Laughing in behind-the-scenes TikTok videos, Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson could easily fool fans into thinking they’re the perfect pairing.
He’s a 54-year-old actor without any formal dance background, paired with a 31-year-old who has won Dancing with the Stars twice—an ideal combination for a meaningful journey to the finals, one might conclude.
But all the TikTok tomfoolery is masking Johnson’s struggles, not only with Feldman’s lack of dance experience, but also his work ethic.
Yet, the actor skipped five days of rehearsals in the lead-up to last Tuesday’s premiere, and his apparent lack of practice was evident. The couple ended up with the lowest score, tying at nine out of 20 for their Tango to Billy Joel’s ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me’.
Johnson’s brother-in-law, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, voiced the challenges she is confronting in an interview with the Daily Mail, insisting that she be given the ‘respect’ she’s due.
‘Everyone appears on set with smiles, claiming great chemistry and friendship, but that’s just superficial. It doesn’t always align with reality,’ he commented on the supposed camaraderie between dance pairs.
Jenna Johnson is struggling not only with Corey Feldman’s lack of dance experience, but also his work ethic according to Maksim Chmerkovskiy
The pro dancer, 31, previously informed fans that Feldman, 54, had missed rehearsals after the cast announcement earlier this month
‘Clearly, Jenna is experiencing a tough road with Corey, which may seem obvious to outsiders, but she’s facing considerable difficulty with the whole ordeal, reaching a point where it’s extremely hard for her,’ he mentioned.
‘Therefore, I wish her the best. We’re supporting her, ready to rally around if needed, but remember, we’re talking about a reigning champion, so everyone should show some respect,’ he concluded.
The struggle is also being felt by Johnson’s husband – and Chmerkovskiy’s brother – Val, who is also a professional dancer and is partnered with influencer Alix Earle ont the show.
‘Val and Jenna are miserable but they have been specifically warned by producers: “we don’t complain about our celebrity participants”,’ an insider told the Daily Mail.
Chmerkovskiy, a former pro on the show who was at last week’s premiere with his wife Peta Murgatroyd, ruled out Feldman’s age being a factor and instead suggested he may be struggling to cope with the demands of the show.
‘I think that it’s a combination [of technique and work ethic],’ Chmerkovskiy said, adding that Feldman is struggling with the choreography. ‘Maybe it’s not such a comfort zone for him.
‘Don’t forget this production is not just about you and your partner dancing, it’s about this massive behemoth of everything that’s happening – the amount of people that you have to deal with, the amount of interviews, and this is all between your rehearsal time and your therapy, and you are trying to lick your wounds and all that stuff.’
‘I know that she’s having a much more difficult time with this entire thing and to the point that it is really difficult for her,’ Chmerkovskiy told the Daily Mail
‘You’re talking about a reigning champ, so put some respect on the name, everybody,’ Chmerkovskiy (pictured) continued
Feldman, who was announced as a contestant on September 3, does not have as much dance experience as some of the others
He continued: ‘So it is a very hard process, very difficult. I don’t know what age he is, I don’t know what he’s gone through, but I’m very intrigued by the character that is Corey Feldman and the couple that him and Jenna [are].’
Chmerkovskiy, who also founded Tetya Kapa Vodka, is hopeful that his sister-in-law will find a way to ‘carry [Feldman] through in the beginning, and hopefully he will come out to be the guy that everybody thinks he should be.’
‘He has a huge following,’ he added. ‘I think Jenna is a very tough coach. I think she’s a stickler…
‘That show requires you to be able to tell grown people what to do and stand your ground. So I think Jenna will get it done.’
Johnson and Feldman – who will dance the Cha Cha Cha this week – have hinted at tensions behind the scenes, with the former claiming she had no idea where her partner was just days after the cast announcement on September 3.
‘So many people have been like, ‘Where are your TikToks with Corey? What’s happening?’ To be completely honest, I actually haven’t seen him since Good Morning America,’ she wrote on Instagram in response to a fan.
Days later she shared photos and a video of her and Feldman finally reuniting and officially kicking off rehearsals.
In a recent Dancing with the Stars Instagram video, Feldman described Johnson as ‘sassy’ when they were asked to share their partner’s ‘worst habit.’
Chmerkovskiy and his wife Peta Murgatroyd attended the premiere of Dancing with the Stars last week. They are rooting for his brother Val Chmerkovskiy and his wife Johnson
Maks said his brother Val is ‘having a great time in rehearsals’ with partner Alix Earle
The cast of Dancing with the Stars season 34
Insiders previously told the Daily Mail that this season is ‘a s**t show’ with multiple stars failing to commit.
‘They chose a few stars – and I use that term loosely – who just don’t want to put in the work,’ the source said. ‘Some just don’t seem as committed as others have in the past.
‘Yes, Corey is one of them. It takes work to win Dancing with the Stars. Rehearsals, practice, really immersing yourself, and a few people don’t seem to want to do that.’
Jordan Chiles, Hilaria Baldwin, Danielle Fishel, Robert Irwin, Whitney Leavitt, Elaine Hendrix and Alix Earle are among those competing this season.
Murgatroyd, who hosts podcast The Penthouse with Peta, believes that having stars like Earle and Leavitt will help boost the long running show.
‘I mean, they’re definitely pulling for the social media stars because they saw what happened last season,’ she said. ‘And that’s something that they’re, I guess, leaning in on and using. And they thought, “Well, why don’t we get a whole bunch of TikTok stars and people that are very big on social media because the audience is huge?”
‘The reach is huge and it’s going to help the show thrive and get the numbers that it needs to.’ So I think they’re very smart. I think they did it for a reason. And I think the show is ever evolving. It’s a very different show to when Maks and I were on season 10 when it was in its heyday with 24 million viewers.’
DWTS is on ABC and Disney+ Tuesday night and be available to stream on Hulu. Representatives for Feldman did not respond to requests for comment.
