Hollywood dance icon Ann-Margret has completely informed Parade.com why she hasn’t appeared as a star contestant on ABC’s hit actuality present Dancing with the Stars.
It appears that the famed actress/dancer/singer, who will have fun her milestone eighty fifthbirthday on April 28, ought to have been a pure to do the sequence years in the past. Also, as DWTS followers know, a few well-known people over age 80 have beforehand hit the ballroom!
Ann-Margret’s six a long time in Hollywood contains dancing in such huge display screen musicals as State Fair (1962), Bye Bye Birdie (1963) and Viva Las Vegas (1964). She additionally delivered an unbelievable efficiency in The Who’s film model of the rock opera Tommy (1975), telling the story utterly by means of music.
The beloved Swedish-American star, who will quickly settle for a lifetime achievement award, just lately informed us in a cellphone interview about how she is doing nice after breaking her elbow — regardless of additionally lacking her late husband of fifty years, Roger Smith.
In addition, she opened up about how she wasn’t capable of be part of the DWTS solid at any level. Read on to search out out extra on why!
Does Ann-Margret watch DWTS?
“Sure, sure!” she stated. “I love watching that, yeah.” Elaborating on the purpose why, the veteran star stated she identifies with each the celeb and professional dancers: “I know all of the nerves that go through everybody when, all of a sudden, well, it’s your time to perform and [you think], ‘help!’ I go through the same emotions that they go through.”
Did DWTS producers ask Ann-Margret to do the present?
“Through the years, yes,” she revealed to Parade. “And always, it’s been [bad] timing.” When requested if she would do the present now, Ann laughed, “Oh, I have no idea,” including, “I really am enjoying my time off.”
Ann-Margret in a publicity nonetheless from 1964’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Also, she just lately suffered an harm, as Parade beforehand reported. “I fell the other day and so now my right elbow is broken,” she informed us. After Ann confirmed that she fell at her dwelling, she stated, “That’s okay. I’ve done it many times. I just happen to do that all the time. I have fallen so many times.” She added with a good-natured chuckle, “I don’t intend to, but I do! What can I say?”
Related: Ann-Margret, 84, Shares Health Update After Scary Fall: ‘You Just Get Up’ (Exclusive)
Ann needed to cancel an autograph-signing look due to her elbow harm. However, when requested if she’s recovering effectively, the star recognized for her grit stated, “Yes, I am. I sure am!”
Does Ann-Marget like watching the DWTS professional dancers?
Yes! The film legend stated of such former execs as Derek Hough and Mark Ballas and present dancers, “Oh, my goodness, they didn’t get on the show if they weren’t great!”
What did Ann-Margret consider Cloris Leachman dancing on the present?
Actress Cloris Leachman, who handed away in 2021, was a hilarious sensation on DWTS on season 7 in 2008, and stays the oldest star ever to do the present at age 82 (astronaut Buzz Aldrin was the second oldest DWTS contestant at age 80 on season 10 in 2010). “That was fun,” Ann-Margret commented about watching Cloris’ senior citizen run. “I had met her [once] but I didn’t really know her.”
Has Ann-Margret ever danced on TV?
Yes, on ABC, now dwelling to DWTS! Among different issues, Ann appeared on the 1980 ABC particular Ann-Margret: Hollywood Movie Girls, a musical/selection/comedy salute to the femme fatales of Hollywood’s previous.
Ann-Margret in 1980 acting on her ABC particular (Photo by Denis Plehn /American Broadcasting Companies by way of Getty Images)
What has Ann-Margret stated about her personal dancing?
The performer will choose up the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Chita Rivera Awards on May 18 at the NYU Skirball Center.
As Playbill reported, one in every of the occasion’s producers, Joe Lanteri, stated, “She has inspired generations of dancers to perform with the same passion and vivacious spirit…We are excited to celebrate her at this year’s Awards and know our audience is in for a treat.”
But Ann, dubbed the “Sex Kitten” in the Sixties, is modest about her talents, saying, about actress/singer/dancer Rivera, who handed away two years in the past at age 91, “She was this incredible dancer and I’m not that.”
Describing her personal dancing, Ann-Margret stated, “I’ve always thought of myself as someone who moves. I’m a mover!”
Does Ann-Margret nonetheless have her strikes?
When requested if she dances at dwelling nowadays when nobody is watching, Ann informed Parade, “Yes I do! I do. If I hear something on TV [like]a favorite song of mine, of course I’ll start moving naturally. I’ve always done that.”
Would Ann-Margret do one other film musical?
Of course! She stated of the current huge display screen hit Wicked, “I really enjoyed it. I think that musicals are great. I think that people enjoy them and I would love it if they did more musicals. It would be fun to have a part.” Hollywood, are you listening?
This story was initially revealed by Parade on Apr 17, 2026, the place it first appeared in the News part. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
