Val Chmerkovskiy Opens up About His Conversation with Carrie Ann Inaba After Returning to ‘Dancing with the Stars’

One heartfelt conversation in the ballroom appears to have cleared the air. Here's how the dancer and the judge moved past a social media remark that set fans talking.

Val Chmerkovskiy and Carrie Ann Inaba seem to have buried the hatchet. The professional dancer and the "Dancing With The Stars" judge were spotted chatting and sharing a hug during the hit show's Tuesday, October 27 episode.

At one point during their conversation, in a video obtained by People, Inaba seemed to acknowledge the attention they were drawing, saying, "So everyone's staring. We are coworkers and we are completely cordial. We are good, okay?" The crowd around them responded with cheers.

The apparent reconciliation follows last week's controversy over Chmerkovskiy's reaction to Inaba's critique of his wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson. When asked how it felt speaking with Inaba after the show, Chmerkovskiy told People, "It felt cathartic relief, you know?"

He went on, "I think it was just really important for me to make sure that she feels safe and knows that, firsthand from me, I want nothing but love for her."

"I want nothing but joy for her and as much as the world might say otherwise, I want her to know how I feel, not how others want me to feel, but how I genuinely feel," he shared. "I will have nothing but love for Carrie Ann. I have nothing but respect for what she has to say."

The heartfelt moment comes after Chmerkovskiy was suspended for one episode over a controversial social media comment about Inaba's critique of Johnson, 32, and her celebrity partner, Harry Shum Jr., during the show's October 13 episode.

Inaba flagged a lift during the duo's "Super Bowl Night" performance, prompting Chmerkovskiy to post a since-deleted TikTok comment that read, "You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night."

The remark was a nod to Will Smith attacking Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Chmerkovskiy later apologized to Inaba, calling his comment a "poor decision." He sat out the show's "Dedication Night" on October 20 before returning to the ballroom the following week.

Inaba also weighed in on the controversy in a series of Instagram comments on Sunday, October 25, explaining that she had stayed relatively quiet out of "professional courtesy for those who are still competing" and because the show has "standards and practices that keep us separated."

The judge, who has been part of the series since its 2005 debut, stressed that she and Johnson had already worked through their differences after the October 13 episode.

"I think it's important for everyone to know that Jenna and I hugged it out after the Super Bowl show," Inaba wrote. "Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked through the moment. It came to my attention later that Jenna was deeply hurt. So I also offered to speak with her at anytime. I have also offered to discuss the lift rule and how I enforce it."

Meanwhile, Chmerkovskiy's celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan, 45, reunited with him at practice following his one-episode suspension. He apologized to the actress and dancer for the chaos surrounding the controversy.

"I am so sorry for all the chaos, you did not sign up for that and I feel awful," he told her. "I forgive you," Dewan replied as she hugged him.