Following Artem Chigvintsev’s Arrest, Lea Thompson Reveals He Was ‘Intense’ On Dancing With The Stars: ‘It Was Really, Really Hard’

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Following Artem Chigvintsev's Arrest, Lea Thompson Reveals He Was 'Intense' On Dancing With The Stars: 'It Was Really, Really Hard'

As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of reality TV shows, I’ve seen it all – from the dramatic twists and turns to the heartwarming moments that keep us coming back for more. My first encounter with Artem Chigvintsev was on Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars, where he partnered with none other than Lea Thompson.

There’s not a lot of information available regarding the current situation between Artem Chigvintsev and his wife Nikki Garcia (also known as the WWE’s Nikki Bella), approximately two weeks after he was taken into custody for domestic violence allegations. Cheryl Burke, another professional dancer from Dancing with the Stars who is a friend of Chigvintsev, shared her surprise at these developments. Meanwhile, one of his previous dance partners on the show has spoken out, describing Chigvintsev as “intense.

Actress Lea Thompson participated in Season 19 of Dancing With The Stars alongside Artem Chigvintsev as her dance partner. At that time, it was Chigvintsev’s first season on the show, marking his debut after 12 seasons. In a conversation with Cheryl Burke on the Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast, Thompson shared her experience, expressing that Chigvintsev could be challenging to collaborate with. She stated:

Working with him was challenging since it was his debut year and the task held significant weight for him. He was incredibly intense, which I hadn’t anticipated. In hindsight, it seemed far more crucial to him than to me. Admit it, that fact made me quite anxious initially, and over time, it drove me a bit mad.

Lea Thompson explained that her experience in ballet and contemporary dance wasn’t similar to Artem Chigvintsev’s understanding of ballroom dancing, making it difficult for them to understand each other. This challenge led to feelings of irritation between them, as the actress from “Back to the Future” remembered.

In our household, asking “May I give it a try?” was never an option. Any attempt to do so would send him into a rage, as if the very thought of me attempting something was beyond his comprehension, making it incredibly challenging for me.

In addition, it wasn’t only her partner who contributed to the intense experience. It seems like the producers didn’t exactly facilitate a comfortable environment for Lea Thompson, as she likened her time on the show to that of The Hunger Games. Similarly, Cheryl Burke concurred that the footage presented of Thompson and Artem Chigvintsev during rehearsals was biased, with only Thompson’s response being shown, but not the context or Chigvintsev’s side of the conversation that led to her reaction.

Even though Artem Chigvintsev was someone she had worked with, Lea Thompson found his August 29th arrest unexpected. She recalled a rather unusual comment he made about men being stronger than women, but speculated that perhaps Nikki Bella had influenced him differently after seeing them dance together on DWTS during Season 25. To put it in Lea’s own words:

The one really crazy thing he said to me was I remember him telling me that men are much better than women. And I said, ‘Why?’ and he said, ‘Because they’re stronger.’ They’re stronger. And I was like, “But they don’t have babies. I’ve had a baby.’ And that was the one really weird thing. And then when I saw him and his wife, you know because she’s a wrestler, I saw when they were doing their dance that she, like, flipped him over and threw him on the ground, and I was like, ‘Go!’ You know, she did a wrestling move, and you’re letting her show that she’s as strong as you. So I thought that was kind of cool.

It’s clear that Lea Thompson harbors intricate emotions towards her experience on Dancing with the Stars. She attributes much of her issues with Artem Chigvintsev to his nervousness, expressing her thoughts as follows:

primarily, I sensed a strong sense of anxiety within him that he struggled to hide, which in turn, made me feel uneasy as well.

Nikki Bella has asked for privacy amidst family matters, yet her fans were thrilled to see her hosting Netflix’s spicy hot dog eating competition, titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unresolved Rivalry“. Rumors suggest that the couple may not be residing together at present, and it is being speculated that she is consulting a divorce attorney.

Artem Chigvintsev will not be joining the cast for season 33 of “Dancing with the Stars,” but if you’re keen to watch other celebrities and professionals battle it out in an intense competition, tune in to ABC at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. If you have a Disney+ subscription, you can catch the show as well!

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2024-09-10 18:07