Julia Stiles Reunites 10 Things Cast to Honor Heath Ledger on DWTS
Key Takeaway: Julia Stiles reunited the cast of 10 Things I Hate About You on Dancing with the Stars’ Dedication Night to honor late co-star Heath Ledger, dancing a contemporary routine with Ezra Sosa to ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.’
Julia Stiles brought the cast of 10 Things I Hate About You back together on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday night, honoring her late co-star Heath Ledger with an emotional contemporary routine alongside pro partner Ezra Sosa, The Hollywood Reporter noted. The pair danced to Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, the song Ledger’s Patrick Verona famously sang to Kat Stratford in the 1999 film.
After the dance, a still from the film took over the ballroom screen as Kat’s poem to Patrick played, and Stiles laid a flower on the floor before joining her co-stars: Andrew Keegan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Gabrielle Union and Susan May Pratt. The couple scored four 9s, among the highest marks of the night, Deadline reported.
A tribute built with care
“I don’t think we’ve every approached a performance with more care, sensitivity, and intention than this one,” Sosa wrote in a joint Instagram post with Stiles ahead of the show. “I said, if we had to have someone with us on stage representing Heath’s legacy or the film, I said it had to be the whole cast. I begged them, each and every one of them, and they all rallied. They really did,” Stiles told Variety, adding that seeing the film’s clips and hearing Ledger’s voice in rehearsal brought back a flood of memories.
Remembering Ledger
Ledger died in January 2008 at age 28 of an accidental overdose and posthumously won an Oscar for playing the Joker in The Dark Knight, Deadline noted. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba told Stiles: “Watching you, it just makes me want to open my heart.” 10 Things I Hate About You, a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew directed by Gil Junger, was Stiles’ first major feature film.
Key Story Metrics
| Figure | Reported Status |
|---|---|
| DWTS scores | Four 9s, among the night’s highest (Deadline) |
| Air date | Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026, Dedication Night (THR) |
| Song | “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, Frankie Valli (THR) |
| Ledger’s age at death | 28, January 2008 (Variety) |
| Film released | 1999, directed by Gil Junger (THR) |
✓ Verified
The DWTS Dedication Night reunion, the contemporary routine with Ezra Sosa, the Frankie Valli song, the attending co-stars, the four 9s and the flower/rose tribute are confirmed across The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and Variety.
⚠ Still needs confirmation
THR describes Stiles laying a flower on the ground; Deadline says a rose placed beneath the film still. Minor wording difference, same tribute moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Julia Stiles honor Heath Ledger on DWTS?
On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, during the show’s Dedication Night.
What song did Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa dance to?
A contemporary routine to Frankie Valli’s ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.’
Which 10 Things I Hate About You cast members attended?
Andrew Keegan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Gabrielle Union and Susan May Pratt.
- The Hollywood Reporter: Julia Stiles Reunites With ’10 Things I Hate About You’ Cast to Honor Heath Ledger on ‘DWTS’ (20 Oct 2026)
- Deadline: ’10 Things I Hate About You’ Cast Reunites To Honor Heath Ledger With Julia Stiles On ‘Dancing With The Stars’ (20 Oct 2026)
- Variety: Julia Stiles ‘Bawled’ Before Heath Ledger Tribute on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (20 Oct 2026)
Editor’s note: Details reflect reporting through October 21, 2026.
