"DWTS" Season 35 faces fairness questions as dance backgrounds, cast connections and fan-favorite status fuel new backstage tension. The ‘DWTS’ Season 35 Rocked By ‘Unfair’ Advantage Claims Before Premiere first appeared on The Blast
“Dancing with the Stars” has not even premiered its milestone 35th season, yet the competition is already facing questions about fairness.
The newly announced cast includes several celebrities with dance backgrounds, performance training, and close ties to people connected to the show, fueling debate both on and off camera.
While some contestants insist prior experience does not guarantee success in the ballroom, reports suggest whispers are already spreading among cast members worried that the playing field may not be as level as it appears.
‘DWTS’ Contestants Are Questioning Whether The Competition Is Truly Level
One of the biggest talking points surrounding the new season of “DWTS” is the number of contestants who appear to have a head start before stepping onto the ballroom floor.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, a source revealed, “The cast is definitely whispering about how unfair some of the casting is, especially with Jenna being a former dancer and others having dance experience.”
While Jenna Dewan has become the face of the debate, she is hardly the only contestant drawing attention.
The cast also includes “Save the Last Dance” actress Julia Stiles, former “Bachelor” star Tyler Cameron, who previously appeared on “The Real Dirty Dancing,” and “Glee” alum Harry Shum Jr., who toured professionally as a dancer before becoming an actor.
Still, much of the criticism has landed on Dewan because dance was her profession long before Hollywood came calling. The actress spent years performing alongside stars including Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Missy Elliott before landing her breakout role in “Step Up.”
“Everyone thinks Jenna Dewan has a very unfair advantage because she is a professional dancer. That is how she began her career,” another source said.
The insider added, “It’s like, ‘Duh, we all know she’s going to win.’”
Dewan has pushed back against that narrative, insisting ballroom dancing is a completely different challenge. “I do not know how to ballroom dance. Let’s be clear. It’s two different languages,” she said.
She added, “There’s parts of my dance training that’s helpful, obviously. I’ve learned choreography, I can perform, but there is a certain sense of unlearning for me.”
‘DWTS’ Connections Behind The Scenes Are Raising Even More Questions
The concerns reportedly go beyond dance ability. According to insiders, some contestants are paying close attention to existing relationships within the “DWTS” family.
One source claimed Dewan’s friendship with judge Derek Hough has become a topic of discussion among competitors.
“She is more or less besties with Derek,” the insider said, pointing to their work together on “World of Dance” and ABC’s “Step Into…The Movies.”
Dewan is not the only contestant whose connections have reportedly raised eyebrows. Sources also pointed to Tatyana Ali’s longtime friendship with co-host Alfonso Ribeiro, forged during their years playing siblings on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”
“There are issues with Tatyana [Ali] being on the show,” one source claimed, further noting, “She is very close to the show’s co-host Alfonso Ribeiro because they were co-stars and played siblings in The Fresh Prince, so there is a massive bond there.”
The insider added, “They can compare notes and he can talk her up. Having that connection will help her.”
‘DWTS’ Fan-Favorites Could End Up Being The Season’s Biggest Advantage
While dance experience and industry relationships have generated plenty of discussion, some insiders believe audience perception may ultimately matter more than either.
According to one source, there has already been “some eyerolling” over contestants expected to become instant fan favorites once the season begins.
Among those frequently mentioned are “Summer House” star Ciara Miller, whose recent reality-TV storyline generated widespread sympathy, and Maura Higgins, who also built significant public support after her run on “The Traitors.”
The source additionally highlighted Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech and Tyler Cameron, whom one insider described as “the babe this season.”
Meanwhile, Dewan enters the competition alongside three-time Mirrorball champion Val Chmerkovskiy, creating even more expectations.
A source claimed that “Val is feeling a lot of pressure to showcase Jenna’s skills” and added, “He’s always set on winning but, this season, he believes he has a chance again with Jenna as his partner. He’s not going to go easy on her, that’s for sure.”
More From The Blast
- “The Traitors” winner Rob Rausch revealed whether he would consider following Maura Higgins into the ballroom after learning about her “DWTS” casting directly from her.
- Longtime pro Witney Carson recently reflected on the downside of her competitive mindset and admitted she “lost bits” of herself while becoming consumed with winning on “DWTS”.
- Carrie Ann Inaba has previously opened up about another difficult side of the ballroom, revealing the pressure and backlash that can come with judging “Dancing With the Stars”.
- Derek Hough once revisited one of the judging panel’s most heated moments when he addressed his memorable “DWTS” clash with Carrie Ann Inaba.
- Former “DWTS” runner-up Gabby Windey admitted the competition became so demanding that she reached a point where she wanted to quit the ballroom.
- The show’s history of controversial casting goes back years, including the season when Anna Delvey’s arrival in the ballroom triggered an unmistakable reaction from the audience.
Carrie Ann Inaba Addresses ‘DWTS’ Casting Backlash
The debate over fairness in “Dancing with the Stars” Season 35 has become so loud that one of the show’s judges is now weighing in.
After concerns surfaced that contestants with dance experience might have an edge over the rest of the cast, Carrie Ann Inaba addressed the controversy directly and argued that viewers might be oversimplifying what it takes to succeed in ballroom competition.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Inaba explained that ballroom dancing required competitors to essentially retrain their bodies, even if they had spent years dancing professionally.
“What’s difficult – and I don’t think people realize this – is when you go from being a jazz dancer or a hip-hop dancer or all the other forms of dancing [to ballroom], the weight placement is so different,” she said.
She continued, “It’s weird because your body has memory, so it remembers how to dance, and it thinks it already knows how to do these moves, but it doesn’t.”
According to Inaba, the challenge is often unlearning years of technique. In her words, “It takes a lot of time to un-train the body to put your weight on the front more over your toes instead of back and down and grounded.” She then delivered her clearest response to critics, noting, “It’s not as easy as people think.”
Giada De Laurentiis Suffers Painful ‘DWTS’ Setback
While much of the attention surrounding Season 35 has focused on casting controversies, Giada De Laurentiis is learning that the competition also comes with physical challenges.
In an Instagram post, the celebrity chef revealed that rehearsals had already left her with a painful injury. In the video, De Laurentiis disclosed that she had hurt her foot while preparing for her ballroom debut with professional partner Alan Bersten.
“So I had a great day at rehearsals today, but sadly, I busted my toe,” she said before showing viewers the damage. Pointing to the injury, she explained, “You can see, it’s quite purple, and it wraps all the way around.”
The Food Network star then admitted she feared the injury could get worse, saying, “I’m for sure gonna lose my toenail, I think.” She added, “Anyway, I don’t know. It hurts. But we’ll figure it out tomorrow. Part of the game.”
Despite the setback, De Laurentiis appeared determined to push forward. She captioned the post, “You know what they say… no pain, no gain.”
The injury came after De Laurentiis previously admitted that preparing for the competition had been far more demanding than she expected, revealing that rehearsals had introduced her to muscles she didn’t even know she had.
The ‘DWTS’ Season 35 Rocked By ‘Unfair’ Advantage Claims Before Premiere first appeared on The Blast
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