16 Stars We Want to See on Celebrity Big Brother

It took nearly 20 years, but the U.S. is finally getting its own Celebrity Big Brother.

Julie Chen revealed the exciting news during a live episode of Big Brother 19, announcing that Celebrity Big Brother will premiere on CBS this winter. While no casting decisions have been made yet, Chen, who will host the series, told The Hollywood Reporter that they're "being realistic" about the type of talent they'll be able to get, but that they're looking towards Dancing with the Stars as an example of great casting for a project like this.

Casting a series like Celebrity Big Brother is incredibly tricky. The stars have to be just the right amount of famous that they'll be good to watch, but also willing to do it, and they have the time in their schedule to devote at least a few weeks to non-stop filming. Plus -- and this is probably the biggest hurdle -- they have to be willing to expose themselves completely since the live feeds will catch their every move.

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Given all these requirements, we've come up with our dream cast for the first American season Celebrity Big Brother. Take note, CBS.

1. and 2. Speidi
Spencer and Heidi Pratt have already competed as a single entity twice on Celebrity Big Brother in the U.K. so we know they're down to play. However, with the couple currently expecting their first child together, the timing doesn't look great for Speidi to compete this winter. Despite that, we refuse to give up hope and continue to pray that we'll see at least one half of the iconic Hills duo in the house. CBB just wouldn't be worth it without them.

3. Sebastian Bach
The Skid Row frontman would honestly be perfect for Celebrity Big Brother. Thanks to his natural charisma, Sebastian Bach's social game would be out of this world. Plus, we have a feeling that there's some great strategic thinking going on underneath all that hair...

4. Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris has never been shy about his love of Big Brother. The How I Met Your Motheralum has previously appeared on the series and always said that he'd be thrilled to participate in a celebrity version. And though Harris is notoriously busy, this winter seems relatively light for the prolific star. It looks as though the stars might have finally aligned for him to live his dream!

5. Gigi Gorgeous
No reality show these days is finished until it has cast its hot, trendy "influencer." Please let Gigi Gorgeous be that person. Gigi is so much more than a YouTube star, having become an inspiring LGBTQ advocate and even being named one of Time's 25 most influential people on the internet earlier this year. If cast, Gigi would also become the second transgender houseguest to appear on an American version of Big Brother, following Audrey in 2015.

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6. Lance Bass
Another celebrity superfan -- and no stranger to reality TV himself -- Lance Bass seems like an ideal CBB houseguest. Even though *NSYNC hasn't put out new music since 2001, Bass still is beloved by fans who would definitely tune in to watch the boy band alum on the feeds. Of course, Bass' likability could lead him to fall into the rut of "great guy, boring reality star," which is why we'd also recommend CBS cast...

7. Reichen Lehmkuhl
The Amazing Race winner would not only achieve some great CBS synergy if he was cast on CBB, but Reichen Lehmkuhl might also stir up some good drama if he was cast alongside Bass. The pair were in a much-publicized relationship in the mid-2000s and it would be fun to watch how the two exes navigated their relationship in the BB house.

8. Tatum O'Neal
Tatum O'Neal would check off a few different boxes in the casting department as both a former child star and an Oscar winner. In more recent years, O'Neal's appearances in the press have largely been due to scandals in her personal life, including a 2008 drug arrest and admissions in her memoirs about her tumultuous relationships with her father Ryan O'Neal and ex-husband John McEnroe. CBB could be a nice way for O'Neal to work on rehabilitating her image and stepping back into the spotlight.

9. Tiffany Pollard
Tiffany "New York" Pollard should always be on TV. That's the truth. It's honestly a travesty we've gone so long without her already. The Flavor of Love and I Love New York alum probably wouldn't have a shot at winning CBB, but she would make it worth tuning in each week with her hilarious antics. Just think of the gifs! Like Speidi, she was previously on CBB in the UK, where she played a pivotal role in one of the most bizarre moments in reality TV history when she found out David Bowie died.

10. Harry Hamlin
After his career peaked in the '80s, Harry Hamlin hasn't slowed down, appearing in films like The Meddler and shows including Veronica Mars, Mad Men, Shamelessand Harper's Island (which aired on CBS). On the one hand, the fact that Hamlin has managed to stay so busy acting makes it seem like he'd be above a show like CBB. But let's not forget a little TVLand reality show Harry Loves Lisa, which chronicled his marriage to Lisa Rinna. Plus, Hamlin has no hesitancy towards appearing alongside his wife on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. He's clearly open to reality TV and a stint in the CBB house could give him even more time to work on his pie skills!

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11. Kathy Griffin
We already know Kathy Griffin loves Big Brother. We also know that she's currently out for redemption after that controversial Trump photo. Why not combine those two interests into a stint on CBB! The reality series could be a great vehicle for Griffin's comeback and it'd be fun to watch how her blunt sense of humor would go down with the other houseguests (not to mention her political views).

12. Johnny Weir
This Olympic figure skater is born to be a reality star, as anyone who watched his short-lived reality show Be Good Johnny Weir knows. Everything Johnny Weir does is over the top, glamorous and wonderfully cheeky. Weir's athletic background would also make him an incredibly strong competitor in physical comps, making him not only fun to watch, but also someone who could be a real contender. However, in order to compete on CBB, Weir would possibly have to skip his anticipated Olympics commentary for NBC.

13. Lolo Jones
Sure, Lolo Jones would be a strong physical competitor on CBB, but the real reason we'd want to see her in the cast is for the DRAMA. Jones' Olympic career, which included hurdles and later bobsledding, was rife with controversy, including when her bobsled teammates called her out for being ungrateful about her bobsled paycheck. But while $741.84 might not have been enough for Jones, maybe $500,000 will be.

14. Ryan Cabrera
After his breakthrough album in 2004, Ryan Cabrera's music career never quite took off. The silver lining of that unfortunate news, however, is that it means Cabrera, a longtime Big Brother superfan, probably has the time now to actually give the game a try. Joining CBB would be great news for millennials who grew up swooning over Cabrera on The Ashlee Simpson Show and have probably wondered more than once over the past few years what the frosted-tipped heartthrob has been up to.

15. Martha Stewart
No one could in the '90s have predicted the directions Martha Stewart's career would take over the next 20 years. She's been in jail. She struck up a friendship with Snoop Dogg. She notoriously shaded Blake Lively. It often does seem that Stewart gives zero f---s, which is why we are practically begging to see her join the first American CBB cast.

16. Stacey Dash
Since her breakout role in Clueless, Stacey Dash's career has taken an interesting turn. Although she has continued to act over the years, she's more famous now for being a controversial political commentator. From 2014-2017, Dash was a contributor to Fox News, during which time she suggested President Barack Obama didn't care about terrorism and called to end Black History Month. Regardless of your personal feelings towards Dash and her political stances, there's no denying she would keep the CBB house interesting.

Big Brother 19 airs Sundays and Wednesdays at 8/7c and Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS. Celebrity Big Brother will premiere this winter.

(Full disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS.)