‘DWTS’ alums expose ugly truth behind the glitz — one even compared it to ‘The Hunger Games’
After the successful run of 'DWTS' season 33, it's time to take a look behind the scenes through the eyes of five contestants who lay bare the truth about what really happens on the set of the fiery dance competition show. From grueling rehearsals to unexpected pressures, these alums share their candid stories, shedding light on the darker side of the ballroom.
1. Zendaya
The 'Dune' star who competed on season 16 with pro Val Chmerkovskiy once shared her experience on the dance floor with People. "I also think it was a very stressful experience. I was like, I don't think I'm gonna be watching this anymore." She added, "I have not watched 'Dancing With the Stars' since I was on. I don't think I was the target demographic. My grandma loves Dancing With the Stars, that's her bag."
2. Mischa Barton
Actress Mischa Barton was the second celebrity to be eliminated from season 22 of the show. According to E News, Barron shared her 'DWTS' experience in a 2016 interview with Ringer, "Ugh, I had no idea it would be so bad. I got told off by my dancer. I was supposed to control the costumes; I was told I could do the design aspect of it. that's kind of the reason why I agreed to do it. That didn't happen." She added, "It wasn't collaborative like a choreographer on a film set. …I was so confused by it. It was like The Hunger Games. It was all a popularity contest. It was awful. I was so glad to get kicked off."
3. Anna Delvey
The con artist, who was in the former season of the show, told of her experience in an email to NBC. "I feel that the show so obviously used me to drive up the ratings that they never had any plans to give me any chance to grow and only cared about exploiting me for attention,” Delvey wrote in an email. “It was predatory of them to try to make me feel inadequate and stupid, all while I did get progressively better, yet they chose to disregard that." Delvey was eliminated right after her first performance on the show.
4. Hope Solo
The National Soccer team goalie, Solo, wowed the judges with her dancing skills alongside pro Maksim Chmerkovski; however, she later accused him of manhandling her during her tenure on the show. As reported by USA Today, in her book "Solo: A Memoir of Hope," the Olympian said of Chmerkovski, "He manhandled me in rehearsals from the start, pushing me, whacking my stomach, bending my arms roughly. I thought that was just how it went - how dancers worked with each other. I was tough. I could take it." "But it kept getting worse," she continued. "One day, Maks was trying to put me in a certain position and hit my stomach so hard with his open palm that I had a red handprint there for the rest of the day."
5. Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian, who has a massive social media following, appeared in season 7 and had a brief run on the show. She got booted off the show after week 5 and stood in place 11. Milo Manheim, who knew the reality TV star from before his tenure on the show, asked about the experience. She said, "Milo, it's the worst! Like you get injured, you feel like an idiot,' as reported by Yahoo.
