PureDWTS William Levy On Growing Up In A Communist Country, Being Bullied, And More
This is the best interview I’ve seen with William Levy this season. It’s touching as he walks Nightline through what his life was like as a child growing up in communist Cuba for what he experienced to the point of deprivation, being hungry, and being bullied. Living in Cuba was a “do or die” situation. He was ready to risk his life to come to the States. Also, it might surprise you to learn William’s reaction to visiting a grocery store in America for the first time since he had never seen an apple before. Also, check out how he doesn’t think he has a pretty face and why (which I found humbling). See if you don’t agree and lots more below…
I cannot seem to play this video. Could someone please give us the highlights of this interview. Also has the cookbook project been abandoned? I subnitted a recipe for rock week that I did not know if it was to be used or not. It is still nice to have a typed recap of these interviews. Thank you. I use an I Pad, maybe that is why I cannot view the video. Anyway thanks if a recap can be given.
Lois, here’s another link for it that might work for you?;
I totally agree Vogue…finally one good interview with William!!! Thanks for posting!
Has alot of character, and appreciates what so many of us take for granted.
Exactly Starr!
YW Ifigenia and thanks for your thoughts always!!
Seems like a nice guy. It’s a real pity the way he’s been “presented” to us on DWTS! I blame Cheryl for that!
Yup Meggie, You know the saying, “First impressions are everything”, when you are an unknown you may only have limited time to show everyone who you are. All the viewers really know about William is “he is a sexy piece of meat” and they have moved on. Sad really.
Yeah, I know this may sound funny but Cheryl should have taken notes from Mark this season!! Plus I’m sure that Katherine wouldn’t of had it any other way.
William needs to just stand up for himself.
I changed my mind about William a few weeks ago after hearing him talk in some interviews…my daughter-in-law is Cuban, she was born here, but her mother moved to the US from Cuba, and they still have relatives living in Cuba, and they can’t even send stuff to them without it being confiscated sometimes. Really sad. The accent is so familiar..and he seems like a really good guy. It’s obvious he’s not the one exploiting his sexiness on DWTS, but that’s what he’s known for, so I guess it’s inevitable that’s what they’re going to emphasize. I wish him well. I really enjoyed that video.
I wish this could have been shown four or five weeks ago…
Me to MC! You can see he’s tried in many interviews to tell how he feels, but, Cheryl seems to always interrupt and push his body instead.
Thanks, Vogue! 😛 I enjoyed that. William has a great back story that DWTS could have run with if they’d taken a minute to research it and then asked him if he was OK with revealing it. It’s a shame they (and Cheryl) took the easy way out. It particularly bugs me that Cheryl so readily agreed with the interviewer that “the audience is interested in the 12 pack”. I’m sorry she has such a low opinion of the DWTS audience. Sure we like to see the occasional set of abs, but just like William, there’s a whole lot more to us than that!
YW and you said it Cids!!!!! They don’t give us much credit. It’s sad because it actually would be sexier to us if they just let him be who he is.
Word, Vogue!
Did you see Cheryl and William on ET (I think) with the ex X-Factor host that she was flirting with last week?? It was all about the two of them and William stood there like…well, like he was no one. It was pretty bad, actually. I felt bad for William. She needs a serious break. Like, two seasons or more.
I am in tears now and I couldn’t be happier than I am right now. A positive, uplifting and supportive post about William here is what I’ve hoped for because I knew what this man was about, and that’s why I was in tears when he waltzed on Monday night, hoping that in some way he’d manage to prove himself and others would see what I already knew. I’ve repeatedly said, I won’t fault him for what TPTB and Cheryl were doing and it was slowly becoming obvious to some of you that it wasn’t his doing or to his liking, and trust me, he’s got fans and he’s making the right choices and decisions, and I”m so very happy and proud for him. He’s a class act and a very beautiful person that’s very deserving and I hope he continues to do well and improve. He gets my votes! Wonderful share Vogue, Thank You
@vogue #13, he’d have been a lot sexier if they had let him be who he is!!!!
@cidra #12, just like William, there’s a whole lot more to us the dwts audience than that! I love to be inspired and I know I’m not alone!
Well crap, I am now conflicted. If that was the William they showcased I’d totally want him to win, but since Cheryl has turned him into a piece of meat I don’t.
He seems like a fabulous guy and maybe (crossing fingers) after seeing this interview Cheryl will stop focusing on his “assets” (but I doubt it, girl is like a “B” in heat)
PH (#15), I worry that Cheryl has gotten sucked into the superficiality of the Hollywood lifestyle. I agree that she’d benefit personally and professionally from taking a season off from DWTS.
@Joy (#16) – It’s been very obvious to a lot of us here that it wasn’t William’s doing from day 1, so I kind of resent the fact that you lumped us all in one big William-hating group. As far as this site goes, there’ve been a lot of positive posts about William. If you’d read the comments on those, you would see how many people, mods included, were lamenting the fact that he seems like a good guy who’s getting a raw deal from Cheryl and TPTB. I lay the blame entirely at their feet for the way William’s been portrayed, and it’s made me embarrassed to be a woman to see the way Cheryl treats him day in and day out. I still don’t think he’s anywhere close to being the best dancer, but I think that he could be if his partner would spend more time teaching him than fawning over him. Just my 2c.
Ah, schucks, now I really like him.
I understand what you mean, Auntie Bellum. My sister’s boyfriend’s father came from Cuba many, many years ago, and he had similar stories. He cried when they sent that little boy, E. Gonzales, whose mom died trying to bring him here, back to Cuba. He kept saying, “NO, NO! They can’t allow him to suffer there.” It was so sad.
It really makes you stop and think how very lucky we are in this country, and we shouldn’t take our good fortune for granted.
I’m sorry if you perceived it as lumping everyone into a category because I certainly had no intentions of doing that, but there has been a good bit of negativity and he’s been called names and remarks were made about him proving himself. I have noticed some supportive remarks and how some have blamed Cheryl and TPTB, however they still remark that it turned them off to him and that’s just not fair in my opinion because he wasn’t responsible, and as PH said, he’s attempted on many occasions to speak up but was interrupted, and he made it clear on several occasions that he didn’t want to show his chest or abs or remove his shirt for votes and wanted to be judged on his dancing. I must admit that I haven’t read every comment so I obviously missed some of the ones you’re referring to, and I’m glad to hear there has been some support and open-mindedness. It does seem that regardless of what anyone says here, someone finds fault with it and it wasn’t my intention to offend anyone so I apologize. To me he’s sexier in a tuxedo than without a shirt. I loved this post to the point of becoming emotional over it, and I was just so happy that Vogue posted it because he was being judged unfairly, by some!
Thanks for explaining Magnolia. Yeah, there has been positive posts too for William, Joy. I think fans have generally been more bent out of shape with Cheryl than him for a while now.
Anyway, I really enjoyed their dances this past week. With them having a Paso for their trio dance this Monday night, please let’s hope Cheryl lets him wear what he wants and if he doesn’t want to bare all, leave him be.
It sure does. We are all so lucky!
Just re-read my earlier comment and want to clarify – “If that was the William they showcased I’d totally want him to win, but since Cheryl has turned him into a piece of meat I don’t.” It actually should have read – “If that was the William they showcased I’d totally want him to win, but since Cheryl has turned him into a piece of meat I don’t want her to”
I’d have no problem with William winning but I don’t want Cheryl to be rewarded. Kinda wishing he’d been pair with Kym, I doubt she would have focus on his body. Actually I kinda think TPTB got those 2 backwards.
I agree PH, Cheryl definitely needs a season or 2 off, bring back Ashly, Anna D or heck even Lacey.
I don’t fault Cheryl for the beefcake angle–that seems to be a major component of his acting career and something easily picked up on by media, and an obvious hook for the show.
However, he’s been nothing but pleasant, postive and hard-working the whole time, and he has a wonderful sense of humor.
@Joy (#22) – Thanks for the explanation. I didn’t want you to think everyone here disliked William. We/They don’t. Some do, and of course, everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Personally, I dig him on a personal level. And I completely agree with you about preferring him in a tux or dolled up rather than shirt open/off! 😉
Vogue, I agree with you. I hope Cheryl “behaves” herself with the paso this week!
THIS^^
Heard their dancing 6th on their FTrot n last on their trio Paso.