DWTS Maksim Chmerkovskiy Dishes On Hope Solo, Acting, Dirty Dancing, & More (Video)
US Weekly interviewed Maks. Maks tells them the most challenging thing about working with Hope is her being an “athelete”. They are getting along fine. He’s wearing a lot of “hats” with her from being a coach, a support system, and a friend. He addresses the differences of working with Kirstie and Hope …and the romance rumors as well!! Maks also discusses his love of acting and how he’d love to do Dirty Dancing if he was asked to do it (Hmmmm, as much as I love Maks, I think I’d rather see Derek asked to do Dirty Dancing?). More below!!!!
He’s just lovely. 🙂
*happy sigh*
Gee, last year he said he couldn’t act. This year, when Jules and Derek are both doing movies, suddenly he wants to do a movie. Uh huh. Go for it Maks. Can’t wait to see the results. 🙂 Might want to try acting for the JUDGES. 🙂
Maks + Dirty Dancing = ………R rated film XD maks dont take it too far okay?
He’d be great.
Hopefully there won’t be a remake of Dirty Dancing.The original movie is perfect. However, if I had to choose, Maks would be perfect for the role. Derek is a great dancer but he still looks like a teenager.
The question is, can he act?? It’s not just about “look”. I have my doubts. Serious doubts. Looks to me like he’s searching for something new and is taking a page from Derek, especially since Derek was so heavily mentioned in regard to this movie. And, FYI, there IS going to be a movie. Kenny Ortega is directing.
As for the part, the original Johnny was supposed to be much younger than Patrick Swayze. In any case, there IS no competition between Derek and Maks. Derek has a resume in acting and they just look much too different – the director will either want to go in Derek’s direction, or Maks direction – or a different direction altogether. There ARE other dancers in Hollywood.
Frankly, I hope Maks does it. Then Derek can do original roles and not a controversial remake that so many people are against. The odds of it being a success like Footloose are slim.
Heidi, yeah, funny how it has come down to either Maks or Derek simply because WetPaint ran a poll. Have a feeling casting will want to run a screen test or two lol.
Oh, and there’s no doubt that this sudden interest in acting is because he sees his fellow dancers going for it. Remember, he didn’t join DWTS until he saw that it was taking off. He’s not the risk taker people think he is.
Agree with #1 Evaine, yes,he is just lovely 🙂 and #5 Amanda…remakes are almost never as good as the originals, but if it has to be, Maks would be perfect.
Oh, Derek was mentioned in connection to this movie months ago. Wetpaint made it Maks versus Derek (highly stupid) just recently and Maks just picked up the ball. I say – give him an audition. Of course Maks fans think he would be perfect – but will anyone else agree??
Interestingly, Julianne was asked about Derek in the part and she didn’t say that he would be interested – it was more like “it depends on the script and the director” which is actually the smart answer. I sincerely hope that Derek finds something better to do.
Love the original Dirty Dancing. As for Maks, as much as he fits the bad boy role, there isn’t a guarantee he can act. Nothing worse than a movie where either one or both of the leads can’t act. :X
If they are going to redo Dirty Dancing, then they should think about switching the leads. Good boy is taught dancing by the bad girl. Of course, then it’d need a different title.
Back when the movie was announced and Jennifer Grey was all, “YES!!! Derek would be perfect!!!”, just about everyone was on the Derek bandwagon. I, personally thought and continue to think that he’s too All-American boyish for the part made famous by the iconic Patrick Swayze. I also think remaking this movie is a bad idea. That being said, I could see retooling the script for a foreign lead type if they wanted to go that way. And if Maks WAS to be in it (which I don’t see as likely) I would be SURE to be there to see it multiple times. 🙂 I also think that any male dancer of a certain age has dreamed of playing this role.
And I honestly think that Maks’ interest in acting has sprung more from his time with Kirstie and the support she gave him in that respect. I don’t think it was an idea he took really seriously before that.
The bottom line when it comes to movies is the almighty dollar. It might make more sense to bring in a known actor and teach them how to dance vs. a dancer and try to teach them how to act.
I’m not the biggest fan of remakes in general anyway. I think Maks is open to giving acting a try. That’s what I got. Maybe with a push from Kirstie?
Anywho I get the attempt to make it a Maks v. Derek thing but…it’s not. Maks said he’s up for giving acting a try and doing something fun. That’s about it.
Do we have any evidence that Derek can actually act? Aren’t his credentials limited to a guest spot on some low-rent sitcom and this new role in some movie that nobody knows about?
What makes people think that Maks *or* Derek are actors?
Well Steve, they DO act every week to some extent on DWTS. 🙂
This interview format with just Maks’ answers to the interviewer’s questions was great.
Good point, Evaine, re Kirstie’s support for Maks acting. I recall that theme coming up after John Travolta made his guest appearance and told K and M that he thought Maks should be in film. K agreed and said something like she thought Maks had comedic potential, as well as the more obvious dark and brooding casting type.
Hey, Winter, that’s actually not a bad idea….
I don’t think Kenny Ortega is the type to stray from the original concept, and that includes a foreign lead. Someone also mentioned on twitter yesterday that he makes movies that are more geared towards all ages. Actually, when you think about it, the original wasn’t really “dirty” at all. As for known versus unknown – Kenny Wormald in Footloose is as unknown as you get and that was probably a good idea. As much as we all know Julianne, she’s not as well known as they could have gone for the role. I wonder if they would actually be willing to find a “known” actor willing to do it.
Also…it’s called ACTING for a reason. Being all-american is how we know Derek from DWTS. Scruffy clothes and a bit of hair dye and I’m confident he can act the part. He managed Ren MacCormack well enough to get nominated for an award on the West End. Ren isn’t exactly clean cut.
Heidi, who mentioned Derek for the role? I recall the buzz about a remake, but also that it was being put on the back burner.
Heidi/Winter, well known actors demand big money and studios are grasping at ways to cut costs. An unknown would make sense.
Katarina – I don’t actually know the original source but it was EVERYWHERE. As for the back burner – it was on the backburner for a long time, but it was announced…gee, early summer?…that it was back on and that Kenny Ortega was directing. He was on SYTYCD this past season and commented that they would likely be filming next summer. That’s when people on THAT show were mentioning the girl who won as a good “Baby” – which, as much as I liked her, I disagree with. Baby isn’t supposed to be a dancer. Lots of articles were mentioning Lea Michele – another idea I was not terribly fond of.
Well Steve, Derek was trained in acting along with dancing during his time in London. He also played Ren in Footloose in West End so he does have some stage credentials behind him. His movie, Cobu 3D, I feel is more of launching his acting career here in the US.
I agree with you Toni. Maks was not too interested in going the acting route. He even stated that in an interview somewhere, but all that was prior to his partnership with Kristie Alley. I think there might have been a push of encouragement from her since now he is.
Derek was in many productions on stage, including the lead role in Footloose on the West End – for which he was nominated for “Best Newcomer”. He’s also got one movie under his belt already and has studied acting in school. So, yes, Derek is an actor. Maks? Don’t know.
And Evaine, Maks doesn’t act AT ALL on DWTS – it’s one of his main problems. 🙂
Heidi – just curious, but who would you cast as “Baby”?
Mmmhmmm…. *nodnod*
Hmmm…who would I cast as Baby. I think I would like to see it go to an unknown, personally. I can’t think of anyone in the role that doesn’t make me go “NO”. 🙂
ETA: And see, that’s the MAIN reason I don’t want Derek to do that movie – I’m sure other people will be the same way towards the Swayze role. But, if they’re going to do it, I do think Derek is the better choice, if he decides to do it. Hope not.
Hahahaha! 😀 Makes sense… I’ve never been all that fond of re-makes myself – off the top of my head, I can’t think of a re-make that I thought was better than the original.
Let me re-phrase from my earlier post. If I was a studio I might want to look people who make a living at acting primarily first and worry about the dancing 2nd. Not necessarily a well known actor which = $$$.
This topic has brought to mind several dancer vs. actor in the lead role… movies like: Take the Lead, Black Swan and that one movie about ballet dancers and they were real dancers (I can’t for the life of me remember the name of that movie). Oh and who can forget Step Up!
In that interview where you never get to hear the questions, only a run on of his answers, probably edited, he did say that he would not want to denigrate the acting profession by just assuming that he could easily do it, rather that he would now be interested potentially in giving it a try to see if he could learn to do it. I thought he treated the profession very respectfully. And perhaps the interviewer was the one who brought up dirty dancing, and his answer was, well, I”m a dancer, so yeah I’d be interested in being considered/considering it.
ITA with Evaine in #11 that Kirsti might have been a big influence on his being open to trying this kind of new thing.
I think either would be wonderful in it and agree that it’s could be a negative risk in that the remake might be compared unfavorably to the original and then not cast the best light on the actor. But it would be super cool to see one of the DWTS men do it from a selfish point of view.
Princess Heidi- Re” Maks doesn’t act at all on DWTS star, one of his main problems. Laughingly I ask, how would you want him to act? I find him amusing.
Oh, I wouldn’t want him to act, Rebecca – that was in response to Evaine saying they all act on DWTS. One of his charms is that he’s just OUT THERE – but it’s also, at times, a liability for his celeb.
And I still say that they all act to some extent on DWTS. 🙂
Why do the entertainment media who follow DWTS turn everything into a competition between Derek and Maks? 🙄 Then the crazy wing of the fanbases (not the people here, just want to make that clear) pick it up and it goes south rapidly. I think they’re both talented, enjoy both of them, and want to see both of them do well. I’d rather neither of them do the “Dirty Dancing” remake. Remakes tend to be pale imitations. As someone trying to break into the acting scene, do you really want to take on a role that was made iconic by Patrick Swayze??? Better to be an original than a copy, IMO.
Cidra, it wasn’t the “entertainment media” – it is ONE website who has a history of tabloid-y behavior. And the behavior of imitating us. 🙂
I actually was telling Derek fans not to go there, to vote for Design a Dance instead. Don’t play the game.
Fear not, Heidi, I don’t vote on any of those ridiculous sites. I might not be the confrontational type, and I try to look on the positive side of life, but this child wasn’t born yesterday. 😛
Nope, Derek would be the best choice if there is a remake for Dirty Dancing. He’s the PERFECT fit for Johnny Castle. He has the look, charisma and acting skill to play the role. Not to mention his incredible dancing talent. Hell he’s already danced with the original BABY. He’s my one and only choice.-that is if there is a remake!!
Baby? I would love to see Chelsie in that role. She still looks like a teenager, she looks wholesome and innocent normally, and I bet she could swing being an awkward dancer for the early part of the role.
I hate the Maks vs Derek fan wars. It just causes a lot of negativity and unnecessary fights.
TBH, I’d rather Derek do an original movie and it become his “Dirty Dancing” or “Footloose” rather than him doing a remake, esp since Julianne did the FL remake.
Derek, Mark and Julianne studied for several years at Italia Conti Academy in London, which is the city’s oldest performing art school- so they were trained in acting, dance, music, vocals, stage production, etc. SO the three of them have a foundation in acting and all that performing arts stuff.
If Maks wants to give acting a go, then go for it. But I actually can’t see him playing Johnny in DD. And they sort of did the foreign thing when they set Dirty Dancing 2 in Cuba.
By the way, I just saw the teaser trailer for Derek’s movie Cobu 3D… He looks AWESOME in it!! He’s got incredible chemistry with his co-star, BoA!
I gotta say NO BLONDE in the role of Baby. Baby was supposed to be an awkward teenager, the “less pretty” of two sisters, and being an extremely pretty blonde, I think Chelsie would have a hard time pulling that off. Lea Michele would be a better choice and I don’t want her to do it either.
Katarina, Maks was asked to do the 1st season of DWTS, but he was still competing then and didn’t accept the show, but accepted for the 2nd season of DWTS when he retired from professional competition. Also, regarding acting, Maks has been talking about acting since the season he was partnered with Debi Masur (sp?), was talking about it again when he came back from doing that Bachelor show in the Ukraine and also during last season with Kirstie Alley.