Actress Julia Stiles paid tribute to her late co-star Heath Ledger on Tuesday during “Dedication Night” on “Dancing With the Stars,” reuniting with several fellow cast members from the 1999 romantic comedy “10 Things I Hate About You.”
Stiles, who is competing on the reality dance series alongside professional partner Ezra Sosa, performed a contemporary routine set to Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” The song choice recalled the memorable film sequence where Ledger’s character, Patrick Verona, serenades Stiles’ character, Kat Stratford, across the bleachers of a high school stadium.
A Tribute to Ledger
Dressed in a flowing blue gown reminiscent of her character’s wardrobe, Stiles incorporated movements inspired by Ledger’s original screen performance, RadarOnline reported. The musical arrangement began with an acoustic rhythm before transitioning into brass instrumentation. At the conclusion of the routine, ballroom speakers played recorded audio of Stiles reciting her character’s climactic poem from the movie.
Stiles then walked to the ballroom stairs to place a flower beside a portrait of Ledger. The Australian actor died in January 2008 at age 28 from an accidental drug overdose.
As Stiles laid the flower down, former co-stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan and Susan May Pratt stepped onto the floor. The group stood beside Stiles and linked arms as they viewed the photograph together, according to Rolling Stone.
Following the broadcast, Union posted on Instagram that the evening was deeply moving and noted how meaningful it was for the group to assemble in person.
Seeking Family Blessing
Speaking to Extra TV after the show, Stiles revealed that she reached out to actress Michelle Williams before finalizing the tribute. Stiles said Williams, who dated Ledger after they met filming “Brokeback Mountain” in 2004 and shares a 20-year-old daughter with him, gave her blessing for the performance. When asked how Ledger’s family might view the dance, Stiles told Extra TV she did not want to speak on their behalf.
Stiles explained that she felt strongly about bringing the ensemble together for the broadcast, telling Extra TV that Ledger served as the “leader of the pack” on set who brought out the best in everyone around him. In a statement released before the show, Sosa emphasized that the pair approached the choreography with care and intended only to celebrate Ledger’s legacy with respect.
Ballroom Scores and One Missing Co-Star
The performance earned Stiles and Sosa a score of 36 out of 40 points. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba was moved to tears during the live critique, describing the dance as an “expression of the soul,” while judge Bruno Tonioli commended the pair’s delivery.
One notable face from the original ensemble was missing from the ballroom floor. David Krumholtz, who portrayed Michael Eckman in the film, took to Instagram on Wednesday to explain that he could not attend because he was in upstate New York filming a movie in the Catskill Mountains. Krumholtz praised the routine, calling Ledger a dear friend whom he misses daily and commending Stiles for her performance.
The cultural footprint of the 1999 film continues to grow, with a Broadway musical adaptation written by Lena Dunham and featuring music by Carly Rae Jepsen scheduled to open in August.
