Anna Delvey’s “DWTS” partner says convicted felon was crying in bathroom after season premiere

Dance pro Ezra Sosa is speaking out against the hate toward his controversial partner.

Dance pro Ezra Sosa is coming to the defense of his controversial Dancing With the Stars partner Anna Delvey, sharing on social media that the convicted felon had an emotional first week on the competition series.

Recalling the exhilaration of week 1, Sosa said he felt "so much positivity" and "love from literally every single person, including my partner," though Delvey "wasn’t receiving the same.” The hardest part of the day, Sosa recalled, was not being able to find Delvey, who had read some negative comments about herself, after some time with the press.

Related: How DWTS addressed Anna Delvey's past in season 33 premiere: 'Let's all give this a chance'

"We couldn’t find her," Sosa said. "We finally found her in the bathroom. She was crying. I'd never seen her like that and it broke my heart." As Delvey's partner, Sosa said, "I wanted to give her the best experience, and knowing that that’s not the case" was heartbreaking.

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"I know what she did was really controversial and not right and I can never justify that for her or for anyone in her life," he added. But it's "hard," because "this person that I'm truly falling in love with every single day in rehearsal isn’t the person that everyone sees in the media." Imploring audiences to give Delvey "some grace," Sosa added, "No one deserves the amount of hate she’s getting right now. She deserves a second chance. She has stepped up to the plate."

Delvey, known for posing as a German heiress to swindle thousands of dollars from banks, hotels, and many individuals, was convicted for her crimes in 2019. The subject of the Shonda Rhimes drama Inventing Anna, among other titles, Delvey was released early from prison on good behavior in 2021 and put on house arrest. She famously sports an ankle monitor on her leg for the show.

Related: Cheryl Burke offers advice for DWTS pro paired with Anna Delvey: 'Get a therapist in that room'

Delvey's casting on the current season 33, which debuted last week, has faced backlash from audience members and even dance pros alike. DWTS alum Maks Chmerkovskiy recently slammed the inclusion of Delvey, whom he called a "professional liar," on TMZ's podcast. "There’s so many other people you can choose from," he said.

The show has a history of casting controversial figures: Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary under the Donald Trump administration; Olivia Jade Giannulli, daughter of the convicted Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli for their role in the college admissions scandal; and Paula Deen, the embattled Food Network star who admitted to using racial slurs and shared a photo of her son in brownface.

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