Dancing with the Stars drama erupts around Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson

Dancing with the Stars season 34 is contending with backstage turmoil as the pairing of Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson rises as a focal point of tension behind the scenes. The cast, family members, and some fellow pros are voicing concerns about the dynamic, with posts and interviews portraying a mood that differs sharply from the show’s on-screen polish. According to the Daily Mail, members of Feldman and Johnson’s orbit describe the energy on set as miserable at times, and one family member suggests smiles seen on camera may be more performance than truth. The same reporting notes that producers have issued warnings to the cast about publicly criticizing celebrity participants, underscoring the friction between ambition, performance, and the pressures of television production.

Feldman, a 54-year-old actor with limited formal dance training, is said to have missed rehearsals for five days in the weeks leading up to last Tuesday’s premiere. The couple’s Tango to Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” was met with the joint-lowest score of the night, a 9 out of 20, highlighting the practical impact of a slow start in a competition built on precision and timing. The absence from rehearsal is described as a significant concern among the team, with Johnson paired against a partner whose preparation trajectory has drawn public scrutiny and private disappointment from some within the production circle.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a former pro and Johnson’s brother-in-law, provided sharp context to the latest chapter of the controversy. Speaking with the Daily Mail, he said Johnson was facing an uphill climb with Feldman and that she deserves respect for the work she is putting in. “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,” Chmerkovskiy said, adding that Feldman’s experience and commitment appear to be obstacles in the early phase of the show. He emphasized that the show’s dynamic isn’t only about two people dancing in isolation but about coordinating a large production with interviews, media commitments, and therapy sessions competing for rehearsal time. “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,” he said.

Chmerkovskiy, who attended last week’s premiere with his wife, Peta Murgatroyd, also stressed that the current pairing is not a simple age factor. He suggested Feldman’s challenges stem from a mix of technique and work ethic and stressed that the process requires a balance of learning new choreography and managing the broader demands of the show. “I think that it’s a combination [of technique and work ethic],” he said, noting Feldman may be “struggling with the choreography” and the overall pace of the competition. He also acknowledged the show’s broader demands, describing rehearsals, media obligations, and personal adjustments as part of a complex ecosystem that can overwhelm even seasoned performers.

Val Chmerkovskiy, Johnson’s husband and a pro dancer who is partnered with influencer Alix Earle on the show, likewise acknowledged the strain surrounding the couple. An insider told the Daily Mail that Johnson and Feldman are miserable, and that producers have specifically warned the pair against complaining about their celebrity teammates. The comments highlight a tension between the desire to protect the show’s polished image and the real difficulties contestants face when preparing for live performances in a high-stakes environment. Val Chmerkovskiy offered measured commentary about the on-set climate, while also praising his brother for his work and maintaining that the competition’s success depends on everyone pulling in the same direction.

Johnson and Feldman have publicly acknowledged rough patches in their collaboration. The pair had hinted at tensions behind the scenes, with Johnson noting that she had not seen Feldman for several days shortly 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. A few days later, they posted photos and a video that showed them reuniting and officially kicking off rehearsals. Feldman even described Johnson as “sassy” in a recent Dancing with the Stars Instagram clip, as the duo prepared to perform a Cha Cha Cha in the week ahead.

The broader cast has also faced questions about the show’s evolving format and what it means for viewership. Insiders told the Daily Mail that the season is “a s**t show” in terms of commitment from some cast members, underscoring the challenge of balancing rising social media profiles with the traditional DWTS emphasis on hard practice and technique. The roster for season 34 includes Jordan Chiles, Hilaria Baldwin, Danielle Fishel, Robert Irwin, Whitney Leavitt, Elaine Hendrix, and Alix Earle, among others. Peta Murgatroyd, who hosts a podcast on the DWTS ecosystem, argued that the inclusion of social-media stars could boost the show’s reach, citing the broader audience that can be drawn to platforms outside the traditional broadcast. She suggested that the show’s evolution toward incorporating high-profile TikTok personalities was a deliberate strategy to grow its numbers, while acknowledging that the format is distinct from earlier seasons when Maks and Murgatroyd first rose to prominence.

DWTS airs on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesday nights and is available for streaming on Hulu. Feldman’s representatives did not respond to requests for comment on the latest backstage reports, leaving the public with a mixture of official statements and insiders’ accounts to parse as the competition moves forward. In the weeks ahead, viewers will be watching not only for the celebrities’ performances but also for how the production handles the balance between on-screen storytelling and the behind-the-scenes realities of a live competition series.