Maksim Chmerkovskiy is denying once more that he and Jennifer Lopez are dating.
The 34-year-old dancer has been linked to Lopez since the singer's spilt from boyfriend Casper Smart, but Chmerkovskiy is insisting the two are "just friends."
"We're friends," Chmerkovskiy told the New York Daily News' Confienti@l, adding, "This is it. This is where it ends, pretty much.''
Chmerkovskiy, who danced with Lopez at the 2013 American Music Awards in L.A., said he now understands why it's hard for celebrities to date and added that his life has hit a "new and annoying" level since the rumors began.
"I now understand why Hollywood is such a difficult place to have a good relationship in: because there's all these interferences," Chmerkovskiy said. "Two people have to be so strong - and notice I didn't say 'in love'. They have to be in love, but trust me, there've been situations when two people have been really in love, and all of this gets in the way and it completely ruins it."
Chmerkovskiy was engaged to fellow "Dancing with the Stars" pro Karina Smirnoff and has been spotted stepping out with Sports Illustrated cover girl Kate Upton.
He added that the media's sudden scrutiny into his personal life has become "unbearable."
The professional dancer said he is envious of couples like Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, who are reportedly expecting their first child together and have managed to kept their relationship private for many years.
''Look at Eva and Ryan having a baby," Chmerkovskiy said. "I think their relationship is amazing, because it's so quiet and nobody knows anything about it. And so those two people are professional, they're amazing at what they do, and they're strong enough to be able to keep it to themselves. That's brilliant. I envy them and I look up to couples like this.''
