Jen Affleck has been slaying in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom, but the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star admits she still feels some insecurities as a postpartum mom.
Following her and pro partner Jan Ravnik’s week 3 performance on Tuesday, September 30 — which earned a 19 out of 30 — Affleck, 26, spoke exclusively to Us Weekly about her reaction to the judges’ critiques. Although they did nitpick on technique, Carrie Ann Inaba called her “sexy” and “a hottie,” while Derek Hough shouted out Affleck’s “great performance” as well as her “beautiful” glittery costume.
“It meant everything to me,” Affleck told Us of the comments. “Because, I think, just being freshly postpartum, I still struggle with body image and I think all of us women do, especially after having a baby. So any compliments that we get, we’re just like, ‘Man, [that] means a lot.’”
Affleck welcomed her third baby, daughter Penelope, in July — just eight weeks before starting her DWTS journey. She and husband Zac Affleck also share Nora, 3, and Lucas, 2.
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Inaba, 57, pointed out how “impressive” it was that Affleck is dancing at this caliber after just giving birth, while Bruno Tonioli joked that her routine “was an easy delivery — in, out, cha-cha-cha, done, next!”
Affleck and Ravnik, 30, danced a cha-cha to “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)” by Carl Carlton for the TikTok episode on Tuesday. Fans of the reality TV star know that the song choice was an ode to her viral video dancing in the hospital after giving birth.
She began the routine in a hospital gown and fake baby bump before stripping down to a gold sequined and fringed frock. Ravnik coordinated in a black ensemble with gold-flecked accents on his shirt.
When asked if she felt confident going into TikTok week as an established social media influencer, Affleck told Us she actually felt added pressure.
“I feel like everyone’s been on their game with TikTok. I feel like everyone’s equally killing it with TikTok,” she said, alluding to the fact that most contestants on recent DWTS seasons have upped their social media presence.
“It definitely feels like a requirement at this point. And, honestly, it’s what I look forward to every single day,” she admitted. “[Jan’s], like, ‘Let’s dance, let’s grind.’ I’m like, ‘Let’s film.’”
Ravnik noted, “It’s a second job.”
Although she’s been improving each week, Affleck admitted that “everyone’s great competition” this season and she’s just trying her best to hang in there.
“I’m slowly getting there,” she told Us. “I’m not a dancer and so I do feel like I am more behind than others. But hey, as long as I’m making progress, that’s all I care about.”
Ravnik said Affleck is “killing it” and learning so much as she adapts to performing in front of a live studio audience.
“I mean, she was always confident. It’s just, like, the first week was the first time that she was even on a dance floor, which some of the other people already experienced,” he said, referencing stars like Hilaria Baldwin, Alix Earle, Lauren Jauregui and Affleck’s Mormon Wives costar Whitney Leavitt, who have prior dance experience.
“The dance floor and performing for her is something new. So, I think it’s more that we started getting, week to week, more confident with the cameras around, like staging and people screaming at you,” Ravnik added. “And it’s all about you, because TikTok, she’s by herself with a camera and she’s just doing some trends that she’s learning by herself. But here’s the actual technique … then it’s [the] audience. It’s a lot of things, but she’s killing it. She’s amazing.”
In a shock elimination, Fifth Harmony star Jauregui, 29, and pro Brandon Armstrong were sent home, leading contestants and fans to realize that this season’s competition may be tougher than ever.
“You never know what’s gonna happen, so we’re trying to just soak in every single minute,” Affleck said of the experience.
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As for at-home voters, Affleck said her fellow MomTokers are “fully supportive” and sending messages and posting to their personal accounts each week. As for who hasn’t been in her corner, Affleck joked “we all know” who hasn’t been her “biggest supporter,” possibly in reference to Leavitt, 32.
“Just kidding,” Affleck quipped.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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