Dancing with the Stars: Carrie Ann Inaba's net worth, career, and more explored

ABC's popular dance competition show Dancing with the Stars debuted in 2005, where celebrities from different sectors of entertainment, paired with professional dancers, competed against one another for the Mirrorball trophy. A show that began nearly two decades ago, is currently in its 33rd season.

Dancing with the Stars season 33, hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, premiered on September 17, 2024, featuring Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough as judges.

Carrie Ann Inaba is one of the judges who joined DWTS in 2005 and has remained since. Besides appearing on the judging panel of the ABC show, Carrie Ann is a dancer, choreographer, actress, singer, and television host. She has a net worth of $7 million as of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Carrie Ann amassed her wealth through her diverse career, encompassing successful ventures in music, film, and dance.

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Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba became a local pop star in Japan

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Carrie Ann had her first dance class as a 3-year-old. She gradually developed a liking for the art form, as she often danced in her backyard which overlooked the Pacific Ocean. After graduating from Punahou School in 1986, she participated in and won a talent show, gaining some recognition. As a result, she moved to Japan to flourish as a singer.

The Dancing with the Star judge became a local pop star in Japan and stayed in Tokyo until 1988. She released three singles, Party Girl, Be Your Girl, and Yume no Senaka besides hosting weekly radio and television series. After relocating to the US in 1988, Carrie Ann became popular as a dancer. She was one of the original Fly Girls on Fox's comedy series In Living Color.

The Dancing with the Stars judge also performed with renowned celebrities like Norman Iceberg, Viktor Manoel, and Luca Tommassini at Prince's Glam Slam. She featured as a solo dancer during Madonna's Girlie Show World Tour in 1993. Besides choreographing the Miss America Pageant for five years, she also choreographed for multiple television series like The Swan, American Idol, All American Girl, and more.

Carrie Ann made her film debut, playing Fook Yu in the 2002 film Austin Powers in Goldmember. Later, she alongside her co-star Diane Mizota collaborated with Mike Myers on a commercial for Motorola in 2005. Carrie Ann went on to appear in Disney's Hannah Montana, starring as Tina, Hannah's choreographer, in the episode Papa's Got a Brand New Friend.

Starting with the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards, TV Guide Network announced it had signed the Dancing with the Stars judge to anchor its live red-carpet event. After replacing the original host Julie Chen, Carrie Ann co-hosted and moderated the CBS talk show The Talk from 2019 to 2021.

She is also the founder and president of her video production company EnterMediArts, Inc., where she directs, writes, and edits films. Some of her noteworthy productions are E! Behind The Scenes Miss America Special, 7th Festival of the Pacific Arts, and a short feature film Black Water.

In 2008, Carrie Ann was awarded the prestigious Visionary Award by East West Players, the oldest Asian-Pacific American theatre company in the USA. She was honored for bringing the Asian American community to the spotlight through theatre, film, and television.

The Dancing with the Stars judge launched the Carrie Ann Animal Foundation in 2012, expressing her love and respect for animals. In the same year, she started a YouTube series where she talked at length about shelter cats. Carrie Ann is also a founding member of Nigel Lythgoe's dance organization, the Dizzy Feet Foundation.

The choreographer has had a commendable career, despite having a troubled medical history. Diagnosed with Sjögren Syndrome and Lupus, Carrie Ann has led a challenging life. As the Sjögren Syndrome Foundation's National Awareness Ambassador and spokesperson, Carrie Ann has dedicated her life to spreading awareness about the autoimmune disease.

Most recently, Carrie Ann Inaba has been featured as a judge on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars.

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Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars airs every Tuesday at 8 pm ET only on ABC.