Dancing With the Stars’ Robert Irwin is not only being put through his paces by the show’s judges, but by an A-list viewer as well.
Robert, 21, revealed to Access Hollywood recently that he receives detailed feedback on his performances from Oscar winner Russell Crowe every single week.
“Russell has been someone in our lives who’s really just always been there for us. He was a great mate of my dad’s,” Robert said, referring to his famous father, Steve Irwin. “Through thick and thin, he’s always been there. He’s an incredible human being and someone that is certainly an inspiration to me and someone I’ve looked up to for a long time.”
“I’m incredibly grateful for his support on this dancing journey,” he continued. “It’s actually been really cool because Russell will message after a performance and go, ‘Wow, this was…’ Instead of just saying, ‘Great dance,’ he’ll really delve into the detail of, ‘OK, these steps were great. Love the lines. Love the clarity and the storytelling.’ To get that very in-depth feedback is amazing. It really means a lot.”
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“I’m not a dancer. I’m trying to tell my story through dance. I’m trying to spread my message of positivity, passion and enthusiasm through dance. And Russell being there to support that is fantastic,” he added.
Robert and mom Terri Irwin were on hand at the AFI Fest premiere of Russell’s new movie, Nuremberg, on Friday, October 24, where the wildlife conservationist caught up with his longtime family friend.
Speaking to Access Hollywood, Russell, 61, said he watches Robert on Dancing With the Stars “every week,” adding, “I think he’s doing fantastically, man. He’s lifting my soul every week.”
Russell added, “Me and his dad were great mates, and so I’ve watched him grow up. I’m just so unreasonably proud of who he is as a person. He’s just such a solid young man.”
Robert and professional dance partner Witney Carson have been burning up the ballroom dance floor with their routines so far during Dancing With the Stars season 34. On the Tuesday, October 28, Halloween Night episode, the pair earned 38 points for their Argentine tango, coming second on the leaderboard.
Witney previously opened up to Us Weekly about the strong bond she’s developed with the Australian conservationist.
“I feel very protective over him, especially when the DMs get a little crazy. I get a little protective,” Witney, 32, told Us earlier this month.
“We are just having the best time. I feel like we’ve become like this brother and sister duo,” Robert added.
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“He is an absolute dream partner and very humble,” Witney continued to gush over Robert. “I gotta knock him down a little bit sometimes, keep you grounded, critique you a little bit more. But no, he is just as great as you guys see on TV.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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