Dancing with the Stars judge Derek Hough gave a candid opinion on the casting of con artist Anna Delvey in an exclusive interview with E! News.
Derek Hough is still figuring out this cast member’s routine.
Because when it comes to con artist Anna Delvey’s casting on Dancing with the Stars, it takes more than one performance to uncover her layers.
“She fuels the curiosity because she's still a mystery,” Derek told E! News in an exclusive interview following season 33’s premiere episode. “If I'm honest with you, even after last night, I was like, ‘I don't quite understand you yet, but I want to know more.’” (For more with Derek, tune into E! News tonight, Sept. 24.)
And indeed, it seemed like the live studio audience was similarly looking for answers after Anna and partner Ezra Sosa’s first performance was met with noticeably less enthusiasm.
But for Derek, the dance competition wouldn’t be what it is without that diversity in its stars.
“That's what I love about the show, is that it gives you a little bit of everything,” he continued. “It gives you that curiosity. There’s something in the show for everybody. So there might be somebody out there that that that wants that.”
As he quipped, “True crime is really popular right now.”
And Anna is only one of a number of stars from different backgrounds looking to win the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
On the athletic side, there are 2024 Olympians Stephen Nedoroscik and Ilona Maher and retired NBA and NFL stars Dwight Howard and Danny Amendola who will be putting their best foot forward, while Bachelor Nation alums Joey Graziadei and Jenn Tran are swapping their roses for dancing shoes.
It’s a certain degree of magic in the show’s casting that Derek looks forward to year after year.
On Ilona and Stephen’s journey from the podium to the ballroom, the former-pro on the show noted, “Just a month ago, we didn't know their names and now they're these superstars, American heroes now on Dancing with the Stars. It's really cool.”
And when it comes to who is destined to become this year’s victor, Derek says it’s still anybody’s game—or dance.
“We know the show is not just about dancing,” he added. “It's about connecting with the audience. It's about your fan-favorite.”
