AceShowbiz - On what turned out to be Anna Delvey's final appearance on "Dancing With the Stars", the notorious socialite delivered a succinct and controversial farewell. After being eliminated early during the show's 33rd season, Delvey - when asked what she'd take away from the experience - simply replied, "Nothing."

Delvey's blunt one-word answer quickly went viral, igniting a wave of both criticism and support. Her professional dance partner, Ezra Sosa, was among the few who were not surprised by her reaction. "I knew she was going to say something very iconic and something very Anna Delvey with her exit," noted Sosa, reaffirming his support in an interview with ExtraTV.

He doubled down on defending his TV ballroom partner in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, "It honestly didn't [hurt my feelings when] she said that. I was like, 'Facts, queen.' "

However, despite her dismissive comments, Sosa could feel that Delvey was upset. "When we were eliminated, I could tell from the jump just staring at her face, she was a little upset about it," he said. "So I was like, 'She's going to go off on [host] Julianne [Hough], I can see it happening.' But when she said, 'Nothing,' I was like, 'I'll take it, this is good.' It was so iconic though."

Sosa, a first-time pro dancer on the ABC show, enjoyed his experience with Delvey despite their early elimination. He revealed that Delvey apologized profusely for cutting short his debut season, but he reassured her saying, "No, don't apologize. I'm here for you and this was your journey."

He lamented not having the chance to help Delvey fully showcase her growth on camera, stating, "I really wanted to give her a chance to really grow on camera and let America see who she really is."

Delvey's stint on "Dancing With the Stars" was marked by an outpouring of negative attention, which took an emotional toll on her. Sosa shared a poignant moment where he found Delvey crying in the bathroom due to the influx of hate messages she received. "Seeing her in that state really shocked me and made me sad," he said.

Despite the scrutiny stemming from her criminal past - convictions that include grand larceny and theft of services - Sosa emphasized Delvey's sweet and misunderstood nature. "When I was dancing and teaching her I really tried my best to just see her for the person she is outside the persona and she really is so lovely," he remarked.

Much of the public's sentiment towards Delvey remains tied to her notorious history of posing as a wealthy German heiress to fraudulently secure funds from banks and wealthy individuals. She served nearly four years in prison and remains on house arrest in New York City while fighting her deportation case. Delvey's story was famously adapted into the Netflix series Inventing Anna, bringing her notoriety full circle.

Sosa has continued to advocate for Delvey, appealing to the audience for understanding. "No one deserves the amount of hate that she's getting right now," he said. "She deserves a second chance."

"Dancing With the Stars" season 33 continues to air on ABC and Disney+, showcasing other contestants as they vie for the coveted mirrorball trophy.