Rumer Willis Has A Big ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Crush, Dad Bruce Willis Steps Up

Rumer Willis and Val Chmerkovskiy are the Dancing With The Stars team to beat this season. Anyone can see it, especially because of how Rumer and Val look at one another throughout their Dancing With The Stars routines, but is it really just a part of the show or is there something more going on between Willis and Chmerkovskiy?

The answer to that question will change, depending on which half the Dancing With The Stars couple you ask.

While Rumer is clearly infatuated with her Dancing With The Stars‘ partner, Celeb Dirty Laundry reports that Val has made it very clear to Ms. Willis that her feelings are only one-sided. While Chmerkovskiy may seem to share those magical feelings, sources say that Val privately explained to Rumer that his apparent affection for her is merely a part of the show. It seems Val Chmerkovskiy knows just how to tug at the heartstrings of the Dancing With The Stars judges.

Adding insult to injury, Val told the heartbroken Rumer that he wouldn’t consider dating her. Ever.

As any dutiful father would, Bruce Willis quickly picked up on the vibes Rumer and Val were sending off and, once the full situation became clear to him, Bruce felt compelled to drop by the Dancing With The Stars studio, during rehearsals. According to sources close to the Dancing With The Stars partners, Mr. Willis couldn’t be prouder of Rumer and even took the time to express his feelings on camera by saying “I’m very proud. I love seeing her like that.”

Off camera, Mr. Willis’ love for his daughter took a more protective overtone, the same source reported.

“Bruce didn’t exactly threaten Val, but he made it very clear to him that he had to stop playing with Rumer’s feelings. He told Val that under no circumstances should he be flirting with her – unless he actually wanted to date her. Then he told Val he would be crazy not to want to date Rumer, and implied that Val should ask her out. The whole thing was super uncomfortable to watch.”

It surely must have been humiliating for Rumer Willis to have her father show up to appeal to her crush and defend her honor so openly, which may be why Ms. Willis has been clarifying to the media that she and Val are not an item. Still, sources confirm that recent events behind the Dancing With The Stars scenes have not changed Rumer’s feelings one bit, making it obvious to all that she is heartbroken and still feeling that puppy love.

“You can tell at rehearsals that Rumer is infatuated with Val, she follows him around like a lost puppy. It is literally killing her inside that he isn’t interested in her. And, it’s brutal that he openly flirts with her for publicity — and then behind closed doors he informs her it was all an act and his feelings haven’t changed.”

How will this affect the way Chmerkovskiy and Willis interact on the dance floor? Only time will tell.

[Featured image Rumer Willis and Val Chmerkovskiy courtesy of ABC/Dancing With The Stars.]