Julia Stiles honours Heath Ledger with emotional DWTS tribute

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 09:20 · Archive

Julia Stiles performed a contemporary dance routine honouring her late 10 Things I Hate About You co-star Heath Ledger on Dancing with the Stars.

Julia Stiles honoured her late 10 Things I Hate About You co-star Heath Ledger with an emotional dance performance on Tuesday's episode of Dancing with the Stars. She and professional partner Ezra Sosa performed a contemporary routine to Frankie Valli's 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' during the show's Dedication Night, the same song that Ledger's character sang to Stiles' character beneath the school bleachers in the 1999 film.

In a pre-recorded video package, Stiles reflected on working with Ledger. "I learned a lot from Heath. He was so authentic," she said, adding that she was "so charmed" by him and that acting alongside him was "so easy". She spoke of her sadness that she could not tell him how much the film continues to resonate with audiences more than two decades after its release. "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.' And I can't do that," she said.

The emotional routine culminated when Stiles placed a rose beside a photograph of herself and Ledger, with an audio recording of her reciting Kat's iconic poem from the film playing in the background. The performance earned the pair 36 out of 40 points and concluded with fellow cast members Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Gabrielle Union joining Stiles on stage. In an interview with co-host Julianne Hough, Stiles said Ledger "brought out the light in everybody" around him. Ledger died of an accidental overdose at age 28 in January 2008, nine years after the film was released.

How it is being reported

• Julia Stiles’ tribute to Heath Ledger with 10 Things I Hate About You cast will bring you to tearsTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page Dancing with the Stars fans watched the screen through blurry eyes as Julia Stiles ’ heart-wrenching tribute to late co-star Heath Ledger . The 45-year-old…Metro · 21 Oct, 10:05
• Julia Stiles Remembers Heath Ledger With Emotional Dancing With The Stars RoutineJulia Stiles paid tribute to her late 10 Things I Hate About You co-star Heath Ledger on the latest episode of Dancing With the Stars . During Tuesday’s Dedication Night, which sees the famous contestants paying homage to special people in their lives and careers, Julia performed a contemporary routine to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, famously featured in one of the 1999 teen classic ’s most iconic scenes. Julia Styles and Ezra Sosa performing together on Tuesday's edition of Dancing With The Stars For her routine, Julia wore a blue dress similar to the one she wears in the film, with a…HuffPost UK · 21 Oct, 10:00
• Julia Stiles reunites 10 Things I Hate About You cast for Heath Ledger tributeThe actress performed to the romcom’s iconic serenade before former co-stars joined her on stage to honour the late actorEvening Standard · 21 Oct, 08:47
• Julia Stiles honors late ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ co-star Heath Ledger in emotional tribute on ‘DWTS’The "Dark Knight" actor died of an accidental overdose in 2008 at the age of 28.New York Post · 21 Oct, 03:12

In this story: Julia Stiles · Heath Ledger · Ezra Soza · Joseph Gordon-Levitt · Gabrielle Union · Dancing with the Stars

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