Infamous Anna ‘Delvey’ Sorokin, who was convicted of grand larceny after posing as an heiress and whose life was portrayed in the Netflix show ‘Inventing Anna,’ danced wearing a sequined, bedazzled ankle monitor on Tuesday’s live season 33 premiere of Dancing with the Stars on ABC.
‘I hope everybody that feels negatively about me will be able to turn their opinion of me around,’ Anna said. ‘I am wearing an ankle bracelet. I overstayed my visa because I was in jail. So it’s hard to leave. I reinvented myself many times and this time I’m going to be a ballroom dancer.’
Anna, 33, who was found guilty of grand larceny and sentenced to prison but released in February 2021, now referred to herself as a ‘New York-based fashionista.’
‘I did serve my time and ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is a way for me to show people a different side of me,’ Anna said. ‘My prior history shows I’m pretty determined. It’s a good quality to channel into something positive.’
Anna danced the ChaCha with new pro dancer Ezra Sosa to Sabrina Carpenter’s song ‘Espresso.’
‘Reinventing Anna yet again, and it could be working!’ Bruno Tonioli, 68, said.
Carrie Ann Inaba, 56, said she felt a shift in the energy when Anna took the stage and encouraged everyone to give Anna a chance and to judge her on her dancing.
‘Let’s all just give this a chance,’ Carrie Ann said. ‘This is about your dancing here. Let’s all give her that space, please.’
The judges gave her a score of 18 out of 30.
The new season featured a star-studded cast from Anna to ‘Real Housewives’ star Phaedra Parks; former Bachelorette star Jenn Tran; former Bachelor Joey Graziadei; Julia Roberts’ brother Eric Roberts; two-time Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola; Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher; actress Chandler Kinney; model Brooks Nader; ‘Family Matters’ actor Reginald VelJohnson; ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ actress Tori Spelling; NBA star Dwight Howard; and Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik. All 13 contestants were competing to win the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro, 52, and Julianne Hough, 36, also returned for the new season.
Former ‘Bachelor’ star Joey, 29, partnered with Rylee Arnold, was the first contestant of the night. He danced to ‘Dancin’ in the Country’ by Tyler Hubbard wearing a cowboy hat. His fiancée Kelsey Anderson and her father Mark, who will be on the ‘The Golden Bachelorette,’ watched in the audience.
‘That was fantastic!’ Judge Derek Hough, 39, said.
Joey got 21 out of 30 and was ecstatic with his score.
Sports Illustrated model Brooks Nader, 27, who paired with pro Gleb Savchenko, went next.
‘He’s so hot,’ Brooks said after she met him.
Brooks picked ‘Piece of Me’ by Britney Spears for her song. Gleb suggested they dance a tango to it.
‘I am newly single so the lyrics are super liberating,’ Brooks said.
Brooks got a standing ovation.
‘You have buckets of potential, you really, really do,’ Derek said. ‘It’s a great first dance. It really is.’
The judges gave them a score of 18 out of 30.
Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher, 28, partnered with Alan Bersten and said she came on the show to inspire people and ‘make it easier for young people to love their bodies.’ Ilona, then wearing a short red sequined outfit, danced the ChaCha.
‘I love everything that you are about!’ Carrie Ann said.
Ilona was so excited when the judges gave them straight 6’s for a score of 18 that she gave Alan a chest bump.
‘Family Matters’ actor Reginald VelJohnson, 72, danced with Emma Slater. He tried to dance the salsa with Emma to Boyz II Men’s hit ‘Motownphilly.’
‘Moving forward, a few more steps please,’ Bruno said.
The judges gave them a score of 16 out of 30.
Former NFL player and two-time Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola, 38, paired with Witney Carson.
Danny said he was doing the show for his mother and danced a sexy tango.
‘I love your focus,’ Carrie Ann said. ‘I could tell you practiced hard.’
‘I was truly impressed,’ Derek said.
The judges gave them a 20 out of 30.
‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ star Tori Spelling, 51, danced the Foxtrot with her partner Pasha Pashkov.
‘I’m from the most famous zip code in America – 90210,’ Tori said.
Tori said she passed on the show for 32 seasons. Pasha asked her why she said yes now.
‘Literally 50 hit and my life exploded,’ Tori said. ‘I’m going through a really public divorce. Everything I thought I was has been burned to the ground and I’m really trying to find myself again.’
She picked ‘Trust Fall’ by Pink to dance the Foxtrot. Tori kept a smile and even sang the words as Pasha spun her around the dance floor.
Derek said she seemed a little stiff.
‘You did very well,’ Bruno said. ‘There’s a lot of work to do.’
The judges gave her a score of 17 out of 30.
Former ‘Bachelorette’ star Jenn Tran, 26, who was the show’s first Asian American lead, paired with pro Sasha Farber. Alfonso sad Jenn went from heartbreak on ‘The Bachelorette’ to joining their cast in only a few hours.
‘My time on ‘The Bachelorette’ didn’t end the way I had hoped,’ Jenn said. ‘I truthfully felt that my heart was getting ripped out of my chest but as one door closes another one opens.’
Jenn said being on the show came at the perfect time. She picked ‘Flowers’ by Miley Cyrus to dance the Cha Cha.
‘It’s going to be empowering,’ Jenn said.
The crowd cheered for her when she finished.
‘You have so much potential,’ Derek said.
The judges gave them 19 out of 30 and Jenn hugged her partner.