'Dancing With' William Levy, the Latin Brad Pitt
William Levy has been getting hearts racing since his debut on Latin soap operas, but it was his debut this week on "Dancing With the Stars" that has him poised to become quite popular with U.S. viewers, too. Along with his partner Cheryl Burke, Levy scored an impressive 24 out of 30, cha-cha’ing his way into second place. However, “Team Fuego” didn’t just win over the judges with the dance that originated in his own country of Cuba; the audience could be heard screaming and applauding even before the performance started.
A wildly-loved romantic actor wildly loved by his Spanish-speaking fans, Levy has become better known as Jennifer Lopez's lover in her 2011 music video "I'm Into You." With the face of a Greek god and a body that doesn't stop, the "Brad Pitt of Mexico" is looking forward to competing for the mirror-ball trophy.
[Photos: William Levy and Other Latin Sex Symbols]
Of his participation in "DWTS," Levy told People en Español, "I'm not a professional dancer, but... when I put my mind into doing something, I give it 100%, especially in a competition where I'll be dancing to raise funds that will help Latin American children."
Here are five reasons why you should check him out as he competes for the mirror-ball trophy this spring:
(1) A "Novela" hunk: His first leading role in "Cuidado Con El Angel," an evening series aired by Univision, had some of the highest ratings on Spanish-language television in 2008, but it was his sexy scenes in 2009's "Sortilegio" that left the audience breathless and asking for more.
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(2) J. Lo's man candy: William was chosen by Jennifer Lopez to play the love interest in her "I'm Into You" video, and it was rumored that there was more going on between them than acting. He has denied all the rumors: "I was very grateful for the invitation to work with her in the video. It was a beautiful experience. [Plus], who's going to say no to her? She's super beautiful, an amazing woman, down to earth and so nice. I felt bad [that the media] said all those things. I went to work, she went to work, we did our job."
Watch Jennifer Lopez and William Levy get steamy in her music video:
(3) The good: He's a family man with a Jewish background; he's single with two kids by ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Gutierrez. "My children are my life," Levy told People en Español last year. "I am super happy. Having those two children is the most beautiful thing I've ever had in my life. They are amazing."
(4) The bad: He was accused of sexually abusing a female minor in Los Angeles. He denied the allegations and counter-sued for $10 million, alleging extortion and defamation. The case was later dropped.
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(5) And the gorgeous: He had a career as an underwear model for N2N Bodywear before becoming an actor. Most recently, he was chosen in 2011 as one of People en Español’s "Sexiest Men Alive" and appeared on the cover of that issue.
Watch Levy's first "DWTS" dance with pro partner Cheryl Burke right here:
"Dancing With the Stars" airs Mondays at 8 PM and Tuesdays at 9 PM on ABC.
