Julia Stiles receives support from "Save the Last Dance" co-star during DWTS performance

Julia Stiles and professional dancer Ezra Sosa performed a hip-hop-inspired jazz routine to Jennifer Lopez’s "Jenny from the Block" on Tuesday’s "Dancing with the Stars" Super Bowl Night episode. The choreography included nods to Stiles’s 2001 film "Save the Last Dance," and during her solo, Sean Patrick Thomas, who co-starred with Stiles in the movie, was visible in the background holding his jacket as his character did.

"We had a great time doing ‘Save the Last Dance’ back in the day, and she brought it all the way back here tonight," Thomas said in an Instagram clip shared by the show.

The judges responded positively, with Bruno Tonioli calling it the pair’s best dance yet. Carrie Ann Inaba praised Stiles’s confidence and grit, while Derek Hough offered a hug and complimented her charisma and performance. The duo received a score of 33 out of 40.

"I’m just seeing someone live out their dream, and it means the world to me," Sosa said.

Stiles, who portrayed aspiring ballet dancer Sara Johnson in the film, noted that her prior dance experience was both a benefit and a challenge. She told Entertainment Weekly that she stopped taking formal dance classes after the movie because of expectations, describing herself as a "home dancer" who hopes to rediscover joy and confidence on the show.

"Dancing with the Stars" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams on Disney+.