Charity Lawson is still processing the news of her former “Dancing With the Stars” partner Artem Chigvintsev’s recent domestic violence arrest.
“[I was] blindsided a little bit. I wasn’t expecting it at all,” the 28-year-old says while guest appearing on ’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast.
Lawson – who placed fourth in Season 32 of the ABC dance competition series last year – emphasizes that she “obviously [doesn’t] know any details” about the alleged incident involving Chigvintsev, 42, and his wife, Nikki Garcia.
“[I’m] giving them the space and … all the love and healing,” she continues, adding that she is a big fan of Garcia, 40, who wed Chigvintsev in August 2022.
As previously reported, the former ballroom pro was charged with felony corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant in Napa Valley, Calif., on Aug. 29.
Chigvintsev — who shares a 4-year-old son named Matteo with Garcia — was released on a $25,000 bail later that afternoon.
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Lawson notes that she has not been in touch with Chigvintsev since, though she appreciated his support when she was subjected to a stream of social media hate during her time on “DWTS.”
“I think he was more shocked than anything because he was like, ‘This is going on? This is what’s being said?’” says Lawson, who confesses her mental health took a hit after sustaining “death threats” and more hurtful attacks — some of them even racially charged — from viewers.
“He’s like, ‘I don’t understand.’”
Back in 2023, Lawson became the third black woman to lead “The Bachelorette” in the series’ 20-year history. She plans to unpack more of her experiences as a woman of color in the unscripted space on “Tap In,” the new podcast she’s co-hosting with fellow Bachelor Nation star Kat Izzo.
“We obviously come from the reality TV space and have very unique experiences,” she says of Izzo, 28, who most recently starred on “Bachelor in Paradise” Season 9 and joined her for the podcast interview.
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“For me, being a woman of color in this space and industry has been so tricky to just navigate and find my footing. So that’s something I want to highlight,” Lawson elaborates. “I also want to give other women of color a space, a platform to talk about their experiences because I think a lot of people don’t know that.”
Izzo, for her part, hopes to facilitate opportunities for other notable figures to share more beyond their public personas.
“It’s time that we take our power back,” she says, acknowledging the “villain” archetype she unknowingly fulfilled for producers.
“People that want to go in the comments section, maybe think about it for a second. We all get so misunderstood because we just see the person from the screen [but] let’s just all try to understand that there are so many other layers to human beings.”
Lawson and Izzo plan to start recording “Tap In” this month.
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