Julia Stiles leads 10 Things I Hate About You tribute on Dancing with the Stars

Julia Stiles reunited with her 10 Things I Hate About You castmates on Dancing with the Stars for a tribute to Heath Ledger. The performance on Tuesday's Dedication Night episode featured Stiles and pro dancer Ezra Sosa dancing to Frankie Valli's 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You'.

Five of Stiles's former co-stars joined her on stage in a surprise reunion. The group included Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan, and Susan May Pratt. The reunion offered a moving reminder of the film's enduring legacy and the affection its cast continue to hold for their late co-star.

The dance tribute

Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa dedicated their dance to Heath Ledger. They performed to 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You', the song Ledger's character Patrick Verona famously serenaded Stiles's character Kat Stratford with in the 1999 film. Sosa later stated that the tribute was about honoring a beautiful moment in time, a film that changed many lives, and someone whose impact continues to be felt.

At the end of the routine, Stiles and Ledger appeared on-screen together, with Stiles laying a rose on the stairs in tribute. An audio recording of Stiles reciting Kat's iconic poem from the film played in the background. The performance also incorporated a clip featuring the film's memorable cat.

Emotional response

Julia Stiles paid an emotional tribute to the late Heath Ledger after the performance. She stated she has great memories of Heath Ledger but wishes she could tell him people still care about the movie. Speaking to Variety, Stiles said she begged the whole cast to participate and they all rallied.

She expressed sadness that she could not tell Ledger how much the film continues to mean to audiences more than two decades after its release. Stiles said seeing clips from the film conjured up many memories during rehearsals. She added that at 17 years old she never thought she would be here at 45 celebrating her body and that fans are still touched by the movie. Fans reacted emotionally to the tribute, calling it beautiful and perfect.

Heath Ledger's legacy

The song was performed by Heath Ledger's character in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You. Heath Ledger died in 2008 at the age of 28 from an accidental overdose. Ledger's performance in the film helped cement his status as one of the most fondly remembered actors of his generation.

Released in 1999 and directed by Gil Junger, 10 Things I Hate About You has remained a cult favourite. The film is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. It follows teen Joey Donner, played by Andrew Keegan, who wants to date Bianca Stratford, played by Larisa Oleynik. Bianca cannot date until her older sister Kat, played by Stiles, has a boyfriend, per her father's rules. Joey pays a mysterious boy, Patrick Verona, played by Ledger, to ask Kat out.

The emotional routine culminated in Stiles approaching a photograph of herself and Ledger and placing a rose beside it. Stiles said one of the goals of performers is to make people feel something and have people care about the work they do. The dedication night on Dancing With the Stars brought out lots of emotions.