HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

‘DWTS’ star says Carrie Ann Inaba 'hated' her and hints the loss wasn’t just about the dancing

"Carrie Ann hated [me]," said this former 'DWTS' contestant while taking a jab at the 'DWTS' judge.

Carrie Ann Inaba is once again making headlines, but not for the right reasons. Known for her often harsh critiques, Inaba frequently faces backlash from 'Dancing with the Stars' fans, but this time, it's former celebrity participant Ariana Madix who jokingly took a jab at her. The TV personality and model playfully suggested that Inaba was the reason she didn’t take home the Mirrorball Trophy. Not only that, Madix even said she believed Inaba 'hated' her, which may have cost her the 'DWTS' win.

Madix stunned fans with her moves in her 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 32 appearance. While Madix was a strong contender to win, she unfortunately lost to actress Xochitl Gomez. Recently, Madix’s much-anticipated guest role on 'Will Trent' included playful Easter eggs and nods to her time on 'Dancing With the Stars.' Her character shared moments that referenced pop culture, including a light-hearted scene with another character who admired her work and hoped for a romantic Bodyguard-style scenario, as per US Weekly.

Madix played a character whose intervention for a friend quickly spiraled out of control. Things spiraled out of control when the friend resisted help and fought over her cocaine. In a dramatic turn of events, Michael, the police officer assigned to watch over them, ended up getting maced and body slammed, dislocating his shoulder in the chaos. Madix's character jumped into action, revealing she was a certified EMT, fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, a parkour bronze medalist, and a judo black belt.

Later, at a bar while continuing their search, Madix and Michael opened up about their lives. Michael mentioned his divorce, prompting Madix to say, "I know all about bad breakups." He then voiced support for her publicly, saying, "You did great on Dancing With the Stars—they robbed you, by the way. That cha-cha you did was chef's kiss." Madix jokingly blamed her loss on judge Inaba, saying, "Carrie Ann hated [me]," to which Michael replied, "Oh, I could tell."

Notably, after the finale of 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 32, Madix took to Instagram the next day to share her own big win. She posted the video along with a caption, "You may have heard, but I am absolutely thrilled to tell you that I will be joining the cast of Chicago the musical on Broadway, playing Roxie Hart. This is an absolute lifelong dream of mine, so I am just absolutely over the moon. Can't wait to see you there!" as per Good Housekeeping.

In an appearance on 'Live with Kelly and Ryan,' Madix opened up about joining the Broadway, as per Hello! Magazine. "It's just the biggest dream come true," she said. "I cannot believe this is real life. I'm going to cry." Madix also opened up on her roots in performance and musical theater, noting that she earned a bachelor's degree in theater from Flagler College and originally moved to New York with Broadway dreams. With years of dance training behind her, Madix eventually ended up playing her iconic character in 'Vanderpump Rules,' but Broadway was always the dream she hoped to return to.