Everything to Know About 'DWTS' Contestant Trevor Donovan

Trevor Donovan has made his way from the set to the ballroom now that he's a contestant on season 31 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

Since the hit reality series premiered on Sept. 19, the actor has developed a "great connection" with his partner Emma Slater as they take part in everything from the quickstep to the rumba.

Most recently, co-host Alfonso Ribeiro inquired about the pair's chemistry on the dance floor, asking, "I gotta know — are those your acting skills or was that real?"

"If you're really doing a good job acting, it all comes from the truth so there's something real in every performance," the actor replied. Meanwhile, a shocked Slater, who recently split from fellow pro dancer Sasha Farber, told multiple outlets including PEOPLE after the show: "I was like, 'That question! Like, wow, just out the blue.'"

She added, "We really do get on and have great chemistry, which made this dance so much easier. But then when Alfonso asked that question, I was so glad you answered because I was like, 'I can't.'"

Between his acting roles and his intense health regimen, here's everything to know about Donovan.

He's best known for his role on 90210

Born and raised in California, Donovan has a range of acting credits spanning television and film. He first turned heads with his minor role as Jeremey Horton on NBC's Days of Our Lives in 2007 and again in 2009's film Surrogates opposite Bruce Willis.

In 2010, he nabbed the recurring role of Teddy Montgomery in CW's 90210, a beloved character that he's widely associated with to this day. When the hit series wrapped, Donovan landed a recurring role in the third season of Melissa & Joey opposite titular leads Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, and has appeared in a handful of Hallmark films since.

He does not consider himself a dancer

Between Dance Mom's JoJo Siwa on season 30 and competitive dancer Charli D'Amelio on the current season, DWTS has had a history of choosing several celebrity contestants with a dance background.

Unlike those stars, Donovan entered the competition with zero dance experience, let alone ballroom. "This is happening... ugh! 🤪 Never danced a day in my life till tonight on @dancingwiththestars," wrote the actor on Instagram when the show premiered.

Furthermore, he expressed that it's taking him a lot to muster up the courage to compete. "Fear is 100% dependent on you for its survival. Here's to facing fears...🍻 and the amazing partner helping me," he captioned another post alongside his partner, Slater.

He's really into health and physical fitness

While he may not be a dancer, he is an athlete in his own right! With just one look at his six-pack abs, you'll easily be able to tell that Donovan prioritizes health and physical fitness. In fact, he takes two ice baths at 40°F for two minutes a day!

He has a strong passion for surfing

As a California native, it comes as no surprise that the blonde bombshell is very into surfing! Unlike his tennis player character on 90210, the actor prefers to be in the water. In a past interview with Entertainment Tonight, Donovan admitted that surfing was his "first love."

He launched an anti-bullying initiative

In an effort to combat bullying, the actor launched an initiative called "Upstanders." The name derives from the integral role of someone involved in the scenario. While there's often a bully, a target and a bystander involved in an act of bullying, Donovan strives to promote being an upstander — the person who takes action and does something about the situation.

He started the program to promote the idea of "students supporting students" and travels to schools throughout the country to spread the important message.

He's a dog dad

Donovan is a dog dad to a Golden Retriever named Shadow and a Labrador Retriever named Chance. Not only does Donovan share pics of his pups on his own personal page, but he created an Instagram account specifically for them (@thecitizenk9)!