Marvel star Xochitl Gomez had a thrilling night on Dancing with the Stars this Tuesday. Despite injuring herself during a dance, she managed to power through and ended up with the highest score among nine competitors.
The Halloween-themed Monster Night on DWTS featured individual dances and a dance marathon, or dance monster-thon as it was called. Gomez, known for her role as America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, stood out with her exceptional dancing and unwavering determination.
Let’s dive into the highlights of the night.
The Injury
The pre-dance segment with Gomez and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy didn’t mention any injury, so it seemed that she got hurt during the performance itself.
After a nearly flawless contemporary routine, the cameras captured the audience’s reactions. Instead of applause, they witnessed Chmerkovskiy carrying Gomez for the judges’ scores. When he put her down, she clearly favored one leg.
The judges repeatedly asked Gomez about her well-being, to which she responded, “I’m great, I’m fabulous,” while her partner added, “It’s a game of survival.” Despite the concern, Julianne Hough, an interviewer and professional dancer herself, wisely avoided pressing further about the injury.
Gomez and Chmerkovskiy received a score of 37 out of 40, including a perfect 10 from guest judge Niecy Nash-Betts. They tied for the top spot with reality star Ariana Madix and her partner, Pasha Pashkov.
The Aftermath
Although Gomez remained tight-lipped about her injury during the live show, she shared more details on her Instagram story backstage after the performance. In a video, she assured her fans that she was okay, mentioning the dance marathon and showing a makeup artist treating her leg with a bandage and makeup.
The Comeback
Gomez appeared in much better shape for the dance marathon. She and Chmerkovsky started with the hustle and smoothly transitioned into the Charleston. Despite her injury, Gomez showcased impressive leg action, showing no signs of pain.
After nearly four minutes of non-stop dancing, Gomez and Chmerkovskiy won the dance monster-thon, narrowly defeating Vanderpump Rules star Arian Madix and Pasha Pashkov.
In addition to their final score for the night, they were awarded five bonus points and celebrated their victory by being doused with red glitter, reminiscent of the iconic scene from the horror movie Carrie.
The Reaction
Viewers took to social media throughout the night, expressing a range of emotions. They started with concern for Gomez’s injury and ended up impressed by her comeback and win.
Xochitl Gomez is so talented, she was born to be a performer, a star. I hope she’s not injured badly #dwts
— Cult Girlfriend (@EmmyMorning) November 1, 2023
Xochitl fighting through injury was able to pull through + slay her Contemporary + Marathon routines. 👏👏 I pray she’s okay! 💛🙏 #DWTS
— 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐚🪐 (@22_claudy) November 1, 2023
Xochitl winning the dance marathon after having an injury! My girl is taking the trophy home 😭😭😭🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🥰#DWTS
— June bug (@JunebugIIIII) November 1, 2023
The Future
The 17-year-old Gomez has consistently remained at the top of the leaderboard throughout the season. She is considered one of the favorites to win, along with reality stars Arian Madix and Charity Lawson, singer Jason Mraz, and social media star Lele Pons.
Next week, the dancers will compete on Music Video night, with special guest judge Paula Abdul.
For more updates on this week’s performances and eliminations, click here.
Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available the following day on Hulu.
