Julia Stiles to Honor Heath Ledger on 'Dancing With the Stars' Dedication Night
Julia Stiles is bringing one of the most beloved movie moments of the '90s to the ballroom. The actress will honor her late "10 Things I Hate About You" co-star Heath Ledger during next week's "Dedication Night" on "Dancing With the Stars."
Stiles and her pro partner, Ezra Sosa, will perform a contemporary routine to Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," ABC News reported. The show announced the dedication in a press release Wednesday.
A Nod to an Iconic Scene
The song choice will be instantly recognizable to fans of the 1999 teen romantic comedy. In the film, Ledger's character, Patrick Verona, serenades Stiles' character, Kat Stratford, with the song from the bleachers of the school stadium, backed by a marching band, before school security chases him off.
Ledger died in January 2008 at age 28.
Stiles has spoken fondly of working with him. In a 2021 interview on the "People in the '90s" podcast, she recalled how generous he was while filming the scene where Kat reads a poem about her feelings for Patrick, CFJC Today reported.
"He stood back and he was like, this is your scene," she said. "But he was confident enough, even just starting out, to be like, 'I'm handing over the stage to you.' And I learned way later in life that that doesn't always happen."
"He had his amazing moments in the movie, too," she added, pointing to "the singing and dancing and running up and down those steps."
Stiles Keeps Revisiting Her Classic Roles
The tribute continues a nostalgic run for Stiles this season. On Super Bowl Night earlier this week, when contestants danced to songs from past halftime shows, she and Sosa danced a jazz routine to Jennifer Lopez's "Jenny From the Block" that recreated the Juilliard audition scene from her film "Save the Last Dance," prop chair and all, Bustle reported.
"This is my chance for the do-over that I've always wanted," Stiles said. Her "Save the Last Dance" co-star Sean Patrick Thomas cheered her on from the audience. "I am just over the moon to be here to watch Julia do her thing tonight on Dancing with the Stars," he said in a video shared by the show.
The pair earned 33 out of 40 points and finished fourth that night.
Tissues on Standby
Stiles won't be the only one getting emotional. Each of the 10 remaining couples on Season 35 will dedicate a routine to a person or place that matters to them. Kym Johnson will join the panel as a guest judge.
Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik will dance a Viennese waltz to Nancy Wilson's "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" in honor of her late "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" co-star James Avery.
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson will dedicate a foxtrot to John Mayer's "Stop This Train" to his wife, Shelby. Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy will perform a Viennese waltz to "Unchained Melody" for her mom, Nancy.
Other dedications include Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas' paso doble for Ireland, Amber Glenn's contemporary routine for her sister, Brooke, and Tyler Cameron's contemporary routine to Ed Sheeran's "Supermarket Flowers" in honor of mothers.
Jackson Olson, Ezra Frech and Connor Wood will each honor a parent. The show has a history of tearjerking tributes, including last season, when Robert Irwin honored his mom, Terri.
How to Watch
"Dancing With the Stars" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams live on Disney+, with episodes available the next day on Hulu. Fans who want to keep Stiles in the competition can learn how to vote for their favorite couples.
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