Julia Stiles Prepares Heath Ledger Tribute for DWTS Dedication Night

The actress and Ezra Sosa are preparing a contemporary routine for October 20, drawing on a beloved moment from 10 Things I Hate About You.

Julia Stiles is preparing to honor Heath Ledger on Dancing With the Stars, with a tribute scheduled for the show's October 20 Dedication Night.

Speaking about rehearsals at an October 15 event, Stiles said revisiting their time together had brought unexpected tears, Entertainment Weekly reported on Friday. The performance remains upcoming; it has not yet aired.

A familiar song returns

Stiles and professional partner Ezra Sosa are set to perform a contemporary routine to Frankie Valli's “Can't Take My Eyes Off You.” Cosmopolitan's published lineup identifies Ledger as the dance's dedicatee.

The song connects the routine to 10 Things I Hate About You, the 1999 romantic comedy in which the two actors starred. Stiles said she wants the dance to capture happiness as well as loss, according to Entertainment Weekly.

A night of personal tributes

Dedication Night gives contestants a chance to recognize people and places that shaped their lives. The announced lineup also includes Harry Shum Jr. honoring his wife and Maura Higgins dedicating her performance to Ireland.

Stiles' tribute will be one part of that broader program, with the performance itself still to come.

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About the cover image

File photo by Peter Kudlacz, taken at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2019. It does not depict the current rehearsals. Original and attribution. CC BY 2.0. Display may crop the original.