Dancing with the Stars experienced one of the most emotionally charged evenings in the show’s history during Tuesday night’s “Dedication Night” broadcast. Actress Julia Stiles, 45, and her professional partner Ezra Sosa delivered a deeply moving routine honoring Stiles’s late 10 Things I Hate About You co-star, Heath Ledger, who tragically passed away in January 2008 at the age of 28.
The performance reached its emotional crescendo at the final note, when Stiles was joined on the ballroom floor by an incredible surprise line-up of her original 1999 castmates: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt, and Gabrielle Union.
Speaking with Extra TV immediately following the live show, Stiles revealed that before planning the performance, she sought the blessing of Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, who dated Ledger from 2004 to 2007 after meeting on the set of Brokeback Mountain. The former couple shares a daughter, Matilda, who turns 21 later this month.
“I did ask Michelle if this was OK and she said yes,” Stiles shared quietly, emphasizing the deep respect she holds for Ledger’s family and legacy.
Reflecting on how the reunion segment of the routine came together, Stiles explained that honoring Ledger’s memory required bringing together the collective spirit of the film that launched their careers:
“When we decided we were going to do the dedication, we needed to have somebody here to sort of represent the movie and represent Heath,” Stiles explained. “I was like, ‘It has to be the whole cast, it can’t just be one person, it’s got to be everybody.’”
By gathering her former castmates on national television with the blessing of those who loved him most, Stiles turned a competitive dance number into an enduring, beautiful celebration of friendship, nostalgia, and Ledger’s timeless legacy.
