Summer is officially over for Ciara Miller.
After all, the Summer House alum admitted that she’s been putting in the work ahead of Dancing With the Stars’ season 35 premiere Sept. 15.
“I pray for my ankles every single day,” Miller admitted to Lance Bass as well as E!’s Erin Lim Rhodes and Will Marfuggi during the Live From E!: Countdown to the 2026 Emmys Sept. 14. “But I’m definitely getting my butt kicked a little like I haven’t worked out this much since high school.” (To see every star on the Emmys 2026 red carpet, click here.)
And when Bass—who competed on season seven of the series—chimed in noting he “lost 20 pounds” while on the show, Miller clarified she’s bulking up, adding, “I’ve gained weight.”
But while Miller is putting in reps on reps for her upcoming dance to Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” alongside pro partner Brandon Armstrong as part of night two of the premiere Sept. 16, she couldn’t be a traitor to her stint on another reality series when surmising who’d take home the Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition.
“This is a tough one because I feel like Dancing With the Stars is hotter than ever right now but also Traitors has had a genuine run and they’re still going,” Miller posited. “I think I might have to put my money on the Traitors just because I don’t know how my first dance is going to go yet. It’s pending.” (RuPaul's Drag Race, Survivor and Top Chef are also up for the trophy—see every winner so far here.)
But Miller’s cohost Bass—who made it to the finals of his DWTS season—had plenty of advice to keep the 30-year-old on the ballroom floor for as long as possible.
“Obviously sleep because it really marinates in your brain when you sleep,” Bass explained. “But connect with the judges. They love when you look at them in the eyes when you’re performing."
To which Miller cheekily interjected, “Oh, I have to smize!”
“It grabs them,” Bass confirmed. “Really perform for the judges.”
Nodding to all of Bass’ A+ advice, Miller playfully used her hands to mime taking notes.
“Here’s me, I’m writing it down,” she told him. “I want to go to the finals so bad. I have so many ideas. So many costumes. So many things."
For more stars at the Emmys 2026, keep reading…
Zendaya
in custom Prada and Mikimoto jewelry.
Selena Gomez
in Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. jewelry.
Ayo Edebiri
in Chanel and Mikimoto jewelry.
Mariska Hargitay
in Monse and Stuart Weitzman shoes.
Noah Wyle
in custom Brunello Cucinelli and Cartier watch.
Nicole Kidman
in Chanel and OMEGA watch.
Elle Fanning
in Ralph Lauren and Cartier jewelry.
Dakota Fanning
in Carolina Herrera and Swarovski jewelry.
Kristen Bell
in Alberta Ferretti.
Shailene Woodley
in Balenciaga.
Julia Garner
in Loewe and Marco Bicego jewelry.
Florence Pugh
in Vivienne Westwood.
Colman Domingo
in custom Valentino and OMEGA watch.
Kaley Cuoco & Tom Pelphrey
in Christian Siriano (Cuoco) and Giorgio Armani (Pelphrey).
Julianne Hough
in Antonio Grimaldi.
Sarah Pidgeon
in Chanel.
Michael Urie
in Christian Siriano and Azza Fahmy jewelry.
Allison Janney
in Pamella Roland and Sabyasachi.
Emilia Clarke
in Prada.
John Mulaney & Olivia Munn
in Brunello Cucinelli (Mulaney) and FFORME (Munn).
Michelle Pfeiffer
in Saint Laurent.
Oscar Isaac
in Celine.
Jessica Williams
in Honor, Tyler Ellis bag, and Jessica McCormack jewelry.
Harrison Ford & Calista Flockhart
in custom Paul Smith (Ford) and Zuhair Murad (Flockhart).
Sterling K. Brown
in Brunello Cucinelli.
Ryan Michelle Bathe
in Lia Stublia and Martin Katz jewelry.
Lisa Kudrow
in Celine.
Paul Anthony Kelly
in Louis Vuitton and Vacheron Constantin watch.
Sally Field
in Akris.
Chase Infiniti
in Louis Vuitton and Hearts on Fire jewelry.