Entertainment · October 22, 2026
Julia Stiles Reached Out to Michelle Williams to Get Her Blessing For ‘DWTS’ Routine Dedicated to Heath Ledger
Actress Julia Stiles performed a tribute to her late '10 Things I Hate About You' co-star Heath Ledger on 'Dancing With the Stars' during its 'Dedication Night.' Before the performance, Stiles reached out to Ledger's former partner, Michelle Williams, to receive her blessing. The routine featured a reunion of several original cast members, including Gabrielle Union and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Actor David Krumholtz, who also starred in the 1999 film, missed the event due to filming commitments in New York but expressed his support for the tribute on social media.
Read the original coverage
- BillboardTrade
Julia Stiles Reached Out to Michelle Williams to Get Her Blessing For ‘DWTS’ Routine Dedicated to Heath Ledger
Read at Billboard ↗ - Us WeeklyCelebrity
Julia Stiles Asked Michelle Williams for Permission to Dedicate ‘DWTS’ Tribute to Late Heath Ledger
Read at Us Weekly ↗ - VarietyTrade
Julia Stiles Asked Michelle Williams for Permission to Do Heath Ledger ‘DWTS’ Tribute; David Krumholtz Explains Why He Missed Reunion
Read at Variety ↗ Why David Krumholtz Was Absent From ’10 Things I Hate About You’ Reunion on ‘DWTS’
Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗- E! NewsCelebrity
Why 10 Things' David Krumholtz Was Absent From DWTS' Heath Ledger Tribute
Read at E! News ↗
Reported by multiple outlets
- Julia Stiles performed a dance routine dedicated to Heath Ledger on Dancing With the Stars.
- Stiles reached out to Michelle Williams for permission before the tribute.
- The routine was set to Frankie Valli’s 'Can’t Take My Eyes Off You'.
- Several cast members from '10 Things I Hate About You' joined Stiles on stage or in the studio.
- David Krumholtz was absent from the reunion due to filming a movie in the Catskill Mountains.
Reported by only some outlets
- The 10 Things I Hate About You writers, Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, were also present in the studio.
- Julia Stiles' professional dance partner is Ezra Sosa.
- David Krumholtz jokingly noted his newly bald head would have become 'internet fodder' if he had appeared.
Confirmed
- Julia Stiles received Michelle Williams' blessing for the Heath Ledger tribute.
- The routine was performed on 'Dancing With the Stars' Dedication Night.
- Cast members Gabrielle Union, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Susan May Pratt, and Andrew Keegan participated in the reunion.
- David Krumholtz posted an Instagram video explaining his absence.
Reported
- Stiles first called Joey (Gordon-Levitt) and Larisa (Oleynik) before the others when organizing the reunion. (Us Weekly)
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