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    • Does she deserve a chance?
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    Does she deserve a chance?

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    Anna Delvey tries to reinvent herself.

    But Delvey, whose legal name is Anna Sorokin and who inspired the hit Netflix miniseries “Inventing Anna,” quickly learns that the public humiliation that comes with bad choices comes with a high price.

    Delvey’s arrival on season 33 of “Dancing with the Stars” comes after she was accused of plotting a lavish lifestyle and her personal business schemes, stealing $275,000 from hotels, banks and upscale New Yorkers. She was convicted of grand larceny in 2019 and served just over three years of a four- to 12-year prison sentence.

    Anna Delvey on ‘DWTS’ Leaves Fans Behind, Whoopi Goldberg Furious Over Convicted Conman

    The “DWTS” push to bring Delvey to the dance floor has made headlines from the start: Delvey had to get permission from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to compete, after the agency detained her for overstaying her visa in 2021; a now-infamous ankle bracelet Delvey wore during the show; and her “lackluster” dancing debut.

    The casting controversy surrounding the former “fake German heiress” feels familiar and fresh at the same time. And while parts of the internet are angry, her personal reinvention could revive interest in “DWTS” — and give her a second chance.

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    Anna Delvey’s ‘DWTS’ Casting Sparks Backlash Inside and Outside the Ballroom

    Delvey features a cast full of recognizable names, including “Beverly Hills: 90210” star Tori Spelling, NBA legend Dwight Howard, Oscar nominee Eric Roberts, former Bachelor franchise leads Jenn Tran and Joey Graziadei, and Olympic “horse man” Stephen Nedoroscik.

    The excitement around Delvey continued on the dance floor during the season premiere. She and first-season pro Ezra Sosa, the final couple to compete, performed a cha-cha-cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s buzzy summer anthem “Espresso.”

    Judge Derek Hough said he was “stunned” and “surprised” by Delvey’s potential. The ever-energetic panelist Bruno Tonioli shared pithy praise, saying she was “reinventing Anna and it could work.” But Carrie Ann Inaba noted the elephant in the room — a “shift in energy” during the duo’s dance — and asked fans to “give this a chance.”

    “I can imagine this is scary for you, and I’m not for or against anything you’ve done. But this is about your dancing here,” she told Delvey.

    “I was very nervous going into my first dance, but I think I did well under the circumstances. The room went quiet. It was clear that I wasn’t a fan favorite yet. But I’m going to keep working at it. And I hope I can convince people with my work effort and perseverance. I’m not giving up,” Delvey told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.

    She continued: “When I finished my first dance, I saw an ‘avalanche of hate’ on social media. It was devastating and I ran off the stage in tears.”

    Sosa echoed Delvey in an Instagram post, saying she was “found in the bathroom crying.” He said “no one deserves the amount of hate she’s getting right now” and that she “deserves a second chance.”

    That ‘avalanche’ of public debate was already clearly noticeable before and after Delvey’s first dance.

    Former “DWTS” pro Cheryl Burke said on her podcast that Sosa’s pairing with “someone who’s a little bit complex” is “a lot” for the pro, who is new to the show. The New York Times suggested that Delvey “may need to show some emotion” after her stoic dance.

    “The View” apologized on the air after its co-hosts misrepresented the facts of Delvey’s case during a Sept. 5 show, falsely telling viewers that Delvey owed restitution. Alyssa Farah Griffin told viewers that she “still owes people money, and scammers are still scammers.” Whoopi Goldberg noted that “the families that have had family members arrested by ICE, that have gone to court to get their father, mother, brother back and this woman, they gave her permission to do it.”

    Responding to X prior to the apology, Delvey wrote: “While you are entitled to your opinion, you should at least get your facts straight. I have served my sentence and paid everyone back in full, over 3 years ago. I look forward to your correction on the radio.”

    The negative reactions continued on social media, especially in the comments under Delvey’s photos and videos on the official “Dancing with the Stars” Instagram page.

    “I’m ashamed of Ezra. He deserves so much better than this,” one account wrote. Another wrote, “Stop idolizing her.” One user argued that “anyone who wears an ankle monitor shouldn’t be allowed to participate.” “Ezra deserved better. The viewers deserved better,” one said.

    The controversy surrounding Delvey could boost the ratings of “Dancing with the Stars.”

    The “DWTS” results won’t be in until after the first elimination on Tuesday night, but the premiere’s ratings show an increase from last season after the show returned to ABC this year. According to an ABC press release, the Sept. 17 season premiere was watched by nearly 5 million viewers and was TV’s top show in total viewers and adults 18-49, according to Nielsen. That’s up 4 percent from last September’s premiere of 4.78 million viewers.

    USA TODAY has reached out to ABC representatives for comment.

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    Paula Deen, Tonya Harding, Ryan Lochte on ‘Dancing with the Stars’: History of Controversial Contestants

    “Dancing with the Stars” has long cast controversial candidates before Delvey.

    Former Food Network star Paula Deen danced on Season 21 of the show in 2015 after admitting in a lawsuit deposition that she had used racial slurs against black people and tolerated racist jokes in the workplace.

    Former figure skater Tonya Harding finished third in season 26, two seasons after her ex-rival Nancy Kerrigan joined the show. Harding pleaded guilty to felony hindering prosecution after her ex-husband attacked Kerrigan in the knee with a baton, causing an injury leading up to the 1994 Olympics. She also paid $160,000 in fines and completed more than 400 hours of community service.

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    Last season, former Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson danced despite previous arrests for child abuse and suspicions of domestic violence, including an incident that reportedly didn’t happen until 2022.

    In 2014, Peterson, then 29, was charged with a felony for injuring his 4-year-old son while disciplining him with a switch that resulted in cuts all over the boy’s body. In 2022, Peterson agreed to domestic violence and alcohol counseling after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence following a runaway with his wife, Ashley, who later called the incident “a private matter.”

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    Other recent celebrity dancers have been controversial, including Olympian Ryan Lochte, who was accused of lying to Brazilian investigators about a gunpoint robbery during the 2016 Rio Olympics. A USA TODAY Sports investigation at the time found that, despite some embellishment, the framework of Lochte’s story was true. His charges were later dropped.

    Sean Spicer, former White House communications director under President Donald Trump, danced in 2019, sparking outrage after he was accused of using a racial slur during a book launch a year earlier.

    Delvey is no stranger to controversy either, but she is still human. Last Tuesday, after Delvey and Sosa had danced, they went to the judges to hear the scores. The duo received an 18 out of 30.

    Delvey said “DWTS” co-host Julianne Hough hopes “America gets to see a different side of me.” Delvey says she’s “not a natural born performer” and told USA TODAY that the “DWTS” experience is “overwhelming and terrifying.”

    Maybe, as Inaba and Sosa said, she deserves a second chance now. The same one that other celebrities have been given. To dance, to reclaim her life, to reinvent herself.

    “You know, I’m a fighter, I’m the underdog,” Delvey told USA TODAY in her statement. “But I’m going to show people that I deserve to be here. I hope they give me a chance.”

    As the official “Dancing with the Stars” bio puts it, “Her story continues to capture the public’s imagination.” Whatever you think of Delvey, maybe we should let her write her own next chapter.

    Contributions: Bryan Alexander, Lorena Blas, Marina Pitofsky, Cindy Clark, Dave Meeks, Josh Peter, USA TODAY

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