Julianne Hough Says She Is ‘So Obsessed’ with Anna Delvey’s Dancing with the Stars Casting

Anna Delvey’s Dancing with the Stars casting has been marred in controversy — but Julianne Hough is ready to see her compete for the mirrorball.

On the Sept. 16 episode of the Call It What It Is podcast, the DWTS cohost, 36, discussed Delvey’s casting with podcast cohosts Jessica Capshaw and Camila Luddington. While reacting to Delvey competing with her ankle bracelet while she remains under house arrest, the trio didn’t hold back as they expressed their excitement.

“Some people are so angry about this. I love it. Some people are not happy, it’s controversial,” Luddington shared before Hough agreed, “It’s controversial for sure. I’m so obsessed.”

“I’m so obsessed you guys, like I need her to win! I don’t even know who the other contestants are. I don’t care,” Luddington continued. “I want her to win. I’m serious and by the way she could be deported at any second.”

Hough added that the show could be a “great opportunity” for Delvey as it “allows people to show their most true self.”

“I just love it so much because I was obsessed with the show, and Julia Garner just crushed it,” said Hough, referencing Garner’s portrayal of Delvey in Netflix’s Inventing Anna. “And there’s so much fun to be had with it and she like plays into it.”

Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, gained notoriety for posing as a wealthy German heiress and used her social standing to defraud wealthy people, banks and hotels. She was arrested in 2017 and convicted of grand larceny in the first, second and third degree as well as theft of services in 2019.
Her sentence included four to 12 years in prison, which was cut short when she was released in February 2021 for good behavior. Shortly after her release, Delvey was taken into custody by ICE for violating the terms of her visa. She has been living under house arrest in New York City while fighting her deportation case.

Delvey made headlines when it was revealed on Good Morning America on Sept. 4 that she would be competing for the mirrorball trophy alongside 12 other contestants. While speaking to PEOPLE moments after the news dropped, she revealed that she received special permission from ICE to compete under the condition she would continue wearing her ankle bracelet.

Earlier this month, Dancing with the Stars showrunner, Conrad Green, defended the series’ decision to give Delvey the opportunity to perform.

“We’ve always tried to be a very broad church when it comes to the types of people, the types of backgrounds, the types of stories we have on the show,” Green told Variety. “Anna is fascinating to a lot of people, a lot of people have watched the dramas about her life and have followed her story, so I think there is an inherent curiosity about her.”

Noting how the convicted con artist, 33, is familiar with the “world of fashion,” he added that he believes fans will “really want to see her” hit the dance floor.

“She’s a very valid and interesting part of that cast,” Green explained. “Yes, she had the issues she’s had, but we’ve had other people on the show who’ve had criminal issues in the past. She served her time.”

“I think it’s perfectly valid for her to be on the show, and I think people have been really curious to see how she performs,” he added.

Dancing with the Stars is produced in front of a live audience by BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions. Season 33 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with the episode available to stream the next day on Hulu.

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