Dancing with the Stars Season 34 finale: Hilaria Baldwin’s 'spider' pose sparks online mockery

Hilaria Baldwin’s return to the Dancing with the Stars Season 34 finale generated immediate online reaction on Tuesday night, after viewers circulated screenshots and clips of what they described as a “spider” pose during the closing seconds of her group routine.

The moment, which occurred in the final frame of her choreography with former partner Gleb Savchenko and a crew of previously knocked-out competitors, sparked huge online chatter, turning into one of the night’s top talked-about moments, prompting loads of posts and jokes spreading across platforms.

The pose, where Baldwin crouched close to the floor, leaned toward fellow contestant Jen Affleck, and placed a hand on her waist while smiling directly at the camera, was highlighted repeatedly across X, Reddit and Instagram shortly after the broadcast.

Users commented that she looked like some monster, reminding them of a sudden scare, or could turn into a fresh joke online, sparking tons of chatter that continued past Tuesday night.

The online attention resurfaced ongoing conversations surrounding Baldwin’s time on Dancing with the Stars, including her early elimination and subsequent public statements about fan behaviour toward her.

Hilaria Baldwin’s moment on Dancing with the Stars

During Tuesday’s Season 34 finale, Dancing with the Stars brought back multiple previously eliminated celebrities for ensemble choreography set to Lady Gaga’s “Applause.”

Baldwin, reunited with pro dancer Gleb Savchenko, performed alongside Jen Affleck, Scott Hoying, and Lauren Jauregui. She wore a pink, feathered ballroom dress that had been previously featured during her run on the show.

At the end of the routine, as the dancers lifted into their final pose, Baldwin dropped low to the floor beside Affleck. The pose immediately circulated online, with reactions ranging from humorous to incredulous.

“hilaria sticking to jen like a spider what’s wrong with her,” one viewer wrote.

“New Hilaria meme unlocked,” another user commented.

“I need to see the memes of Hilaria already right now #dwts," a netizen posted.

“WHY DID HILARIA POSE LIKE THAT,” another wrote.

Some users also joked about the visual, including: 

“Hilaria looking like the demon in the corner of my room at night,” a viewer wrote.

“Lol what was that pose hilaria did?” another commented.

“i know hilaria is gonna get flamed for that ending pose LMAO,” an X user posted.

Other commenters reacted to the intensity of Baldwin’s performance, 

“#DWTS obsessed with Hilaria doing the most for that last pose,” one viewer wrote.

“Hilaria is GOLD for this pose,” another user commented.

The moment marked one of Baldwin’s first appearances on Dancing with the Stars since her Week 4 elimination during Disney Night.

At the time, she exited the competition after the judges’ scoring and viewer votes, concluding her participation earlier than several contestants.

Following her elimination, Baldwin said on-air, 

“This has been an incredible experience. I am so grateful to all of you. I am grateful to my children. I am grateful to my family. Thank you, guys, for this. This is wonderful. I am cheering on everybody in the cast. This has been an amazing time.”

Online reactions to her departure were mixed, with some viewers celebrating her elimination.

“HILARIA ELIMINATED THANK GOD,” an X user wrote.

“HILARIA IS GONE WE DID IT,” another one commented.

“me giving 10 votes to even people I hate just so hilaria leaves,” a netizen posted.

After leaving Dancing with the Stars, Baldwin posted that she was still processing the outcome, writing: 

“Spent the day mommying and processing with my children. To my family, friends, Gleb, DWTS, all of you who have encouraged me… I'm forever grateful. I'm excited to cheer on my cast mates. I love you all.”

She also addressed negative comments directed at her:

“I did get bullied off the show. I did, that's for sure. That is for sure.”

During another statement, she said, 

“I would be remiss if I didn’t address the elephant in the room, which is that there was some bullying going on aimed at me over the past few weeks.” She added, “You open TikTok, you're like, ‘Oh my God, this is sad.’ It hurts your feelings.”

On the Too Much podcast, Baldwin said:

“They're gonna vote for all the couples besides me, or besides X person. So that suppresses your fan vote. And I don't care. I'll be the person who's crying in front of the world because I'm gonna show my humanity. Everybody on the show is lovely. I'm only a better, happier person because I did the show.”

Her final appearance now shifts attention from her earlier concerns to the viral moment she unintentionally created.

The Season 34 finale of Dancing with the Stars closed with the crowning of this year’s Mirrorball champion, but Baldwin’s pose remained a talking point across social platforms well after the broadcast concluded.

Stay tuned for more updates.