'Dancing With the Stars' Upset Staff and Dancers With Anna Delvey's Casting

'DWTS' also received backlash when it was announced the con artist would be joining the cast.

By Megan Behnke

Anna Delvey's addition to the Dancing With the Stars Season 33 cast reportedly upset staff and dancers. While the con artist was eliminated during Week 2 with partner Ezra Sosa, she made quite the headline both weeks, most notably with her bedazzled ankle monitor the first week. DWTS received backlash after she was added, and allegedly, the call was coming from inside the house as well.

For the Oct. 7 issue of The National Enquirer, an insider dished that "staff and contestants are all complaining – they're upset Anna was even cast and aren't happy that she's getting preferential treatment." It's not unusual for the show to cast at least one controversial contestant each season, but Delvey caused a stir. A source shared that the team DWTS "loves when these little forest fires spring u around casting," with another one admitting that her co-stars are "hopping mad over the crass casting."

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(Photo:

"Premiere – 3301" – "Dancing with the Stars" returns for an all-new star-studded season! Co-hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, the series returns for season 33, featuring 13 new celebrities who are ready to hit the ballroom floor. TUESDAY, SEPT. 17 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT/PDT, 7:00-9:00 p.m. CDT), on ABC. 
ANNA DELVEY, EZRA SOSA

- Disney/Eric McCandless)

"They all think it's unfair and downright gross the show has cast someone who's only famous for causing other people harm," a source said. "No one is happy about this except the network bosses who want to milk the outrage to bring in viewers." Delvey posed as a wealthy heiress, defrauding banks, hotels, and even friends out of $275,000. She was caught in 2017 and sentenced to prison in 2019 but was released in 2022. While she's currently on house arrest awaiting her appeal of a deportation order, she was granted permission to travel for Dancing With the Stars, hence the bedazzled ankle monitor.

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"Anna has been given extra security and special scheduling considerations because she [receives] threatening messages all the time," an insider spilled. Meanwhile, a production source said that even though "Anna is being given special treatment and an outsize share of the spotlight, it's good for the show overall because it brings more eyeballs to the episodes."

Alas, the special treatment and more eyeballs will be no more, as Delvey was eliminated in a double elimination last week along with Tori Spelling. When asked what she'd take away from the experience, Delvey said, "Nothing," which sent fans into a frenzy. While it is a shame that her partner, Ezra Sosa, will no longer be one of the main pros this season as it was his first time as a pro after being on the troupe, fans should still be expecting him in group dances and in the background. Dancing With the Stars returns with a two-night event on Monday, Oct. 7 and Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

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