The Drama Surrounding Anna Delvey's Casting On DWTS, Explained

"Dancing with the Stars" wouldn't be complete without its controversial casting choices, and for Season 33, that choice came in the form of Anna Delvey. It was confirmed on "Good Morning America" that the faux heiress would be joining the show alongside 12 other participants.

The decision to include Delvey didn't sit well with fans and other celebrities. But "DWTS" showrunner Conrad Green defended the move, reiterating that Delvey deserves a spot on the show. "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 said in an interview with 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."

Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, infamously duped countless victims in New York City, including hotels, banks, and socialites. In 2019, she was convicted of stealing a whopping $275,000 and sentenced to 4-12 years in state prison. She was also fined $24,000 and ordered to pay restitution amounting to $199,000. In fall 2022, Delvey was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for overstaying her visa. But now she's using her unfortunate situation to her advantage.

In an interview with People, Anna Delvey revealed that she received special permission from ICE to participate on "Dancing With the Stars" given the condition that she would wear her ankle monitor on the show. Sure enough, she proudly flaunted the device in her promotional photos (above).

Meanwhile, fans and celebrities alike expressed their dismay over the convicted felon's "DWTS" casting. In an episode of "The View," Whoopi Goldberg criticized ABC's decision. "I think back to all the families who've had family members arrested by ICE, who have gone to the courts to get their dad or their mother or their brother back," she said. "And this woman, they gave her permission to go do this. Now, should I think there's a reason? Is there a two-tiered system here with ICE?" Fans also took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to slam the network for putting Delvey on the show, calling it "weird and tasteless." 

Meanwhile, Delvey didn't seem to mind the backlash from her "DWTS" casting. When asked about the negative reactions, casually telling People, "It's just not that serious. If someone is that upset about casting on a dancing show, I don't know what to tell them." The fake socialite expressed her excitement about the experience, adding that she just wants to "have some fun and maybe get in a little workout." As for her future performances, she told The Hollywood Reporter her ankle monitor will not hinder her ability because the device is "actually pretty light."