In the glittering world of reality TV, where spotlights shine bright and shadows loom large, Whitney Leavitt is fighting back against the label that’s haunted her every step. The Dancing With the Stars alum, who first captured hearts (and sparked controversy) on Hulu’s *The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives*, is opening up about the relentless online hate, her shocking elimination, and why she’s ready to rewrite her story. “I am NOT the villain,” she seems to declare through her candid revelations, peeling back the layers of a persona that’s been unfairly thrust upon her.
Leavitt’s journey into the public eye began with *The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives*, where she was quickly branded as the show’s “bad girl.” But as she transitioned to the ballroom floor of *Dancing With the Stars* season 34, that reputation followed like an unwelcome shadow. In a raw interview with People, Leavitt admitted she saw it coming: “I already knew like the persona that I had in the media. I just felt like that was gonna carry with me onto Dancing With The Stars.” And carry it did—fueling a wave of backlash that not only targeted her but spilled over to her dance partner, the beloved pro Mark Ballas.
The emotional toll was immense. Leavitt described the abrupt end to her DWTS stint as nothing short of heartbreaking. “When you’re casted on Dancing with the Stars, you are seeing these people hours every single day. Then it just stops. It genuinely feels like a breakup. It feels like I’m, like, going through withdrawals right now. Today just felt so weird.” Her elimination came hot on the heels of the season 3 premiere of *Mormon Wives*, which aired just days before. Leavitt herself speculated that the timing might have swayed viewer opinions, turning the tide against her in the fan-voted competition.
But the hate didn’t stop at votes—it got personal. Leavitt revealed the pain of watching Ballas endure vicious online attacks, many of which she felt were her fault. “I had experienced it, but having someone that I loved and cared about so much experiencing that, in turn, hurt me,” she shared. “Then we experienced it together.” Ballas, no stranger to the spotlight, opened up about the “relentless” messages he received, sharing one particularly vile example: “Are you that cheap of a c— to rot and do this? Damn. You’re special. You’re completely worthless, and I hope you f—— burn in hell one day.” Leavitt described the ordeal as “a roller coaster of emotions,” confessing she blamed herself for dragging her partner into the fray simply by being paired with him.
Even DWTS executive producer and BBC Unscripted president Ryan O’Dowd weighed in on the drama, suggesting the *Mormon Wives* premiere could have been a pivotal factor in Leavitt’s exit. “Obviously, she has ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ that just came out that previous week on Hulu. And I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t think that played a role,” he told Variety. Ballas echoed the sentiment, pointing to the season’s stacked lineup of talent and the unpredictable nature of viewer votes: “I think with such a stacked cast and really great talent, great talent all around, you get to the point where we don’t know the votes. Maybe some week, someone who’s been voting one way will be like, ‘You know what? I’m gonna throw these votes this way.'”
Despite the storm of negativity, Leavitt isn’t backing down. In fact, she’s eager to reclaim her narrative. Speaking to Variety, she expressed her enthusiasm for returning to *The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives* for a potential fourth season, proving she’s far from the one-dimensional “villain” critics have painted her to be. As she navigates the aftermath, Leavitt’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost behind reality TV’s drama—the tears, the bonds, and the unbreakable spirit that refuses to be defined by hate. Will she dance her way back into viewers’ good graces? Only time—and perhaps another season—will tell.