Erica Siaulnski, Staff Writer
The most emotional night of Dancing With the Stars left fans in tears after dancer Julia Stiles paid tribute to her late co-star Heath Ledger.
The most emotional night of the roughly 10 week season, dedication night, is a chance for the dancers to pay tribute to anyone the duo chooses, whether that be a parent, mentor, family member or anyone else who has impacted their lives. Often special guests, family members or others will also join the dancers on the dance floor as they perform. Dedication night has become a fan favorite over the years for its emotional meaning as well as for its separation from the normal competitive atmosphere that can typically be found on the show.
The dance that many fans were looking forward to was Julia Stiles and partner Ezra Sosa’s. Stiles chose to honor her late co-star, for the popular 90’s movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, Heath Ledger. Dancing to the song Can’t Take my Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli, the exact song that in the movie, Ledger’s character famously sings to Stile’s character.
Heath Ledger, a famous actor, best known for his roles in movies such as The Dark Knight, Brokeback Mountain and 10 Things I Hate About You. Was described as kind, selfless and someone who “brought out the best in everyone”, by Julia Stiles. Ledger passed away in 2008 in his New York City apartment, from an accidental drug overdose.
Julia Stiles reached out to Michelle Williams, the mother of Ledger’s one and only child, a daughter named Matilda. Stiles asked for Williams approval before moving forward with the routine, asking if it would be okay to dedicate a dance to Ledger. Williams was more than pleased.
Her co-stars from the iconic 10 Things I Hate About You film, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union and Larisa Oleynik, along with others, and the film’s female screenwriters surprised her by joining her on the ballroom floor. Stiles and her partner were met with 9’s across the board from all judges, her highest score yet this season.
When asked about the emotional dance, Stiles said that “I was like bawling the first day of rehearsals because of all the nostalgia and the memories,” she followed up by stating that she was happy to attribute something to Ledger after all these years.
Fans took to social media, posting things such as “I am NOT OKAY after Julia Stiles dedicated her dance to Heath Ledger” and “Raise your hand if Dedication Night left you in TEARS”. Fans also took to appreciating the small details Stiles incorporated into her dance in attribution to both the film and her late co-star Ledger.
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