Julia Stiles publicly addressed Andy Cohen's past criticism of her dancing abilities on the latest episode of "Dancing With the Stars," sparking a response from the Bravo executive. The exchange began when Stiles, partnered with Ezra Sosa, recalled a comment Cohen made about her dancing.
Stiles, who starred in the 2001 film "Save the Last Dance," expressed that she stopped taking dance classes after the movie because audiences expected her to be a perfect dancer. She specifically mentioned Cohen's remark, asking Sosa if he knew him. Sosa confirmed he did, referring to Cohen as "that diva."
Stiles quoted Cohen's 2025 comment, stating it was "imprinted into my brain": "Can we all just agree that Julia Stiles is not the greatest dancer on the planet?" Cohen had made the remark while interviewing Stiles' "10 Things I Hate About You" co-star Kerry Washington.
After Stiles and Sosa performed a Quickstep to Dolly Parton's "9 to 5," earning a score of 18 out of 30, "Dancing With the Stars" host Derek Hough voiced his support for Stiles by saying, "Andy Cohen, you can eat it!"
Later that evening, Cohen addressed the situation on his show "Watch What Happens Live," humorously dubbing himself the "Jackhole" of the day. He issued an on-air apology, stating, "I am so sorry. I am the last person who should be giving anyone feedback on their dancing."
Cohen then played a clip of himself dancing at a concert and concluded by referencing another of Stiles' films, "10 Things I Hate About You," joking, "This diva gives all of you permission to flood my inbox with the 10 things you hate about me."
Stiles' participation in "Dancing With the Stars" was announced in August. She previously told Entertainment Weekly that her role in "Save the Last Dance" might be a "disadvantage" on the competition series, as she felt pressured by audience expectations of her dancing skills. She expressed a desire to rediscover the joy and confidence in dancing during her time on the show, aiming to overcome self-consciousness.
Sarah Jane Nader was eliminated from "Dancing With the Stars" on the same night Stiles' comments aired. Conner Leavitt was the first contestant eliminated from the season.