Alan Bersten couldn’t be more proud of Dancing With the Stars partner Elaine Hendrix as the pair head into the season 34 finale.
“I just felt like Elaine finally got deserving scores,” Bersten, 31, told Us Weekly exclusively after the Prince Night performances on Tuesday, November 18. “Not that it’s not about the previous weeks, but she worked so hard this week and she truly deserved that perfect score. That hustle is incredible. She didn’t miss a step, she attacked it. Just so much conviction and I’m so proud of her. I’m so happy.”
For the semi-final episode, the remaining six couples each performed two dances. Bersten and Hendrix, 54, earned all nines for their foxtrot, with Carrie Ann Inaba telling the actress to push herself even further in the next round.
Hendrix did just that as she and Bersten received a perfect score — their first of the season — for their paso doble. (Inaba was so impressed by the routine that she fell to the floor in dramatic fashion.)
‘DWTS’ Cast Rallies Around ‘Rockstar’ Elaine Hendrix After Hospitalization
When asked how she was feeling after hearing the judges’ glowing feedback, Hendrix told cohost Julianne Hough, “Like I freaking fought for it!”
While speaking with Us, the Parent Trap star gushed over having Bersten’s support throughout the season.
“He’s such a part of this,” she explained. “I came into this saying that I was going to give it everything that I had, and this one right here [Alan] is so responsible for making me see what I can do and do what I can do way beyond what I have envisioned for myself. So for me, this was just giving it my all, pouring my heart and soul into it, doing what we planned and then the rest got to let go.”
As they prepare for the supersized finale — each pair will perform three dances on November 25 — Hendrix and Bersten are staying positive.
“We made it this far. … We’re just going to keep doing what we do. We can’t control anything,” Hendrix told Us.
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas were eliminated on Tuesday night, leaving Hendrix and Bersten going head to head with Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Robert Irwin and Witney Carson and Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach in the finals.
Bersten noted that the most important thing is to “just have fun” despite the tough competition. “Enjoy the dancing. Because no matter what — and as sad as it is to say — it’s our last time we get a dance on the floor together, so we might as well just enjoy it,” he added.
Alan Bersten Reveals How Ilona Maher Is Supporting Elaine Hendrix on ‘DWTS’
The duo have faced plenty of challenges throughout the season, including Hendrix’s injury during Halloween Week. Despite the setback, Hendrix bounced back strong.
“There was nothing permanent and no real serious damage [to my ribs], so now, it’s just about managing the pain, and that we can do,” Hendrix told TV Insider earlier this month. “It’s dancing through the pain with an eye on the prize!”
After missing one live performance, Hendrix put all her focus into “healing” her body. “The ironic thing is that I feel so strong. I certainly feel stronger now than I did at the beginning of the season,” she added. “[The injury] was more like, ‘Oh, this is a bummer. This is weird.’ Now, I’m focusing on the strength that I’m feeling.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.
Prove your DWTS fandom with Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv! Compete against other fans and Us editors in the Bracketology DWTS fantasy league this season to predict which pairs will make it to the finale for season 34. Get access to exclusive content, stats and a chance to win prizes. Join the league for free today!
