Stephen Nedoroscik, who once dazzled the Olympic stage, probably never imagined he’d be here—on the cusp of the semifinals of Dancing with the Stars. Yet here we are, eagerly waiting for him and his dance partner, Rylee Arnold, to continue their journey after they earned their spot in the semifinals during the show’s monumental 500th episode. After an unforgettable Halloween performance, he and Rylee Arnold dazzled with a Viennese Waltz on Joji’s “Glimpse of Us,” earning high praise from the judges. Bruno Tonioli was especially impressed, calling Stephen “Growing up in front of our eyes” and praising his emotional connection with the music.

Despite Bruno’s 9, they closed the round with a near-perfect 29, thanks to two 10s from Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough. In their second round, an instant jive to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Love is Embarrassing” earned them a score of 25, bringing their total to 54. But off the dance floor, Stephen and Rylee’s bond continues to grow. The pair recently went on a double date, but before we dive into that, Stephen shared some honest thoughts about Rylee’s boyfriend.

In a fun and candid moment on Access Hollywood, Stephen Nedoroscik shared his first impression of Rylee’s boyfriend and their first awkward meeting. “Recently had the chance to meet Rylee’s new boyfriend. We were in a little bit of a dance. He walked in and I was like, ‘Oh shoot, this is weird.’ I’m dancing but he seemed like such a nice guy.’ Definitely a sweet dude—held the door for me, and I could tell he is polite from the start, so that’s always a great sign.” Rylee couldn’t help but laugh, adding, “I got the stamp of approval on that one!”

The conversation then shifted to the question of whether Rylee was nervous about introducing the two. “No,” Rylee confidently responded. “I knew that Stephen was going to like him, and I knew Walker was going to love Stephen because they’re both just happy, nice guys.”

Rylee went on to share something more personal: “I’ve asked almost everyone about relationship advice, but I honestly look up to Stephen and Tessa’s relationship so much because they’ve been together for so long. You can just feel their love and just see how awesome they are together. [I] always ask them what they do to just keep that spark. They’ve literally been together for eight years, they’ve never felt like they needed to break up or gotten arguments—that’s what I aspire to have.” On one hand, Stephen Nedoroscik and Tess McCracken’s love story is nothing short of timeless, as they’ve been together for nearly a decade after meeting for the first time in college.

Meanwhile, Rylee Arnold, who kept her relationship status private for a while, surprised fans when she revealed she was dating in September. Later that month, she shared her excitement about the new romance, and just weeks later, on October 27, Rylee and her college football player boyfriend, Walker Lyons, made their relationship official with a sweet Instagram post. The couple met through a mutual friend, and their connection quickly blossomed. So, what was this double date like for these two couples with such unique and beautiful stories?

Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold go on a double date!

Yep, you heard it right! Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold recently enjoyed a delightful double date with their respective beaus. On November 9, Arnold shared a sneak peek of their night out on her Instagram story, capturing the excitement as they headed to the Los Angeles premiere of Wicked. The clip showed Rylee riding shotgun next to her boyfriend, USC tight end Walker Lyons, while Stephen and his stunning partner, Tess McCracken, were settled comfortably in the backseat.

The premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in LA was the perfect escape for the duo and their dates, offering them a chance to bask in the excitement of a major event before diving back into the grind of Dancing with the Stars. As they headed to the venue, Rylee’s excitement was palpable as she playfully joked about making it in time for the red carpet, urging, “Hopefully we make it time for the carpet.” Rylee even admitted that attending her first red carpet with Walker felt like a dream, while the football player couldn’t stop gushing about how beautiful his date looked.

Once, Rylee even teased Stephen, asking, “I need Stephen’s stamp of approval, don’t I?” Ready to step into his big brother role, Nedoroscik eagerly shared his thoughts, bringing a warm, supportive vibe to the moment. He fully embraced the role of ensuring everything felt right for his friends. The night was a joyful mix of fun, laughter, and a well-deserved break from their hectic schedules, with all four basking in the happiness of the occasion.