Julia Stiles to Honor Heath Ledger with Dance on DWTS Dedication Night

Julia Stiles will honor late co‑star Heath Ledger with a dance performance on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars Dedication Night on Oct. 20. She will dance with professional partner Ezra Sosa to Frankie Valli’s 1967 hit “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” the same song Ledger’s character sang to her in the 1999 film “10 Things I Hate About You.” The pairing was announced earlier this week. Stiles told reporters at the InStyle Imagemaker Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday that she was crying during rehearsals, saying the memories of the movie and the voices bring back “so many memories.” She added that Dedication Night is known for emotional tributes and that Ledger’s memory lives on through the performance. Stiles said DWTS producers had invited her to compete for the past two years, and she finally accepted after turning 45, joking that she was “halfway to 90” and ready to face the nerves and the challenge of dancing before millions. She noted she hopes the routine will make the audience feel something and keep Ledger’s talent alive. Dedication Night will be broadcast on ABC on Oct. 20.

Context

Tributes on DWTS’s Dedication Night often feature celebrities performing songs linked to the honoree, aiming to celebrate the person’s legacy while delivering an emotional moment for viewers.