Elaine Hendrix Revealed That She's Competing On DWTS With A Foot Injury

Elaine Hendrix defied gravity on Dancing with the Stars for Wicked night. The Parent Trap star earned four 9s for a score of 36 for her contemporary performance of “Defying Gravity” with pro partner Alan Bersten — her highest score of the season so far. And in the pre-dance rehearsal tapes, she revealed that she was recovering from injuries.

Hendrix got honest about the struggles posed by a titanium plate that was inserted into her foot after she was in a grisly car accident. The cameras even caught a moment where she broke down into tears during practice.

“It's not fun, knowing the limitations of your body, and this song is all about pushing past your limitations,” she said. “I know my determination is going to win, it's just getting there is quite a journey.”

The dance was challenging, featuring many dips and lifts, and culminating in a final dramatic moment where Hendrix, attached to a harness, is lifted high into the air as her cape billows below, recreating the epic climax of the story. Bersten said that their dance was meant to feel as powerful as the beloved Broadway hit.

“I want to portray the story like Elphaba did, where Elaine realizes she can trust herself to show she is stronger than her injuries,” Bersten said.

A Major Comeback

The rebound was a major moment for the duo: Hendrix and Bersten earned among the lowest scores last week after their “Dedication Night” foxtrot for Hendrix's bestie and Parent Trap co-star, Lisa Ann Walter. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba was quick to shower them in praise.

“Elaine, that was something special,” she said. “When you were dancing, my heart was — I just burst into tears, because you were so purely in the moment. There are moments on the show that are so magical that no one will ever forget how it made them feel when you danced, and you reached [that].”

Guest judge Jon M. Chu, who is directing both installments of the Wicked film adaptations, also gave his seal of approval, saying: “It was pure ascension ... We talked a lot about that on the movie. It's not about control, it's about surrender to your own power, and I felt that.”

Judge Bruno Tonioli exclaimed, “You had the toughest number because it's the highest, the biggest in the show, and you killed it.”

Hendrix would have cinched the highest score of the night if Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt had not nearly swept the judges’ panel for a high score of 39, earning the first 10s of the season. Many fans have taken to social media in outrage at the scoring.

“Elaine getting 9’s with a performance that will go down in #DWTS history when I already forgot whatever Whitney did to get 10’s is actually CRIMINAL LOL,” one wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Elaine calling out the judges for lowballing her scores and not other people’s is SO REAL TO ME. DO IT AGAIN. #DWTS,” said another.