Elaine Hendrix has struck a chord with the Dancing With the Stars audience. The actress, who first gained some recognition in the '90s for guest appearances on TV shows like Ellen and Married... with Children, earned her breakout role as Meredith Blake in Nancy Meyers' 1998 remake of The Parent Trap. Since then, she's starred in a number of films and television series, but has captivated viewers of season 34 of DWTS as she celebrates being a woman in her 50s tackling ballroom dance alongside fellow contestants who are decades younger than her. "I'm on this incredible roller coaster that I don't want to end, and I'm just loving every second of it," Hendrix told Us Weekly in October 2025 of being on the dance competition series. "Also, I feel like anything can happen on this show, which is wild, right?" Alan Bersten Defends 'Great Connection' With 'DWTS' Partner Elaine Hendrix A few weeks later, Hendrix wowed the crowd as she performed to "Defying Gravity" during Wicked Night - explaining in her pre-dance package that she was defying her own odds at every rehearsal due to injuries she sustained after a 1992 car accident. "I have a titanium joint in my right foot," she shared, "so that renders half my foot unusable. Every week, my body shifts into a new pain spot, but I just don't want to let it stop me." Her pro partner, Alan Bersten, wanted her to realize that she could "trust herself" and "is stronger than her injuries," so he choreographed a challenging routine, which ended in Hendrix floating above the crowd in an epic Elphaba moment. After receiving all nines from the judges, Hendrix proudly expressed, "I'm so grateful for this moment. I am 54, I am injured and I just did that!" Below, see more of Elaine Hendrix's quotes about her age on DWTS: Elaine Hendrix on Wicked Night. Disney/Eric McCandless 'Bring It On' In her intro package on DWTS, Hendrix said she started her career as a professional dancer. "I want the sweat, I want the blisters, bring it on," she insisted. Hendrix went on to tell Bersten that she was hit by a car and "really lucky I walked away from it." "The reality is, I don't know if I can do this," she added. "I close my eyes and imagine I'm still 21 years old, but my body may have different plans." For Week 1, she danced a cha-cha and earned rave reviews from the judges. "I don't even know what to say. You are amazing," judge Derek Hough told her, with Bruno Tonioli adding, "Sassy, sexy yet classy ... great performance, great potential." Hendrix was thrilled with her routine, telling cohost Julianne Hough that her body definitely "feels it" but "it's so worth it, especially at this time in my life." "I want to prove to myself and prove to other women that age is just a number. It doesn't matter," she insisted. Elaine Hendrix on Premiere Night. Disney/Eric McCandless 54 and Fabulous During One-Hit Wonders Night, Hendrix danced a lively cheerleader-themed jive to "Hey Mickey" by Toni Basil. Then, for TikTok Night, she kept the momentum going with a tango to KATSEYE's "Gnarly." "Elaine, you are badass," Derek told her after the dance. On her struggles to connect her mind with her body, Hendrix said, "Everyone can do math, I'm 54 years old and I just did that." Her Parent Trap costar and best friend Lisa Ann Walter cheered from the audience, shouting, "That's right, Elaine!" Judge Carrie Ann Inaba also stood up and clapped. Elaine Hendrix on Disney Night. Disney/Frank Micelotta Redefining Age The following week, Walter held up a T-shirt that read Hendrix's now iconic catchphrase on Disney Night as Inaba praised her routine. (Walter is 62 and Inaba is 57.) "You better represent, my sister! That was amazing," Inaba said. "You are redefining what it is to be an [old]... mature, wise, sexy empowered woman. That was brilliant. Your best dance. Amazing. I'm so happy!" After receiving eights from the judges, Hendrix said, "I just want to say that I am walking proof that your dreams may not go as you planned them, but it doesn't mean that they're not happening. Go for our dreams!" Elaine Hendrix and Lisa Ann Walter with Alan Bersten on Dedication Night. Disney/Eric McCandless Woman Power Walter joined Hendrix for Dedication Night on DWTS and celebrated her friend for championing older women on the show. Walter entered the rehearsal space with a question: "Is this the meeting of the grown ass women who do whatever we want?" "Female friendships are vital," Hendrix told Bersten, saying that Walter is like a sister. "We support one another. When my mom died, the first person I called was Lisa." After their dance to "This Will Be" by Natalie Cole - also featured in The Parent Trap - Julianne said they "radiate" together. Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten on Wicked Night. Disney/Eric McCandless Wickedly Amazing During Wicked Night, Hendrix's performance defied gravity - and age. Hendrix explained that she has a titanium joint in her right foot and that "every week, my body shifts into a new pain spot." She cried