By Lydia Patrick
Copyright newsweek
Reality TV personality Jen Affleck shocked viewers on last week’s episode of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) as the 12-week postpartum mom of three performed an impressive lift before launching into the splits during an upbeat performance to Take On Me by A-ha.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 26, was announced as part of the DWTS cast during her show’s reunion, which aired on July 1 but is believed to have been filmed in April. The next day on July 2, she welcomed her youngest daughter, Penelope Phyllis. She introduced Penelope to fans in a heartfelt TikTok video alongside her husband, Zac Affleck, and their other daughters, Nora, 3, and Lucas, 23 months.
Affleck isn’t the only Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast member on the show—co-star Whitney Leavitt is also competing after giving birth to her third child, Billy Gene Leavitt, under a year ago on October 24.
Affleck is partnered with professional dancer Jan Ravnik; the pair debuted on September 16, 2025, with a salsa to NuevaYol by Bad Bunny, with Affleck dazzling in a glitzy feathered orange look. The judges were stunned that she had given birth just weeks prior, but it has also raised questions about unrealistic expectations of new moms.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 27: Jen Affleck is seen arriving at “Dancing With The Stars” rehearsals on September 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)
Fans Relate — and Worry
Affleck has surprised viewers with her postpartum dexterity before, going viral for a July 5 Instagram video dancing in her hospital gown. She captioned the post: “My pelvic floor might not be ready… but I sure am.” Her husband chimed in with a joking comment: “The doctor coming in 5 minutes prior and telling you no physical activity for 6 weeks.” Newsweek reached out to Jen Affleck’s management via email.
She previously said in an interview with Decider that three months after her second baby she ran the New York City marathon, which gave her confidence in her ability to take part in the show.
In last week’s episode of DWTS, Affleck acknowledged the online discourse about her participation, saying she had received a lot of support and hoped to provide representation for other moms.
One viewer who weighed in was pop culture commentator Angela Von Hatten, known online as Wonderful Garbage (@itswonderfulgarbage). She posted on Threads after Affleck’s first performance: “PSA TO JAN: Stop having our girl Jen doing jumps and flips. We know she can dance! Let’s keep it on the floor.” Her post racked up over two million views, and appeared to elicit a TikTok meme response from Affleck and Ravnick.
@jenniferaffleckk I will take a 12 🧡👀 #TS12 @Dancing with the Stars DWTS @Jan Ravnik ♬ original sound – Stitch
Another fan, Lindsay Scouras, 40, from Providence, Rhode Island, said that when she heard Affleck would be competing this season, her first reaction was, “how? In what world?!”
Speaking as a mom of two, Scouras said she knows firsthand how physically intense childbirth and postpartum recovery can be. She compared the experience to “a grotesque horror film,” noting that some new mothers can barely stand to shower in the weeks following delivery—all while caring for a newborn on little sleep. Scouras said she could not imagine taking on a rigorous schedule of rehearsals, costume fittings, and live performances so soon after giving birth.
Still, Scouras admired Affleck for pursuing her passion and hoped she takes care of herself throughout the season. She added that the reality star’s honesty about her pelvic floor issues in the first episode was refreshing.
“Ultimately, I hope that Jen gets whatever she wants out of this experience,” Scouras said, adding that it serves as an important reminder for parents to pursue their passions after having children—and to stock up on supportive undergarments for dances like the cha-cha and the jive.
Pop culture journalist Ali Stagnitta told Newsweek she hoped Affleck would use the show as a platform to be open about her postpartum experience. “As long as she is taking proper care of herself and healing and doing what she needs to do to feel good, then dancing and being happy is an important part of her healing process,“ Stagnitta said.
@jenniferaffleckk When two worlds collide 🧡 @Dancing with the Stars DWTS @Taylor Swift ♬ original sound – Jen Affleck
Expert Insight
Alayna Curry, a certified women’s fitness specialist, told Newsweek that every body and birth experience is different, and recovery takes time.
“Whether you had a C-section or vaginal birth, your body is likely still recovering at eight weeks postpartum. It took nine months to grow the baby in your body, and many women find that it can take a year or longer to feel like themselves again,” she told Newsweek.
