Julia Stiles Honors Dolly Parton on 'Dancing With the Stars' Debut
The actress performed a Quickstep to "9 to 5" with partner Ezra Sosa, dedicating the dance to the late country music icon.
Julia Stiles made her anticipated debut on "Dancing With the Stars" on Wednesday night, performing a tribute to the late country music icon Dolly Parton. Stiles and her professional partner, Ezra Sosa, danced a Quickstep to Parton's hit song "9 to 5," originally featured in the 1980 film of the same name, which starred Parton alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
"A couple weeks before Dolly passed, she approved this song, specifically for me. I’m so honored to be dancing to her music and honoring her legacy. I wanna make her proud," Stiles said on the show. She described Parton as "such a powerhouse" and the song as "an anthem."
The judges, Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, praised Stiles's performance, with Tonioli noting her ability to "stay in character" and calling her "a great actor and a great dancer." The duo received a score of 18 out of 30.
Parton died last month at the age of 80, following a brief battle with cancer. Her representative stated that Parton "spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched," highlighting her extensive charitable work, including the Imagination Library and funding research for a vaccine.
This was not Parton's first appearance on "Dancing With the Stars." In 2007, she performed "9 to 5" on the show with professional dancers, including Derek and Julianne Hough. Julianne Hough recalled Parton's appearance, emphasizing her authenticity and inspiring nature.
Stiles and Sosa's tribute was part of the show's two-night premiere. The season has already seen its first elimination, with Conner Leavitt and his partner Adele Zaikman being sent home. The second elimination is scheduled for Wednesday night. "Dancing With the Stars" will resume its regular weekly schedule on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.