Julia Stiles has revealed how emotional rehearsals have become for her Dancing with the Stars tribute to Heath Ledger.
She spoke to People at the InStyle Imagemaker Awards on Thursday, October 15. The actress said she hadn’t expected the preparations to affect her so deeply.
It follows another personal performance, with Julia recently revisiting Save the Last Dance during week five of the competition. She said fans’ reaction to that routine had left her deeply touched.
“It is a dream for any performer to have people care. … Decades later, to know that people are still enjoying that movie, it means the world to me. And I got to do my do-over. I got a second chance.”
Julia Stiles prepares for Heath Ledger tribute
Julia and professional partner Ezra Sosa will perform their tribute during Dedication Night on Tuesday, October 20. Their contemporary routine will be set to Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.
Julia had expected the years since filming with Heath to give her some emotional distance. Rehearsals have proved otherwise.
“I’m actually surprised at how emotional it’s been.” I know from watching the show how emotional Dedication Night is. It’s always very personal stories. 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 explained.
The pair starred together in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You. Heath died in 2008, aged 28, from an accidental prescription drug overdose.
For Julia, the upcoming dance offers a chance to celebrate her former co-star and his work. She credited his performance in their film with helping to keep his memory alive.
“I really feel how important it is to honor him,” she told People.
Julia Stiles reflects on Dancing with the Stars experience
Beyond the emotions surrounding Dedication Night, Julia also spoke warmly about her time in the competition.
She described taking part as a dream come true, despite feeling tired. The weekly routines have given her opportunities to be creative, and she finds the experience energising too.
The actress described Dancing with the Stars as her favourite TV show. Learning to waltz with Ezra has brought moments when she can hardly believe she is taking part.
She also expressed gratitude that she gets to earn her living as a performer.
Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8pm ET on ABC and Disney+ in the US. Episodes stream on Hulu the following day.
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