Actor Corey Feldman has made a surprise return to the ballroom, rehearsing for the Dancing with the Stars season 34 finale just days after speaking out about what he described as 'unnecessary drama' surrounding the show.
Back in the Ballroom
Feldman, best known for his role in 'The Goonies', was eliminated during the second week of the competition alongside his professional partner, Jenna Johnson, the reigning Mirrorball champion. The NBA star Baron Davis and his partner Britt Stewart were also eliminated in the same week.
On Sunday, the actor took to Instagram to share a photo from his rehearsals for the upcoming finale, which will feature a dance from all the eliminated couples. He captioned the energetic post, "OOH YEA BACK N THE GAME #LOVE !!! NOT REALLY, BUT BACK 4 A HOT SEC." Feldman expressed his excitement at reuniting with his former cast members and even revealed he has a prediction for which of the final five couples will win the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
Addressing the 'Toxic' Backstage Drama
This social media update came shortly after Feldman appeared on the 'Gurvey's Law' radio show, in a preview shared with the Daily Mail. During the interview, he did not hold back in his criticism of the off-screen atmosphere.
"There was a lot of stupidity in the mudslinging that went on behind the scenes," Feldman claimed. "Actually there, everything was great. But the behind-the-scenes drama and BS that people throw around that show, I've never seen anything like it. It's the worst, like, most toxic."
The actor's comments seemed to be a reaction to reports following his elimination. Maksim Chmerkovskiy, the brother-in-law of Feldman's partner Jenna Johnson, had told the Daily Mail that Johnson found it difficult to work with him. When Feldman confronted Johnson about this, she reportedly advised him to ignore Chmerkovskiy's remarks.
Feldman elaborated on the radio show, saying, "You start reading these things in the paper, like, 'This person's mad at this person. These people aren't talking to each other.' Or, 'Are people working hard enough?' 'Corey Feldman destroyed the show. He destroyed the whole show because he was such an egomaniac, it's so difficult to work with.'"
Clarifying the Record
However, the 'Gremlins' star later provided a clarification to People magazine, aiming to separate the show itself from the external commentary. He issued a statement to set the record straight.
"I want to make it absolutely clear that my experience on Dancing with the Stars has been positive," Feldman told the publication. "Everyone associated with the show — from my fellow cast members to the pros, crew and production team — has treated me with nothing but kindness, support and respect."
He continued, "The issues I was referring to have nothing to do with the show itself. They relate to the outside commentary, rumours and individuals who are no longer directly involved with DWTS but still feel entitled to weigh in and create unnecessary drama."
The highly anticipated Dancing with the Stars season 34 finale is scheduled to air live on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. For those who cannot watch it live, all episodes are available to stream the following day on Hulu.
