Julia Stiles Gets Emotional As ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ Cast Reunites To Honor Heath Ledger

Oct 29, 2026 by apost team

Familiar faces surrounded Julia Stiles as she paid tribute to her late “10 Things I Hate About You” costar Heath Ledger — and the emotional moment became even more special when their former castmates joined her on the dance floor.

The actress, 45, honored Ledger during the Oct. 20, 2026, episode of “Dancing With the Stars,” performing a contemporary routine with professional dance partner Ezra Sosa to Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”

The song holds a special place in the hearts of fans of the beloved 1999 romantic comedy. In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, Ledger’s character, Patrick Verona, serenades Stiles’ character, Kat Stratford, with the song during a soccer practice.

Stiles wore a blue dress reminiscent of the one she wore in the movie, bringing a nostalgic touch to the performance. At the end of the dance, audio of Kat’s emotional poem from the film played as Stiles approached a photograph of herself and Ledger and placed a single rose nearby.

Then came an unexpected reunion.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan and Susan May Pratt joined Stiles on the ballroom floor, bringing together six members of the original cast to remember their late costar.

The group held hands as they stood together, turning the performance into a heartfelt celebration of the film and the actor whose presence continues to resonate with audiences.

Preparing for the tribute proved more emotional than Stiles anticipated.

Speaking to PEOPLE before the performance, she admitted she had assumed enough time had passed since filming the movie that revisiting it would not affect her so deeply.

“I thought, ‘Oh, I’m distanced enough from it. The movie was so many years ago,’” she recalled.

However, watching old clips, looking at photographs and hearing the actors’ voices again brought back a flood of memories.

“I really feel how important it is to honor him,” she said, adding that Ledger continues to live on through his extraordinary performance.

In footage shared before the dance, Stiles also reflected on how naturally they connected while making the film.

“I learned a lot from Heath. He was so authentic,” she said. “It was so easy with him.”

She admitted she wished she could call him to tell him how much people still love their movie and how special their work together was.

Ledger died in January 2008 at age 28 from an accidental prescription drug overdose.

Stiles later told Variety that she wanted the entire cast involved in the tribute, if possible and said she asked each former co-star to participate.

“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,” she revealed. “I begged them, each and every one of them, and they all rallied.”

The actress also reflected on the surreal experience of revisiting her teenage years while performing on a show she loves.

At 17, she never imagined she would one day be 45, dancing on television in a dress reminiscent of her character’s iconic look while audiences continued to cherish the movie.

Stiles and Sosa earned four nines from the judges, scoring 36 out of 40 for their emotional routine.

But for the actress, the evening was about far more than a competition score.

It was an opportunity to celebrate a film that touched generations of viewers, reconnect with former friends and honor a costar whose talent and warmth remain unforgettable.

apost.com

What do you think of Julia Stiles’s emotional tribute through dance? Is “10 Things I Hate About You” a comfort movie for you, too? Let us know, and then pass this along to friends and family who would love to see the tribute to the late Heath Ledger.