Julia Stiles brought an unforgettable moment to Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday night, reuniting several of her 10 Things I Hate About You costars for a heartfelt tribute to the late Heath Ledger.
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The tribute included several references to Ledger’s memorable dance scene in the film, giving longtime fans a chance to revisit one of the movie’s most iconic moments. Stiles also wore a blue dress that viewers noticed resembled an outfit she wore in the original movie.
As the routine came to an end, Stiles walked toward a photograph of herself and Ledger from the film and placed a rose on the stairs. She then stepped backward to reunite with several of their former costars, including Gabrielle Union, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt and Larisa Oleynik.
The surprise reunion added another emotional layer to the performance, celebrating not only Ledger’s legacy but also the lasting connection shared by the cast of the 1999 film.
During rehearsals, Stiles reflected on her experience working with Ledger and the impact he had on those around him. She described him as authentic and said she learned a great deal from her late costar.
“I see pictures from that time, and I’m like, wow,” she said. “It was so easy with him. I have so many great memories, but I’m also really sad, because I wish I could pick up the phone and be like, ‘Hey dude, people really care about that movie. We did something special.’ And I can’t do that.”
Stiles also explained that she wanted to capture the energy Ledger brought to his famous dance scene.
“I want to recreate the lust for life that he had in that scene,” she added.
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Speaking with co-host Julianne Hough before the performance, Stiles reflected on how much had changed since she was 17 years old, when she filmed 10 Things I Hate About You. She remembered Ledger as someone who brought out the best in everyone around him.
“I remember that Heath just brought out the light in everybody. He was the leader of the pack at the time. He made everybody else shine,” Stiles said.
The actress had previously admitted that preparing for the tribute brought up more emotions than she expected. Although the movie was released decades ago, watching old clips, seeing photographs and hearing the cast’s voices again made the experience feel deeply personal.
“I know from watching the show how emotional Dedication Night is. It’s always very personal stories,” she told. “But I thought, ‘Oh, I’m distanced enough from it. The movie was so many years ago.’ But something about watching clips from that movie, seeing our pictures, hearing our voices is bringing up a lot.”
She added that honoring Ledger felt especially important because his work continues to reach new audiences.
“I really feel how important it is to honor him,” she said. “He lives on because his performance in that film was so incredible.”
Before the episode aired, Stiles and Sosa also shared a joint Instagram post explaining the care they had taken in preparing the tribute. They emphasized that their goal was to honor Ledger respectfully rather than tell a story that did not belong to them.
The pair wrote that they approached the performance with care, sensitivity and intention, recognizing the importance of the film and its lasting impact on generations of viewers.
For Stiles, the performance was an opportunity to celebrate a movie that remains meaningful to fans while remembering a costar whose influence continues long after his death.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with episodes available to stream on Hulu the following day.
