Julia Stiles seeks Michelle Williams' blessing before honoring Heath Ledger on DWTS
Actress Julia Stiles asked Michelle Williams for permission before dedicating her Dancing With the Stars routine to late co-star Heath Ledger, incorporating several former cast members from "10 Things I Hate About You."
Julia Stiles told Extra TV that she consulted Michelle Williams before dedicating her "Dedication Night" performance on "Dancing With the Stars" to Heath Ledger, her co-star in the 1999 film "10 Things I Hate About You." > "I did ask Michelle if this was OK and she said yes," Stiles said.
Stiles, 45, said she could not speak for Ledger’s family regarding the tribute. She explained that the routine was designed to represent the whole movie cast rather than a single individual. > "It has to be the whole cast, it can’t just be one person, it’s got to be everybody," she recalled.
The contemporary dance, performed with partner Ezra Sosa, was set to Frankie Valli’s "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You," a song featured in the film. At the conclusion, Stiles was joined by former co-stars Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik and Gabrielle Union; David Krumholtz was not present. The pair received a score of 36 out of 40.
Stiles also described Ledger as a "beacon of light" and praised his ability to create a fun atmosphere on set. Ledger died in 2008 from an accidental overdose at age 28. Michelle Williams, who dated Ledger from 2004 to 2007 and shares a 20-year-old daughter with him, previously referred to Ledger as "so special" during a 2025 interview on "Armchair Expert."