" and appeared in films such as "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and "Scary Movie 3." She teams with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Carlisle was the lead singer of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female band of all time, and one of the late 80's most glamorous adult pop soloists. The 1981 multi-platinum hit debut, "Beauty and the Beat," made the Go-Go's the first all-female band (who wrote their own music and played their own instruments) to achieve a #1 album. She teams with Jonathan Roberts.