Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater's Electrifying Chemistry Leaves Everyone Speechless!

Emma Slater and Mauricio Umansky JOCE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Mauricio Umansky sparked speculation when he was seen getting close with his Dancing With the Stars partner, Emma Slater, while he deals with his troubled marriage to Kyle Richards. At the famous TMZ obtained photos, Umansky, 53, and Slater, 34, were captured holding hands after enjoying a meal together in Beverly Hills. The two were also seen sharing a jovial moment before their dinner.

Umansky and Slater were seen in the pictures, dressed in their respective outfits. Umansky wore a black hoodie, khaki pants, and a backwards hat, while Slater was clad in black leggings, a crewneck sweater, and sneakers. It is worth noting that this outing occurred a month after Umansky's debut on DWTS with Slater as his professional partner for season 32. Before the season premiere, Umansky expressed his exclusive excitement about working with Slater.

"Emma is truly an experienced professional, and her talent is unparalleled," he enthused in September. "I was searching for someone incredibly driven and competitive, and together, we will achieve great success and create something truly extraordinary."

While Umansky has formed a strong bond with Slater on the dance floor, his tumultuous marriage with estranged wife Richards, 54, has remained a constant source of media attention. In July, reports revealed that Umansky and Richards' relationship encountered significant challenges after being together for 27 years.

"We have experienced a challenging year, the most difficult one in our marriage," the couple communicated through Instagram in the same month. "However, we deeply love and respect each other. No one is at fault here. Despite being in the public spotlight, we kindly request privacy as we navigate through our issues." (Richards also has a daughter, Farrah, 34, from her previous marriage to Guraish Aldjufrie.)

Although Umansky and Richards emphasized earlier that they are not seeking a divorce, they have now acknowledged that they are facing a crucial decision point.

"Kyle and I, as human beings, experience a range of emotions and go through challenging times. Currently, we are physically apart," Umansky revealed to TMZ on September 29. "We are not discussing divorce but are navigating these difficulties privately and individually."

The status of their relationship was further brought into scrutiny with the release of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 13 trailer. In the video, Richards' fellow cast members raised concerns about the state of her marriage, with Garcelle Beauvais questioning, "If there was unfaithfulness, would you choose to remain?"

Richards responded in the October 3 footage, stating, "I'm unsure." The nature of her relationship with Umansky garnered further attention in the trailer, especially when Richards was seen tattooing the letter "K" onto her friend Morgan Wade's body.

Despite rumors that emerged this summer, the Halloween Kills star has consistently denied being involved romantically with Wade, aged 28.

Umansky explained on social media that his mistake on October 3's DWTS was partially caused by the release of the RHOBH trailer. During Latin Night, Umansky almost got eliminated from DWTS because he missed a significant part of his routine due to the stress caused by the family drama being exposed on RHOBH. "Just before the dance, the trailer for the upcoming season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was released, which focused on my marriage. My kids were in the audience at Dancing With the Stars, and I hadn't discussed it with them," Umansky told Slater during the October 10 episode.

Slater has been dealing with her own relationship struggles after ending her relationship with fellow DWTS professional Sasha Farber last year. It was reported in August 2022 that Slater and Farber, 39, had separated in April. Slater filed for divorce in February and has since had to work alongside her estranged husband on the ABC dance competition.

In October, she shared with E! News that seeing Farber regularly is not a nightmare for her. She expressed that they have a strong support system and she wants nothing but the best for Sasha. Slater mentioned that she loves seeing him and Alyson Hannigan together on the show and emphasized the genuine support they have for each other.