Stephen Nedoroscik is making his way to Los Angeles for season 33 of Dancing With the Stars — and he’s bringing his furry friend with him.
“Off we go ✈️,” the gymnast, 25, captioned an Instagram Story car selfie with his girlfriend, Tess McCracken, on Tuesday, August 27. In a follow-up post, Nedoroscik revealed that the pair’s cat is tagging along for the journey.
“Don’t worry Kyushu made it too,” he wrote alongside a snap of his pet chilling in a travel cat carrier.
In an Instagram Story post of her own, McCracken jokingly wrote, “Kyushu is also going to be a California Girl he just doesn’t know it yet.” She confirmed the couple and Kyushu’s arrival in California on Wednesday, August 28, by sharing a glimpse of their hotel view.
Fresh off the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nedoroscik was the first celebrity announced to be joining the cast of DWTS season 33. “I’m hoping to bring some of [my pommel horse moves],” he said of using his gymnastics skills in the DWTS ballroom on the Thursday, August 22, episode of Good Morning America. “I want to do some flares. I want to bring some of that gymnastics — maybe a backflip or a handstand. I want to have fun with it.”
When asked whether he will wear his signature glasses while dancing, Nedoroscik teased: “I might have fun with it. I’m scared they’ll fly off ’cause of the thing, but maybe we can do a gadget, keep ’em on. Maybe a new pair of glasses [to] match the theme. That’s what I’m thinking.”
Nedoroscik’s pro dance partner and the rest of the season 33 cast have yet to be revealed. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are set to return as the show’s cohosts alongside judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.
Nedoroscik made waves at the Paris Olympics last month, helping the men’s U.S. gymnastics team secure their first medal in 16 years. His pommel horse routine during the men’s team final on July 29 bumped Team USA into third place, earning him and teammates Brody Malone, Fred Richard, Asher Hong and Paul Juda a bronze medal.
Nedoroscik walked away from the Paris Games with two medals after winning bronze in the men’s pommel horse final on August 3.
Fans quickly drew comparisons between him and Clark Kent/Superman for taking off his glasses before competing in events. He also went viral for appearing to nap on the sidelines before taking on the pommel horse, which he has since clarified is a calming technique.
In an interview with Teen Vogue earlier this month, Nedoroscik revealed that his fellow Team USA gymnast Simone Biles showed him memes about himself while hanging out in the Olympic Village.
“That’s just so surreal because I don’t think she really even knew what my name was a month ago,” he said of Biles, 27, who has also competed on DWTS. “She’s just an icon, she’s the GOAT.” (Biles earned a total of four medals at the Paris Olympics, making her the most decorated U.S. Olympics gymnast of all time.)
Dancing With the Stars season 33 premieres on ABC and Disney+ Tuesday, September 17, at 8 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to watch the next day on Hulu.
