Julia Stiles Teases “Really Special” Tribute to Heath Ledger for ‘DWTS’ Dedication Night
Julia Stiles’ performance has exceeded far beyond expectations.
During Dancing With the Stars’ Dedication Night Oct. 20, the 10 Things I Hate About You actress paid tribute to her late costar Heath Ledger with heartfelt contemporary routine set to Frankie Valli‘s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”—the same song Ledger’s character Patrick Verona sang to her character Kat Stratford in the 1999 movie—culminating in an emotional reunion with the rest of the cast.
As Stiles wrapped up her dance with pro partner Ezra Sosa, she turned to a screen showing an image of Ledger as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan and Susan May Pratt joined her on the dance floor for a group hug.
“I learned a lot from Heath. He was so authentic,” Stiles shared in a video package before her performance. “I have so many great memories, but I’m also sad because I really wish I could pick up the phone and be like, ‘Hey, dude. People really care about that movie. We did something special.'”
That’s why she set out to “recreate the lust for life” Heath had before his 2008 death at age 28.
“What came up for me a lot in this dance was remembering who I was at 17 years old and who I am now,” she told co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro after her performance received a score of 36 out of 40. “We were so playful back then.”
And prior to her emotional tribute, Stiles reflected on filming the beloved rom-com, calling it a “really special moment in time.”
“It’s a great song, and he was amazing in that scene,” Stiles shared during a recent TikTok livestream alongside Sosa at rehearsals. “So, we’re gonna bring it for you guys.”
Which meant that Stiles’ dedication doubled as a celebration of the Dark Knight star.
“It was important to me that, in the music and in the dance, that we have the somber tribute to him because obviously he’s passed away and he’s no longer with us,” Stiles— who shares kids Strummer, 8, Arlo, 4, and a 2-year-old with husband Preston Cook—shared, “but also that scene brings so much joy to people.”
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“And his energy in it, I wanted to have musically and in terms of the choreography,” she continued. “We want to have the joyful celebration of when he was around.”
In the years since the film’s release, Stiles has opened up about Ledger’s demeanor, noting that he was “very kind and generous” to her.
“He was amazing,” she told E! News in January 2025. “He was such a bright light.”
As Stiles explained, though she and her fellow costars had “such a good time and were close on that set,” Ledger’s presence was notable.
“He just walked into the room,” she recalled, “and lit it up.”
For a closer look at the DWTS cast from this season, keep reading…
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa
You won’t hate this news—the 10 Things I Hate About You star will be saving the last dance for her pro partner.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten
The celebrity chef couldn’t cha-cha-chop away the competition and was eliminated during the Sept. 22 episode.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson
What did you miss on Glee? The actor taking his musical talents to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart
Sadly, the former ’90s teen heartthrob did not MMMBop his way to the top of the leaderboard on season 35. He and his pro partner were axed from the competition on Sept. 29.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress will be bringing her fresh moves to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy
Twenty years after starring in Step Up, the dancer is stepping up to the challenge.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov
The 2026 Olympic figure skater will take her skills from the ice to the ballroom.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach
The Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete will show off his athleticism on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills
Though her sister Brooks Nader was the fifth star to be eliminated on season 33, the Love Thy Nader star said goodbye to the competition after her debut episode on Sept. 16.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold
The comedian, also known as Fibula on social media, is ready to earn more applause on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star followed his wife Whitney Leavitt‘s footsteps after her season 34 appearance, but he bid farwell to the season 35 competition during the Sept. 15 premiere.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess
The Bachelor Nation star is trading in roses for rumbas.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater
The Savannah Bananas baseball player is stepping up to the plate, bringing his dance moves from the diamond to the ballroom.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star was ready to learn some new moves, but his time on DWTS was cut short on Oct. 13.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong
Even though Summer House star had fans screaming “bravo,” she was eliminated from the competition on Oct. 6.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas
The Love Island U.K. alum is hoping her love for DWTS doesn’t betray her as she manifested this experience.
“I have a vision board and I redo it every year,” she told E! News in May. “This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year’s Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board.”
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