Former “Dancing With the Stars” pro Lacey Schwimmer is clapping back at Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Louis van Amstel’s comments about her weight 15 years later.
The “So You Think You Can Dance” alum addressed the 2008 interview while appearing on Monday’s episode of Cheryl Burke’s “Sex, Lies and Spray Tans” podcast.
“Oh, my God, it ruined me. I remember crying and crying and crying,” Schwimmer recalled, saying the criticism “literally broke [her] spirit.”
The 35-year-old, who noted that she was 138 pounds and a size 6 while on the ABC show, said that “no one should ever, ever discredit somebody based off of their appearance.”
She continued, “I don’t care if you’re skinny, fat, whatever. Ugly face, busted teeth — I don’t care what you look like. It has nothing to do with your talent or ability or what you are hired to do.”
Early into the choreographer’s time on “DWTS,” which lasted from Seasons 7 to 13, Chmerkovskiy told TV Guide about his reaction to “first [seeing] these women this season” (per the Los Angeles Times).
“I said, ‘Guys, you know the camera adds 10 pounds,’” he said at the time. “‘You have to do something about this.'”
Van Amstel similarly told the outlet that dancers should “take responsibility” for their weight.
He said, “If [the viewers] watch someone who’s dancing her butt off and she’s still heavy, they can be discouraged.”
Chmerkovskiy and van Amstel’s reps did not immediately return to Pvnew’s requests for comment.
Schwimmer responded at the time, telling “Access Hollywood” she was “confident and happy” with her body.
While Schwimmer clarified Monday that she does not “fault” Chmerkovskiy, 43, or van Amstel, 51, for their comments, she said competing on “DWTS” “breeds body image issues for women.”
She explained, “We are forced to be put in bras and panties with a couple pieces of fringe on the butt. And just, you’re standing next to these girls who are naturally skinny and you have to take extreme measures.”
Schwimmer remembered eating “500 calories a day and … dancing all day on Red Bull,” admitting that she also “abused” diet pills.
