Television February 19, 2008
Sixth Season 'Dancing' Cast Announced!
The "Dancing" phenomenon is back!
An Oscar-winner, a magician, the King's former queen and a handful of athletes are just a few of the celebrities who have signed on for "Dancing with the Stars."
The sixth season lineup includes Elvis Presley's ex Priscilla, deaf actress Marlee Matlin and Penn Jillette.
The full list:
Female Contestants
Kristi Yamaguchi: Olympic skater
Marlee Matlin: Actress
Marissa Jaret Winokur: Actress
Monica Seles: Tennis pro
Shannon Elizabeth: Actress
Priscilla Presley: Actress
Male Contestants
Christian De La Fuente: Telenovela star
Penn Jillette: magician
Adam Corolla: radio personality
Steve Guttenberg: actor
Mario: R&B singer
Jason Taylor: NFL player
Among the most notable of the lineup this year is Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, who is almost completely deaf.
Matlin, known for her dramatic roles and her current run on Showtime's “The L Word,” told USA Today that dancing will hopefully let her fans see a her softer side, while boosting the image for the hearing-impaired.
“Seeing as I haven't let it affect my acting, I don't think I'll have more difficulty than other cast members,” she said. “You try to imagine what is like when you can't hear the music. I'll let my partner be the music.”
For the show, Matlin will use digital hearing aids to help her interpret different sounds, reports USA Today.
Her longtime producing partner and interpreter, Jack Jason, described Matlin's hearing, explaining, “Imagine yourself in the shower with the door closed and you can kind of hear the stereo in the next room at a reduced volume.”
