Julia Stiles honored her late “10 Things I Hate About You” co-star Heath Ledger on Tuesday night’s episode of “Dancing with the Stars.”
For “Dedication Night,” the actress and her pro partner, Ezra Sosa, danced a contemporary to Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” which Ledger sings to Stiles’ during the beloved 1999 rom-com.
“I learned a lot from Heath. He was so authentic,” Stiles gushed of her former colleague in a pre-recorded intro package before she and Sosa hit the ballroom.
Stiles said she was “so charmed” by Ledger and said acting alongside him was “so easy.”
“I have so many great memories, but I’m also sad because I really wish that I could pick up the phone and be like, ‘Hey, dude. People really care about that movie. We did something special,’” she said, noting that she “can’t do that.”
Stiles concluded: “The spark in him that you see throughout that movie is what I’m trying to channel because life is too short and we should enjoy every minute that we have on this planet.”
At the end of the routine, Stiles was joined by some of her “10 Things I Hate About You” castmates, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Gabrielle Union.
Stiles told co-host Julianne Hough that Ledger “brought out the light in everybody” around him and helped them “shine.”
The routine earned Stiles and Sosa a 36/40.
In “10 Things I Hate About You,” Stiles plays unsocial teenager Kat, who can’t date due to rules implemented by her overly protective single dad. However, everything changes when Kat meets the charming Australian kid at school, Patrick (Ledger).
Ledger died of an accidental overdose at age 28 in 2008, nine years after the cult classic film came out.
Earlier on Tuesday, Stiles and Sosa released a joint Instagram statement noting that they put “care, sensitivity, and “intention” into the performance dedicated to Ledger.
“From the very beginning, it was incredibly important to [us] that this tribute be created with the utmost respect, thoughtfulness and close guidance from those who hold Heath and his memory closest,” the pair wrote.
“This isn’t about defining a relationship or telling a story that isn’t ours to tell,” the statement continued. “It’s about honoring a beautiful moment in time, a film that changed so many lives, and someone whose impact continues to be felt by generations.”
Stiles, 45, and Sosa, 25, also said they “poured so much love” into the dance and were “incredibly grateful for the trust placed in us to bring it to life,” adding that their “only hope is that it honors his memory with the dignity, love, and respect it deserves.”
During rehearsals for the live show, Stiles called making the film with Ledger “such a special moment in time.”
“It’s amazing that people still care about that movie, and it’s just sad that we can’t celebrate it with him,” she said on the “DWTS” Instagram page.
Sosa said in the clip that he felt “honored and grateful” to choreograph the dance dedicated to the late actor.
“We felt like this routine is so important, not just to honor Heath, but to celebrate the joy and capture his essence in that time you guys had together filming ’10 Things I Hate About You,’” Sosa added.
Stiles also teased there were “special surprises” planned for the dance.
In an interview with People, Stiles admitted she was “actually surprised at how emotional” the rehearsals for the tribute dance were.
“I know from watching the show how emotional ‘Dedication Night’ is. It’s always very personal stories,” she explained. “But I thought, ‘Oh, I’m distanced enough from it. The movie was so many years ago.’”
“But something about watching clips from that movie — seeing our pictures, hearing our voices — is bringing up a lot,” she added.
Stiles also said she “felt [it was] important to honor” the Oscar-winning “Dark Knight” actor, noting that “he lives on because his performance in that film was so incredible.”
“Dancing with the Stars” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams on Disney+.
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