Who Is Harry Shum Jr.? All About the ‘DWTS’ Season 35 Frontrunner
The 'Glee' and 'Crazy Rich Asians' actor, 44, tied for the top score of 'Dancing With the Stars' premiere week with pro Jenna Johnson. Here's his career, wife and daughter.
- Harry Shum Jr., 44, is an actor and dancer best known for Glee, Crazy Rich Asians and Everything Everywhere All at Once.
- On Dancing With the Stars season 35 he is paired with pro Jenna Johnson.
- Their premiere cha-cha earned 21 — the first straight sevens of the season — tying Maura Higgins for the top score.
Harry Shum Jr. opened Dancing With the Stars season 35 by pulling the first perfect sevens of the year out of the judges.
The actor, 44, and pro Jenna Johnson scored 21 out of 30 for their cha-cha on the Sept. 15 premiere. For a performer who started out as a dancer, it was a fitting entrance. Here’s everything to know about him.
Who is Harry Shum Jr.?
Shum Jr. was born on April 28, 1982, in Limón, Costa Rica, to Chinese parents, and grew up in California. Before acting, he worked as a backup dancer for artists including Beyoncé and Mariah Carey.
That training shows: he is one of the few season 35 celebrities who came in with real dance experience, which makes his couple an early frontrunner.
What is Harry Shum Jr. known for?
Shum Jr. broke out as Mike Chang on Glee and appeared in the Step Up movies early on. He later played Magnus Bane on Shadowhunters and starred in Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere All at Once and, more recently, Grey’s Anatomy.
Who is Harry Shum Jr.’s wife?
Shum Jr. is married to actress and dancer Shelby Rabara, who voices Peridot in the animated series Steven Universe. The two have been together since 2007 and married in November 2015.
Does Harry Shum Jr. have kids?
Yes. Shum Jr. and Rabara have a daughter, Xia, born in 2019. He has spoken often about fatherhood shaping the roles he takes.
How did Harry Shum Jr. do on the ‘DWTS’ premiere?
His cha-cha with Johnson closed night 1 with a 21, the first time all three judges handed out sevens this season. On night 2, Maura Higgins matched the score to tie him at the top of premiere week.
To vote, text HARRY to 21523 during the live show or vote on ABC’s site; our DWTS voting guide has the deadlines.
See the full lineup in our DWTS season 35 cast guide, who’s already gone home in our elimination tracker, and more in TV & Reality.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and streams the next day on Hulu.
The take
Casting a former professional dancer always splits a fan base — is it a fair fight? But the judges reward clean technique early, and Shum Jr. has it. If he goes home before the final, it will be the vote, not the scores, that does it.
— Bruno Monteiro
Sources: ABC’s live broadcast of the season 35 premiere (Sept. 15, 2026); Dancing With the Stars (@dancingwiththestars) on Instagram. Biographical details as reported by People, HollywoodLife and Just Jared.
Reported from @dancingwiththestars on Instagram.
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