Maksim Chmerkovskiy slams 'fake heiress' Anna Delvey's 'DWTS' casting: 'Not somebody I tune in to watch'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Dancing with the Stars' has seen its share of controversial contestants, but few have sparked as much backlash as Anna Delvey—infamous for posing as a wealthy German heiress while swindling New York's elite.

'DWTS' pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy is the latest one to weigh in on the contentious casting decision and he didn't hold back his while during an appearance on 'The TMZ Podcast'.

'DWTS' alum Maksim Chmerkovskiy brands Anna Delvey a 's****y dancer'

Maksim Chmerkovskiy slammed Anna Delvey’s casting, branding the 33-year-old as a "s****y dancer" and questioning the ABC show’s decision to include her. "There’s so many other people you could choose from," fumed the famed choreographer. 

He went on to dismiss her nervousness during her debut performance, bluntly stating, "I don’t buy this ‘she was nervous stuff.’ She was a s****y dancer."

The 44-year-old didn’t stop there, calling out Delvey’s cold demeanor, saying, "Her standoffish personality is not really going to help her in this competition. He predicted that her lack of charm and talent would doom her time on the show.

When asked how long he thought she’d last, Chmerkovskiy shrugged, "I don’t care. She’s not somebody I tune in to watch. I’m not saying anything no one else is saying also," referring to Delvey’s fraud conviction that landed her in prison in 2019.

Anna Delvey's post-prison privileges spark outrage

While other 'DWTS' contestants, like Lil’ Kim and Tommy Chong, have competed after serving time, Anna Delvey’s notoriety solely stems from her crimes—making her participation even more controversial.

The convicted con artist, whose story was portrayed in the Netflix series 'Inventing Anna', performed her first dance with partner Ezra Sosa while sporting a bedazzled ankle monitor—a stark reminder of her criminal past. 

After partially serving her sentence of four to 12 years, Delvey was released from prison in December 2021. However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took her into custody shortly after for overstaying her visa. 

Delvey spent nearly a year in a New Jersey jail and in October 2022 she was placed in house arrest. As per its regulations, she was only allowed to travel within 70 miles of her East Coast residence.

However, after she challenged the house arrest terms, Delvey was allowed to return to work, use social media, and was given a Social Security number, sparking even more outrage from viewers who feel her redemption arc doesn’t belong on the "famous dance floor."

Public fury mirrors Maksim Chmerkovskiy's critique of Anna Delvey's 'DWTS' casting

Maksim Chmerkovskiy’s fiery remarks echo the public’s outrage. Since her debut, Anna Delvey has been met with a wave of criticism, with many viewers taking to social media to voice their anger. 

One wrote, "I love Maks ….he’s 1000% accurate! I knew what his feelings would be on this matter before he even said anything," and another said, "He may not be right, but he ain't wrong!"

A person simply stated, "I agree." An individual expressed, "I totally agree with Maks.. She should not be there..!! She’s a CON ARTIST..!! LIAR..!!! THEIF ..!!! She doesn’t belong on that show..!!! And she’s even said that.. She’s not sorry for anything she did..!!! I’m not watching DWTS.. Because of her..!!!"

"He’s not wrong…," chimed in one more, with another person adding, "Iktr!!!! I feel you Maks." 

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