'DWTS' Finale Rocked By Corey Feldman Drama And Backstage Rumors

The “Dancing With The Stars” finale shaped up to be far messier than viewers expected, and Corey Feldman was right at the center of the drama.

After weeks of criticizing what he described as “toxicity” behind the scenes, Feldman stunned fans by posting a glowing tribute to his pro partner Jenna Johnson, a move that immediately clashed with his recent complaints.

With the finale carrying an unexpected cloud of controversy, insiders are now accusing the actor of fueling unnecessary conflict.

Feldman confused the “DWTS” audience after sharing an enthusiastic Instagram post praising Johnson less than 24 hours before the finale.

Captioning a selfie, he wrote, “A final rehearsal, in the ballroom with the gorge & supremely talented dancer/choreographer @jennajohnson rehearsing r #lastdance,” a stark contrast to the criticism he has repeatedly leveled at the show over the past few weeks.

However, despite Feldman’s public praise, the excitement didn’t appear mutual.

Johnson continued posting backstage content on her own pages, but she did not feature the “Stand by Me” actor or comment on or like his post.

Now, Insiders claim her distance reflects frustration over Feldman continuing to rehash old drama, specifically his issues with fellow “DWTS” pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Johnson’s brother-in-law.

His latest comments came during a November 23 appearance on the “Gurvey’s Law” radio show, where he again revisited Chmerkovskiy’s past criticism while also expressing disinterest in returning for the finale group number.

Despite Feldman’s insistence on retelling the negative moments, sources say the cast largely “ignored” him backstage.

Sources say Corey Feldman is still nursing bitterness from his early elimination, claiming his week-two exit is part of why he continues to stir up tension.

One insider told the Daily Mail, “It clearly showed in Corey’s performance that he wasn’t able to commit to the expectations of a DWTS celebrity and is now just calling out the ‘toxicity’ because he couldn’t make it past week two.”

They added that the musician is attempting to create a “family feud” between Johnson and Chmerkovskiy, a claim echoed by others behind the scenes.

According to these insiders, Feldman’s focus on Chmerkovskiy’s weeks-old comments is unwelcome and unnecessary, especially since the dancer has “moved on.”

In a separate interview earlier this year, Chmerkovskiy had already revealed the difficulty Johnson faced working with Feldman.

“Obviously, Jenna has a bit of an uphill climb with Corey, which is easy for everybody to say from [outside], but I know that she’s having a much more difficult time with this entire thing and to the point that it is really difficult for her,” he told the Daily Mail.

The choreographer also said Johnson deserved “respect,” adding she was “miserable” about the pairing.

That dynamic resurfaced after Feldman revisited the story yet again on the radio, framing it as part of the “toxicity” he says he witnessed.

His posting a cheerful selfie with Johnson the next day only heightened the contradiction.

Followers questioned why he would praise the very environment he continues calling out, and why he would tag a partner he previously accused of “rolling her eyes” when he raised concerns.

As the finale night approached, more details from Corey Feldman’s short stint on “DWTS” were revisited.

His dedication was questioned even before the premiere week after he reportedly missed five days of rehearsals, an absence that showed in his week-one performance.

He and Johnson received one of the lowest scores of the night, a nine out of 20 for their tango to Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.”

Insiders told the Daily Mail at the time that the season had been “a sh*t show” due to multiple celebrities failing to commit fully to the competition, but Feldman’s absence stood out.

These early struggles resurfaced after his appearance on the radio show, where he revisited his backstage frustrations and described the environment as unusually intense.

He said, “There was a lot of stupidity in the mudslinging that went on behind the scenes… the behind-the-scenes drama and BS that people throw around that show. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s the worst, like, most toxic.”

However, insiders are insisting Feldman has “exaggerated the environment and spun things.”

They believe Feldman took things the wrong way, which led to unnecessary tension during the finale week.

Despite returning for the finale group number, Feldman openly expressed that he wasn’t looking forward to it. When asked on the radio if he was excited, he replied, “No. No.”

When the host’s co-host said she was “jealous” he got to be on the show, Feldman simply said, “Don’t be.”

Behind the scenes, sources revealed that show executives instructed cast members not to publicly address Feldman’s accusations, hoping to avoid further conflict.

Others believed the reality star hoped his return would improve his standing with production after weeks of headlines focused on negativity.

Yet another insider said Feldman actually wanted to smooth things over, telling the outlet he hoped to “mend some fences” and remind everyone that he enjoyed working with the pros and crew.