Sex and the City 's Jason Lewis on How His Fiancée Convinced Him to Be 'Less Pigheaded' and Join DWTS

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Jason Lewis is vying for the Mirrorball Trophy — and it's all thanks to the support of his fianceé, Liz Godwin.

On Thursday, the Sex and the City star, 51, spoke to PEOPLE and other reporters about dancing on season 31 of Dancing With The Stars, and revealed what made him say yes to joining the series.

According to Lewis, a combination of factors influenced his decision to say yes to the rigorous dance competition show, but the main one was his wife-to-be.

"I'd always said no to it because I perceived it as reality TV, and it wasn't a point of interest," he explained. "This year, when the offer came in, my fianceé asked me to be a little less pigheaded and at least take a look at a show."

"And so I saw [the] first episode she put on the TV, and I was awestruck," he added. "It is incredibly beautifully done. The dancers are so talented."

Lewis also said his producer fianceé — who he's been engaged to since February 2020 — has been a longtime fan of DWTS, so when he was paired with pro Peta Murgatroyd, Godwin was "very thrilled."

"She had her short list of people that she really hoped I was going to end up with and Peta was on it," he shared. "It's been fun because she's not only kept me up to speed, but it's having somebody to share it with who's really enthusiastic. She's such a great support. Love you, babe!"

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Joined by Murgatroyd on Thursday, the two talked about getting Lewis on the dance floor, despite the fact that he has "zero" dance experience.

"I am insecure," Lewis explained. "I am not a good dancer. I'm self-conscious. And so the ability to take a space like this that is a fear-based space for myself."

"[I] get to be around somebody as good as she is, and I've been very fortunate. She's such a good teacher," he added, referencing Murgatroyd, 36. "You're so kind. You're so patient."

Murgatroyd described the first rehearsal with Lewis as "interesting," and said they learned a lot about how he moves.

"We learned that he's a little stiff and we need to oil those joints," she joked. "We also learned that he has a great frame. He's got great lines. His shoulders don't come up when we are in frames so I was super pleased with that. We just need to get things moving and grooving, that's for sure."

While he may not be a natural on the dance floor, Murgatroyd said she's thrilled to be his partner, especially as a longtime fan of Sex and the City.

"Beyond," she said of her relationship with the show. "I've seen every episode dozens of times, the movies, I've watched And Just Like That. I was pretty stoked because look at him, number one, the hunk of Sex and the City, everybody would give their right arm to dance with him, I think."

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The Dancing With The Stars pro said she was fortunate to work with Lewis, who she described as "a nice guy, humble, down to earth."

"Thank God there's no ego," she said. "There's no 'look at me, look at me.' He's nice and he's dedicated and he wants to ... work through everything and give his time to me. So everything just aligned and it was a really nice surprise."

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The show announced this season's official cast on Good Morning America Thursday. The full lineup includes Joseph Baena, Selma Blair, Wayne Brady, Sam Champion, Jessie James Decker, Trevor Donovan, Daniel Durant, Teresa Giudice, Vinny Guadagnino, Cheryl Ladd, Shangela, Jordin Sparks, Gabby Windey, Charli D'Amelio, and Heidi D'Amelio.

Despite the large range of talent, Lewis and Murgatroyd are confident they can win the whole thing.

"I think Jason has something that others won't, like he can tap into characters with his acting ability so well, so I'm really looking forward to delving into the different types of dances with tango and with the rumbas and stuff like that," Murgatroyd said. "I think that we can use it to our advantage."

Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars premieres Sept. 19 on Disney+.