Julia Stiles paid emotional tribute to her late 10 Things I Hate About You co-star on Tuesday’s (Oct. 20) Dancing With the Stars dedication night. The now 45-year-old actress who was just 17 when she shared the screen with Heath Ledger in the teen classic twist on Shakespeare’s beloved comedy The Taming of the Shrew took to the floor with partner Ezra Sosa for a contemporary routine to Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
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Ledger’s character, Patrick Verona, famously serenaded Stiles’ Kat Stratford with the kicky Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 pop classic during her high school soccer practice in the film in an instantly iconic bit in which he danced his way across the bleachers in a bid to win her heart.
Wearing a blue, floor-length shimmery dress that hinted at an outfit she wore in the movie, Stiles took to the dance floor barefoot and placed both of her hands over her heart as the announcer introduced her. She and Sosa blazed across the floor during their routine, smiling and running through lifts and spins during the uptempo bits that paid tribute to some of Ledger’s moves in the film. They then slowing things down as the song’s tempo dropped to allow Stiles a quiet moment to honor Ledger, who died at 28 in 2008 from an accidental prescription drug overdose.
Sosa handed the actress a single red rose and then stepped back as Stiles’ weepy poem from the film played over images of the co-stars as she laid the flower down. “I hate it when you’re not around, and the fact that you didn’t call. But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you, not even close. Not even a little bit,” her character emotes.
After slowly stepping away, Stiles joined her fellow co-stars from the film, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan, Gabrielle Union and Susan May Pratt, as they wrapped their arms around each other and stared up at the screen.
After Tuesday’s performance, Stiles told People that she and Sosa “both felt a responsibility to be respectful, to honor him in a way that felt authentic and sincere. And we wanted to handle it delicately.” She called the emotional dance a “labor of love from all parties,” who were all “super close” to Ledger.
“Ezra had this great idea to have this sort of more somber, like, acoustic, beginning,” Stiles told the magazine. “And then I was like, ‘But also we need to have the big brass moment because his energy in that scene was really captivating.’ And, and so it was a nice combination in terms of all, hitting all the notes.”
Before the taping, Stiles said she was surprised at how emotional she felt about the movie she filmed more than a quarter of a century ago and which still brought up a lot of feelings. “I really feel how important it is to honor him,” she said. “He lives on because his performance in that film was so incredible.”
In a joint Instagram post, Stiles and Sosa also described how delicately they planned the routine. “I don’t think we’ve ever approached a performance with more care, sensitivity, and intention than this one,” they wrote. “From the very beginning, it was incredibly important to both Julia and I that this tribute be created with the utmost respect, thoughtfulness, and close guidance from those who hold Heath and his memory closest.
“This isn’t about defining a relationship or telling a story that isn’t ours to tell. It’s about honoring a beautiful moment in time, a film that changed so many lives, and someone whose impact continues to be felt by generations,” they added. “We’ve poured so much love into this piece, and we’re incredibly grateful for the trust placed in us to bring it to life. Our only hope is that it honors his memory with the dignity, love, and respect it deserves.”
Stiles and Sosa earned a 36/40 for their routine, tying with Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson for the night’s third-best score
No one was sent home at the end of the episode, so next week’s Horror Movie Night show will have a double elimination. DWTS airs live on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and streams the next day on Hulu.
Watch Stiles’ performance below.
