Phaedra Parks is ready to win “Dancing With the Stars.”
The 50-year-old “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star is a contestant on the 33rd season of ABC’s celebrity ballroom competition, and she plans to break the “curse” that has haunted past Housewives who’ve competed on the show.
‘The Housewives generally haven’t fared that well,” Parks told Us Weekly of past DWTS competitors from the Bravo franchise. “I want to break the curse because we can definitely win. I want to show the world that Housewives can do more than talk trash. We can actually dance.”
For DWTS season 33, Parks will compete against athletes Stephen Nedoroscik, Ilona Maher, Dwight Howard, and Danny Amendola; actors Eric Roberts, Tori Spelling, Chandler Kinney, and Reginald VelJohnson; model Brooks Nader; controversial “fake heiress” Anna Delvey; and Bachelor Nation stars Joey Graziadei and Jenn Tran for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
No Real Housewives Star Has Ever Made it to the DWTS Finals
Past “Real Housewives” stars who’ve competed on “Dancing With the Stars” include “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum Lisa Rinna, Lisa Vanderpump, and Erika Jayne; “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Teresa Giudice; and fellow “Real Housewives of Atlanta” stars Kim Zolciak, Nene Leakes, Kenya Moore and Kim Fields.
Parks was correct in saying the Housewives haven’t fared that well. No “Real Housewives” star has ever made it to the finals on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Lisa Rinna came close to making the finals, landing in 4th place with pro partner Louis van Amstel in season 3 of the ABC dance-off. The Rinna Beauty founder remains the highest-ranking DWTS Housewife to date.
As for Lisa Vanderpump, she fainted during a DWTS season 16 rehearsal with pro partner Gleb Savchenko in 2013 and became the second contestant eliminated that season.
In season 24, Erika Jayne, also partnered with Savchenko, became the fourth star eliminated. Season 31 in 2022 resulted in Teresa Giudice being sent back to Jersey in week 2.
As far as past Atlanta Housewives, in 2015 Kim Zolciak withdrew from the competition in the second week due to a health emergency. In season 18, Nene Leakes and partner Tony Dovolani were the fifth couple eliminated, and short-lived RHOA star Kim Fields was also eliminated fifth in season 22. Kenya Moore was eliminated sixth during DWTS season 30.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight on September 4, Parks said she planned to call up past Housewives who competed on “Dancing With the Stars” and ask them for “advice.” “I’m definitely going to call my friends and find out what their experience was and why they didn’t go so far and [find out] exactly what do I need to do to do better than you!” she cracked.
Val Chmerkovskiy Said Phaedra Parks’ Dancing is ‘Impressive’
Parks is lucky enough to be partnered with three-time mirrorball champion Val Chmerkovskiy for the 33rd season of “Dancing with the Stars.” The Ukrainian American dancer is coming off of a season 32 win with actress Xochitl Gomez.
In a September 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Chmerkovskiy described Parks’ dancing skills after a few rehearsals with her. “Impressive, very impressive,” he said. “She’s always preaching the good things in life and she’s just super positive.”
Parks added, “The rehearsals are definitely intense. No less than 4 hours, so that’s a lot of dancing.” She also shared that Chmerkovskiy told her to “just be yourself and enjoy it “ and “just be vulnerable” on the dance floor.
“Dancing with the Stars season 33 premieres September 17 on ABC.
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