Dancing With the Stars is hotter than ever before this year, with viewers incredibly invested in the stars taking the stage.
Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, Alec Baldwin’s wife Hilaria, Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel, and influencer Alix Earle are some of the big names to watch in the ballroom every Tuesday night.
However, with added attention comes extra controversy, and the buzz around former teen star Corey Feldman, 54, started before he showed off a single dance move on the 34th season. A source previously told the Daily Mail that DWTS bosses were reportedly fighting to quell backstage drama which has seen some professionals bemoaning their ‘lazy’ celebrity partners.
Now, an insider is exclusively revealing to Daily Mail how Corey truly feels about being labeled ‘difficult’ following rumors of a feud between him and his DWTS coach Jenna Johnson, 31.
The insider revealed that Corey is ‘devastated by the narrative that he and Jenna didn’t get along and that he was difficult to work with.’
A spokesperson for the Stand By Me star told the Daily Mail: ‘Corey loves Jenna and he commented back on her IG post saying as much.’
The buzz around former teen star Corey Feldman, 54, started before he showed off a single dance move alongside his partner Jenna Johnson, 31
An insider is exclusively revealing to Daily Mail how Corey truly feels about being labeled ‘difficult’ following rumors of a feud between him and his DWTS coach
The spokesperson said that the Goonies star ‘looks forward to meeting Jenna and Val’s son someday and hopefully staying lifelong friends.’
Jenna is married to fellow ballroom pro Val Chmerkovskiy, 39, who is partnered with TikTok superstar Alix, 24, his season.
Before the show premiered, Jenna revealed Corey had been absent from rehearsals since the cast was revealed 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 the pair reuniting and officially kicking off rehearsals.
Jenna’s brother-in-law Maksim Chmerkovskiy previously weighed in on the unconventional pairing, telling the Daily Mail, ‘Obviously, Jenna has a bit of an uphill climb with Corey, which is easy for everybody to say from [outside], but 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.’
Maks, a former pro on the show, 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],’ Maks said, adding that Feldman is struggling with the choreography.
However, the insider claimed that Corey ‘showed up every day and worked hard.’ The source also said that he made it to rehearsal ‘even while Charlie Sheen was on his comeback tour.’
Corey previously accused Charlie, who released a new memoir and Netflix special, of raping his friend Corey Haim on the set of the 1986 movie Lucas, when he was 13-years-old. Charlie has always denied the claim.
According to the insider, Corey ‘knew the odds were stacked way against him, he’s very grateful’ for the experience
Corey felt ‘defeated and sad’ following his week one elimination off of the hit ABC show where 14 couples perform
Corey is hitting back against claims that he was difficult to work with and made Jenna’s life miserable. According to the insider, the Gremlins actor ‘knew the odds were stacked way against him, he’s very grateful’ for the experience.
Corey felt ‘defeated and sad’ following his week one elimination, but the insider said that ‘seeing Jenna’s Instagram post today and the support from his fellow castmates like Alix Earle and Elaine Hendrix really validated the friendships he made.’
Jenna proudly shared a slideshow of snapshots on Instagram with the caption: ‘Our time together was cut short but I am SO grateful for the incredible weeks we did get to share!!’ The playful behind-the-scenes snaps could easily fool fans into thinking they’re the perfect duo despite the boatload of controversy that accompanied their pairing.
The dance pro went on to thank the former child star ‘for the giggles everyday in rehearsal’ as well as his hard work and for ‘sharing your life lessons and memories with me!’
Jenna then said she’ll cherish their friendship forever, and Corey was quick to respond and thank her for the kind words, calling her ‘an absolute joy to work with.’
The dance pro went thanked the former child star ‘for the giggles everyday in rehearsal’ as well as his hard work
While Jenna, who took home the illustrious Mirror Ball Trophy in 2024 alongside her partner Joey Graziadei, did not bring up their rumored feud, Corey was unafraid to reference it in his response.
The Lost Boys actor apologized ‘for any negativity the media is using to give the false narrative that our time together was anything less than enjoyable.’
Despite the ‘negativity,’ this is sure to be a high-profile season, as the pressure is on to perform as well as last year.
The season 33 finale drew in 6.36 million people, the highest Live+Same Day total since the Season 29 finale back in 2021, according to Nielsen.
This rose to 7.95 million after seven days of viewing on ABC, Disney+, Hulu and other digital platforms.
