Julia Stiles Honors Heath Ledger on 'Dancing with the Stars'
The actress performed a contemporary dance dedicated to her late '10 Things I Hate About You' co-star.
Julia Stiles honored her late "10 Things I Hate About You" co-star Heath Ledger on a recent episode of "Dancing with the Stars." For "Dedication Night," Stiles and her professional partner, Ezra Sosa, performed a contemporary dance to Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," a song famously sung by Ledger to Stiles' character in the 1999 film.
Stiles shared her reflections on Ledger, describing him as "so authentic" and "so charmed." She recalled acting alongside him as being "so easy" and expressed sadness that she could not speak to him anymore. "I have so many great memories, but I’m also sad because I really wish that I could pick up the phone and be like, ‘Hey, dude. People really care about that movie. We did something special,’" Stiles said in a pre-recorded segment. She added, "The spark in him that you see throughout that movie is what I’m trying to channel because life is too short and we should enjoy every minute that we have on this planet."
![Julia Stiles on "DWTS"]( "Julia Stiles on "DWTS"")
At the conclusion of the dance, Stiles was joined by fellow "10 Things I Hate About You" cast members, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Gabrielle Union. Stiles told co-host Julianne Hough that Ledger "brought out the light in everybody" and helped them "shine." The performance earned Stiles and Sosa a score of 36 out of 40.
In "10 Things I Hate About You," Stiles portrayed Kat Stratford, a high school student whose father implemented a rule preventing her from dating. Her life changes when she meets Patrick Verona, played by Ledger. Ledger died in 2008 from an accidental overdose at the age of 28.
![Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles in "10 Things I Hate About You"]( "Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles in "10 Things I Hate About You"" "The actors play love interests in the rom-com.")
In a joint Instagram statement released prior to the show, Stiles and Sosa noted that they approached the performance with "care, sensitivity, and intention." They wrote, "From the very beginning, it was incredibly important to [us] that this tribute be created with the utmost respect, thoughtfulness and close guidance from those who hold Heath and his memory closest." The statement continued, "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."
Stiles, 45, and Sosa, 25, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to honor Ledger, adding that their "only hope is that it honors his memory with the dignity, love, and respect it deserves."
During rehearsals, Stiles described the process of preparing for the tribute dance as "emotional," noting that seeing clips and photos from the movie brought up significant feelings. She also emphasized the importance of honoring Ledger, stating that "he lives on because his performance in that film was so incredible."
