‘DWTS’ Pro Books First Leading Acting Role in New Series

Former Dancing With the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy is stepping into an entirely new spotlight.

The longtime ballroom champion and reality TV standout is set to star in Wild Silence, marking his first leading scripted role. The series premieres February 27 on the My Drama platform and represents a significant career pivot for the 46-year-old performer.

Chmerkovskiy, who competed on DWTS for 17 seasons and won season 18 with Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis, has spent decades as one of ballroom’s most recognizable faces. Now, he’s trading the dance floor for dramatic storytelling.

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In Wild Silence, Chmerkovskiy plays Jack, a grieving widower who rescues a woman after a suicide attempt in a remote wilderness setting. The two form a fragile emotional bond as they confront their respective pasts. The series is designed specifically for vertical, mobile-first viewing—one of the fastest-growing sectors in entertainment.

“Wild Silence was an opportunity to step into a completely different kind of storytelling that is intimate, emotionally raw, and built for the way the majority of audiences are watching shows today,” Chmerkovskiy said in a statement. “This role challenged me in new ways as an actor, and I was drawn to the honesty of the story and the creative ambition behind My Drama. Vertical series are an exciting new frontier, and I’m proud to be part of a project that’s helping redefine what premium, mobile-first entertainment can be.”

The project is produced by Holywater Tech’s My Drama platform, which has recently drawn major industry attention. In 2025, FOX Entertainment acquired an equity stake in Holywater and began active production on hundreds of microdramas and vertical series.

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Chmerkovskiy teased the trailer on Instagram, writing, “So excited to finally share this! Can’t wait for everyone to see our movie!” He also gave a shout-out to stunt coordinator Bobby Laenen, joking on his Stories, “Bobby, you were the ONLY reason I looked decent doing any of this fighting! Appreciate your professionalism, patience and humility. Can’t wait to get to fake punch you in the face sometime soon!”

Fellow DWTS prosAnna Trebunskaya, Sasha Farber, Derek Hough, Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Sharna Burgess and Gleb Savchenko filled the comments with support and celebratory emojis.

Chmerkovskiy left Dancing With the Stars in 2017 after nearly two decades in competitive ballroom and reality television. Outside of his professional career, he married fellow pro Peta Murgatroyd in 2017. The couple shares three sons: Shai, 9, Rio, 2, and Milan, 1.

With Wild Silence, Chmerkovskiy becomes one of the first major reality TV personalities to headline a U.S. vertical drama series—a move that takes him from the ballroom spotlight to the center of a very different kind of stage.

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