Ezra Sosa didn't always believe he'd make it on Dancing With the Stars—and he certainly didn't think he could do it as an openly gay man. But the 25-year-old DWTS pro is rewriting that narrative, one sequined paso doble at a time.
Growing up in a conservative Utah household steeped in Mormon tradition, Sosa felt suffocated. "I was shoved into a box," he told E! News exclusively, recalling the weight of expectations that came with his faith.
People told him he couldn't be openly gay and land a spot on the ABC show. "I was told by many people that I couldn't be openly gay on Dancing With the Stars," Sosa recounted. "That's really hard to hear, especially when that's your biggest dream."
But instead of listening to the naysayers, Sosa danced through it. "Dance was my outlet," he reflected. "When I was a kid and I couldn't voice how I felt... I was able to go to a dance studio and express myself in ways that words couldn't. It was my lifeline."
Since joining the show full-time for season 33 in 2024—and partnering with celebs like Jordan Chiles and Anna Delvey—Sosa has become the queer icon he never had growing up. "To be able to go out on the road and see all the queer people that come to the show just to watch me is so, so, so special," he said. "I don't think there's a greater full circle moment."
As Pride Month rolls around, Sosa is leaning into his role as a role model. "It is the biggest honor of my life," he confessed. "I'm so stoked and I know the impact that being on that show has."
Sosa is proud of the person he's become, crediting his strength, perseverance, and ability to adapt for getting him where he is today.
