Culture 4 min read By Morgan Griffin
Julia Stiles Honors Heath Ledger With '10 Things I Hate About You' Reunion on 'Dancing With the Stars'
Julia Stiles paid tribute to her late co-star Heath Ledger during a 'Dancing With the Stars' performance, reuniting with the cast of '10 Things I Hate About You' and reflecting on the film's legacy.
Julia Stiles turned a Dancing With the Stars performance into a tribute to Heath Ledger, reuniting with several of her 10 Things I Hate About You co-stars and reflecting on the late actor's influence on the 1999 film that helped define a generation of romantic comedies.
During the show's dedication night, Stiles performed with professional partner Ezra Sosa to Frankie Valli's «Can't Take My Eyes Off You» — the same song Ledger's character, Patrick Verona, famously serenaded Stiles' Kat Stratford with in the film. She wore a blue dress reminiscent of her character's outfit, and the routine included several nods to Ledger's performance. The dance concluded with a photo of Stiles and Ledger from the movie and audio of Kat saying she «hates it when he's not around.» Stiles then placed a rose beneath the picture.
After the performance, she was joined by castmates Gabrielle Union, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt and Larisa Oleynik. Stiles told co-host Julianne Hough that she had been reflecting on «who I was at 17-years-old and who I am now» before the dance. «I remember that Heath just brought out the light in everybody,» she said. «He was the leader of the pack at the time. He made everybody else shine.»
Ledger, an Australian actor, died in 2008 at age 28 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. His performance as the brooding Patrick Verona opposite Stiles' Kat became one of the defining roles of his early career, and the film's serenade scene remains one of the most recognizable moments in late-1990s teen cinema.
Stiles and Sosa also addressed the tribute on Instagram, writing that they had never approached a performance «with more care, sensitivity, and intention.» They said it was important to both of them that the piece be created «with the utmost respect, thoughtfulness, and close guidance from those who hold Heath and his memory closest.» The statement continued: «This isn't about defining a relationship or telling a story that isn't ours to tell. It's about honouring a beautiful moment in time, a film that changed so many lives, and someone whose impact continues to be felt by generations.» They added that they hoped the performance honored Ledger's memory «with the dignity, love, and respect it deserves.»
The reunion comes as 10 Things I Hate About You continues to expand beyond its original screen life. In August, it was confirmed that a musical adaptation with music by Carly Rae Jepsen and involvement from Lena Dunham is set to reach Broadway in 2027. The show is described as a «rebellious» musical about «growing up, discovering yourself, and refusing to live by others' expectations,» following two sisters navigating crushes, cliques and teenage angst on their own terms.
Jepsen told Dork Magazine that the project is «unlike anything I've ever done before, but it feels like I was born to do it.» She described it as «a playground of songwriting because the usual rules don't apply.» For Stiles, the Dancing With the Stars tribute offered a more personal route back to the film — one built around memory, gratitude and the cast's enduring bond rather than nostalgia for its own sake.
3
