It was a good night for the two Latina celebrities participating in the 32nd season of Dancing with the Stars. On Tuesday (September 26), Mexican-American Marvel star Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and Venezuelan social media personality Lele Pons earned two of the top scores during the premiere of the hit reality show competition.
Gomez and her dance partner Val Chmerkovskiy, who were the very first performers of the night, tied for 4th place with a score of 18. Each of the three judges gave them a six out of 10. The duo danced a cha-cha-cha to “Peanut Butter Jelly” by Galantis.
Gomez came out dressed in a purple top and sequin fringe skirt that sparkled under the spotlights. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called Gomez a “wild stallion” and said she had “energy” and “charisma” during her first dance. “Excellent,” she said. “Way to start the season.”
Backstage, Gomez credited her dance partner for getting her ready to hit center stage. “He’s actually been really nice, really patient,” Gomez said. “He’s been a really great teacher.”
Pons and her dance partner Brandon Armstrong came in third place with a score of 19. Two judges gave them a six out of 10 and one gave them a seven. The duo danced to “El Tango de Roxanne” from the 2002 musical Moulin Rouge! Inaba said Pons was a “powerful woman” right before Pons showed her that she had broken a fingernail during the performance.
Watch Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy’s full performance below.
Watch Lele Pons and Brandon Armstrong’s full performance below.