Maks Chmerkovskiy isn’t dancing around this controversy.
Less than a week after his brother Val Chmerkovskiy underwent a one-episode suspension from Dancing With the Starsfor a controversial social media post, Maks shared his reaction.
“I love him and he’s my brother,” Maks told E! News in an exclusive interview at the Dancers Against Cancer’s Gala of the Stars in Los Angeles Oct. 22. “He’s been on the other side of my antics I guess in the past and we’re going to keep it moving.”
Ultimately Maks—dad to Shai, 9, Rio, 3, and Milan, 2, with wife Peta Murgatroyd—didn’t want to step on his brother’s toes when it came to handling the backlash.
“He’s going to handle it and he’s a big boy,” Maks continued. “He’s my brother no matter what. We have difference of opinions and difference of actions but it’s not going to change the way I feel about him.”
And when Val needs his support, Maks assured, “I’m there for him.”
“I’m with him,” he continued. “And we have spoken but there’s not something that I sort of let him know that he doesn’t already. I’m going to let him handle it.”
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Indeed, the 46-year-old is happy to watch his brother shine from the wings.
“It’s amazing that I got to do it and now I get to watch someone do it too,” he explained. “I don’t mean get in trouble. I mean live the Dancing With the Stars life. I’m happy for him. It’s been amazing and he’s going to figure this out.”
For his part, Val has already headed back to work. The 40-year-old was back in the studio with celebrity partner Jenna Dewan this week following his one-week suspension for a comment he made on social media about judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
Addressing a remark Carrie Ann delivered to Val’s wife and fellow DWT Spro Jenna Johnson during the show’s Oct. 13 episode, Val seemingly referenced Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap of Chris Rock, writing in a since-deleted social media post, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.”
But as for Maks, he’s putting his energy into a bigger cause as he hosted Dancers Against Cancer’s annual gala which honored Missy Elliot, Toni Basil and more.
“For me it’s a huge honor just to be part of this let alone be in the room with those people,” Maks mused. “Let alone be a host. It’s a big responsibility but I love it.”
For a deeper look into the DWTS season 35 cast, keep reading…
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“I have a vision board and I redo it every year,” she told E! News in May. “This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year’s Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board.”
