Tyra Banks Defends Lori Loughlin’s Daughter Olivia Jade Being Cast On ‘DWTS’

Last week, we reported that Olivia Jade Giannulli, the daughter of Lori Loughlin, had been cast on the 30th season of “Dancing With The Stars.” Now, host and executive producer Tyra Banks is defending her being cast on the show after it was met with backlash from many fans. 

Backstory: Lori Loughlin’s Daughter Joins ‘DWTS’ – See Who Else Made The Cast

Banks Says ‘Olivia Is So Brave’

“I think Olivia is so brave. I think people don’t know her, they know what happened to her,” Banks told Entertainment Tonight. “She has said that she did not know about what was going on and it’s really sad, and it’s very hurtful when something publicly happens but you had nothing to do with it. So I trust that she says she didn’t know.”

“She is having to deal with that and I think she’s coming to Dancing With the Stars to be able to tell her story and show her vulnerability,” the supermodel added. “And is she a celebrity? Not traditionally, but what is a celebrity today? If that’s the case then there’s no Instagram influencer that is a celebrity. We are in a whole different world and celebrity has taken a turn and a change.” 

“If people are talking about you, you’re famous,” Banks concluded. “And you can be on ‘Dancing With the Stars.”

Related: Here’s How Lori Loughlin Reacted To Daughter Being Cast On ‘DWTS’ – Full Cast Revealed

Giannulli’s Scandal 

Giannulli became a household name after her parents, Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, were arrested for allegedly paying $500,000 in bribe money to have her and her older sister Isabella admitted to the University of Southern California as members of the crew team, despite the fact that neither girl had ever rowed before. 

Loughlin ultimately served two months in prison for the crime, while her husband served five months. 

Giannulli previously said that she hopes that being on the reality show will allow her to show “a different side of me.”

“I just want to make it very clear that it is important to learn from the past and I am a big believer in second chances,” she said. “I am still young and I am still trying to figure it out and I hope that I just continue to grow every day. And I think because this process is so challenging, you learn so much about yourself, which I am excited for. [I’m] putting myself outside of my comfort zone.”

Upcoming Season Of ‘Dancing With The Stars’

When it comes to celebrating the 30th season of “Dancing With The Stars,” Banks said that there will “be some nostalgia, but we still wanna stay fresh and relevant and constantly looking to the future, and doing that thing that makes people go, ‘Oh my gosh!'”

“We’re gonna touch on some of that, but not so much that the whole season is themed to that,” she explained. “You can’t ignore your past because you don’t know where the hell you’re going, but you can’t stay so connected to that so tightly because then you can’t get to the next place, or the next level.” 

The new season of “Dancing With The Stars” premieres on ABC next Monday night. It will certainly be interesting to see how far Giannulli can make it on the show!