Julia Stiles Honors Heath Ledger on Dancing With the Stars

Julia Stiles is revisiting one of her most memorable film partnerships through a tribute to Heath Ledger on Dancing With the Stars, where she and professional dance partner Ezra Sosa will perform a contemporary routine to Frankie Valli's 1967 hit Can't Take My Eyes Off You during Dedication Night on Tuesday, October 20, according to Yahoo Entertainment and ABC News.

The song featured in the 1999 romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, in which Ledger's character, Patrick Verona, serenades Stiles' character, Kat Stratford, from the bleachers at their high school stadium. Ledger died in January 2008 at age 28 from an accidental prescription drug overdose.

Stiles told People that revisiting footage from the film has stirred stronger emotions than she anticipated. She initially believed the years since the movie's release would give her enough distance from the experience.

"I know watching the show how emotional Dedication Night is. It's always very personal stories. 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." Stiles said.

Stiles also reflected on the lasting connection audiences maintain with the film in a social media post, describing her time working with Ledger as a meaningful period in her career.

"It's amazing that people still care about that movie and it's just sad that we can't celebrate it with him." Stiles wrote.

In a January 2025 interview with E! News, Stiles recalled Ledger's supportive presence during her first leading role in a major motion picture. She described him as a warm and encouraging colleague who helped her feel comfortable on set.

"He just walked into the room and lit it up," Stiles said.

The tribute follows Stiles and Sosa's October 13 performance inspired by her 2001 film Save the Last Dance. Their jazz routine featured a surprise appearance by former co-star Sean Patrick Thomas and earned 33 out of 40 points from the judges, marking their highest score of the season at that point.

Stiles told People that the audience response to the performance had been deeply moving, particularly because viewers continue to appreciate the film decades after its release.

"I'm going to start crying. It is a dream for any performer to have people care... Decades later, to know that people are still enjoying that movie, it means the world to me.

And I got to do my do-over. I got a second chance." Stiles said.

ABC News reported on October 15 that the special would feature 10 remaining celebrity couples dedicating dances to people or places that shaped their lives. Other participants include Tatyana Ali, who will honor her late Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-star James Avery, and Maura Higgins, who will pay tribute to Ireland.

Jenna Dewan is scheduled to honor her mother, Nancy, with a Viennese waltz to Unchained Melody. However, she will dance with substitute partner Alan Bersten after Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended for one week following a social media post referencing the 2022 Academy Awards incident involving Will Smith.

BBC Studios, which produces Dancing With the Stars, announced the suspension on Saturday, saying the well-being of everyone working on the show was non-negotiable. Chmerkovskiy subsequently apologized for his post and described it as a poor decision to reference a meme.

The October 20 episode also features guest judge Kym Johnson, a former professional dancer on the show. Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC and Disney+, with episodes available on Hulu the following day, according to ABC News.