Carrie Ann Inaba | Celebrity Net Worth 2026

Biography & Early Wealth Journey

Carrie Ann Inaba is best known as one of the original judges on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," a role she has held since the series premiered in 2005. Her combination of professional dance experience, choreography background, and direct judging style has made her one of the show's longest-tenured personalities.

Long before joining "Dancing with the Stars," Inaba built an unusually varied entertainment career. She launched a recording career in Japan as a teenager, became one of the original Fly Girls on the sketch comedy series "In Living Color," toured as a dancer with Madonna, performed at Prince's Glam Slam nightclub, and developed an extensive résumé as a television choreographer. Her screen credits include the "Austin Powers" films, while her television work has ranged from "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann" to a stint as co-host and moderator of CBS's "The Talk."

Inaba has also become an advocate for people living with chronic illness. After being diagnosed with Sjögren's disease in 2013, she began speaking publicly about the challenges of managing fatigue, pain, and other symptoms while maintaining a demanding television career.

Early Life

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Carrie Ann Inaba was born on January 5, 1968, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She began taking dance lessons when she was three years old, studying forms including ballet, jazz, and hula while also participating in gymnastics. She played piano and violin and sang in a choir, giving her an early foundation in several different areas of performance.

Inaba attended Punahou School in Honolulu and graduated in 1986. Around the time of her graduation, she won a talent competition and was subsequently recruited to pursue a recording career in Japan.

At 18, Carrie Ann moved to Tokyo, where she began performing as a singer and television personality. Although the experience gave her professional exposure at a young age, she eventually decided that dance and choreography were better fits for her creatively and returned to the United States.

Music Career in Japan

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Inaba spent approximately two years working in Japan's entertainment industry. She released three singles, including "Party Girl," "Be Your Girl," and "Yume no Senaka," and her first single reached the Japanese Billboard Top 100.

Because she did not speak Japanese fluently, Carrie Ann learned some of her lyrics phonetically. She later recalled that the highly manufactured nature of the Japanese pop industry helped convince her that she wanted greater creative control over her career.

In addition to recording music, Inaba hosted radio and television programs while living in Tokyo. By 1988, she had returned to the United States and redirected her attention toward professional dancing and choreography.

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Fly Girl and Professional Dance Career

Inaba's first major exposure to American television came when she joined the Fly Girls on Fox's sketch comedy series "In Living Color." She appeared on the program from 1990 to 1992 and was the only Asian-American woman among the original dance troupe. Her tenure overlapped with Jennifer Lopez, who also became famous as a Fly Girl before launching her music and acting career.

Carrie Ann subsequently performed with Prince at his Glam Slam nightclub and landed one of the most significant dance jobs of her career when she joined Madonna's 1993 "The Girlie Show World Tour." Inaba famously agreed to shave her head for the production, which featured her as a featured dancer during the international tour.

Her work as a performer increasingly led to opportunities behind the camera. During the 1990s and early 2000s, she developed a substantial career choreographing television, live events, and competition programs.

Choreography

Inaba became particularly active during the early wave of televised reality competitions. Her choreography and staging credits included "American Idol," "American Juniors," "The Swan," "Dance Fever," "All American Girl," the TV Land Awards, and the Kids' Choice Awards.

She also choreographed the Miss America Pageant for several years and worked on the first season of "So You Think You Can Dance." Her work on that program introduced her to professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev, whom she later dated.

By this point, Inaba had transitioned from being primarily an on-camera dancer to a choreographer and television personality with experience on both sides of a production.

Dancing with the Stars

Inaba joined "Dancing with the Stars" when the American version premiered in 2005. Alongside Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli, she formed the show's original judging panel and quickly became known for closely policing lifts while also emphasizing emotional connection and performance quality.

Unlike many of the professionals who became famous by competing with celebrity partners, Inaba's identity within the franchise has always been as a judge. Her lengthy dance and choreography résumé gave her a different perspective from the ballroom specialists who have served alongside her.

Over the years, the judging panel has changed significantly, but Inaba has remained a constant presence. Following Goodman's retirement and subsequent death, former professional champion Derek Hough became a regular judge alongside Inaba and Tonioli.

Carrie Ann has remained part of "Dancing with the Stars" through changes in hosts, networks, streaming distribution, judging panels, and professional casts. Her tenure now spans more than two decades of the franchise.

(Photo by Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)

Dance War and Other Television Work

In 2008, Inaba and Tonioli starred in the ABC competition series "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann." The program divided dancers into competing teams coached by the two "Dancing with the Stars" judges.

Carrie Ann has also hosted or contributed to programs including Game Show Network's "1 vs. 100," TV Guide Network's red-carpet coverage, and "Fashion Wrap with Carrie Ann." She appeared as choreographer Tina in an episode of "Hannah Montana" and has served as a guest host on daytime programs including "Live with Kelly and Ryan" and "The View."

Her long television career has included work as a performer, choreographer, producer, host, moderator, and judge, making her much more than simply a television dance critic.

The Talk

In January 2019, Carrie Ann joined the CBS daytime series "The Talk," succeeding Julie Chen Moonves as a co-host and moderator. The job gave Inaba a platform outside dance and entertainment competition programming and involved daily discussions of current events, celebrity news, relationships, and personal issues.

Inaba remained with the program for more than two years. In April 2021, she took a leave of absence to focus on her health and well-being. In August of that year, she and CBS announced that she would not return to the show.

Her work on "The Talk" earned her recognition as part of the show's daytime ensemble and expanded her profile as a television host and interviewer.

Film Career

Carrie Ann has also accumulated a number of acting and dance credits in feature films. She appeared as a dancer in 1999's "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" and returned for a larger comic role in the 2002 sequel "Austin Powers in Goldmember."

In "Goldmember," she played Fook Yu opposite Diane Mizota's Fook Mi. Although the women were presented as identical twins, they are not related. The pair later reprised the characters alongside Mike Myers in a Motorola advertisement.

Other screen appearances have included "Showgirls," "Boys and Girls," "Lord of Illusions," and "Monster Mash."

Production and Philanthropy

Inaba founded the production company EnterMediArts, through which she has worked as a director, writer, editor, and producer. Her projects have included documentaries, television specials, and short-form productions. She was also involved as a producer with the Broadway dance production "Burn the Floor."

Her charitable work has frequently centered on dance, children, animals, and health. She has supported the Humane Society, participated in cancer-related fundraising, and served as a spokesperson for Dréa's Dream, a program that supports dance and movement therapy for children undergoing cancer treatment.

Inaba has also been involved with organizations promoting Asian-American representation in entertainment. East West Players honored her with its Visionary Award, and she was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame in 2015.

Personal Life

Carrie Ann has never been married but has been engaged twice. In 2009, she began dating accountant Jesse Sloan after meeting him through eHarmony. In March 2011, Sloan proposed during a live appearance on "Live with Regis and Kelly," but the couple ended their engagement the following year.

Inaba later dated actor Robb Derringer. They became engaged in December 2016 after several months of dating, but their engagement ended in 2017.

Carrie Ann has long been an animal lover and has owned numerous rescue pets. Her advocacy for animal welfare has included support for shelters and organizations promoting pet adoption.

Health

Inaba has spoken publicly for years about living with chronic health problems. She was diagnosed with Sjögren's disease in 2013 after experiencing symptoms that included severe fatigue, pain, and dryness. Sjögren's is an autoimmune disease that can affect moisture-producing glands as well as other parts of the body.

Carrie Ann has also discussed experiences with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other autoimmune-related health challenges. Periods of more severe symptoms have occasionally affected her work, including contributing to her 2021 leave of absence from "The Talk."

Her health experiences eventually became an important part of her advocacy work. Inaba has used interviews, online content, and public campaigns to increase awareness of Sjögren's and the challenges faced by people whose chronic illnesses may not be outwardly visible.

Ann Inaba

Tonioli