Julia Stiles Reunites the 10 Things I Hate About You Cast for an Emotional Heath Ledger Tribute

Julia Stiles has reunited with her 10 Things I Hate About You castmates and the occasion was both beautiful and heartbreaking. During Tuesday night’s episode of Dancing With the Stars, Julia performed a contemporary dance dedicated to her late co-star Heath Ledger, who died in 2008 at the age of 28.

Her professional partner, Ezra Sosa, choreographed the routine to Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. Yes, the same song Heath famously performed while serenading Julia’s character in the 1999 film. But the performance didn’t end there.

Julia also surprised audiences by bringing out five of her former castmates, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan and Susan May Pratt. And honestly, seeing everybody together again was quite emotional.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE after the performance, Stiles spoke about the “responsibility” of dedicating the dance to Ledger. “I think we both felt a responsibility to be respectful, to honor him in a way that felt authentic and sincere. And we wanted to handle it delicately,” she says.

PEOPLE

I love that they did this. And I particularly appreciate that the tribute wasn’t simply an excuse to recreate a popular scene from a beloved film. There was genuine affection behind it.

Julia’s Tribute Was Beautifully Considered

One of the things I enjoyed most was the attention to detail. Julia’s blue dress immediately recalled Kat Stratford’s prom outfit. The choreography incorporated familiar movements from Heath’s performance.

And the song itself was the perfect choice. Anyone who remembers 10 Things I Hate About You knows exactly which scene I’m talking about. Heath’s character, Patrick Verona, grabs a microphone and begins singing to Kat from the school bleachers.

It is ridiculous. Romantic. A little embarrassing. And completely charming. More importantly, it captures something about Heath’s screen presence. He had an extraordinary ability to make even the most outrageous moment feel believable. And Julia clearly remembers that quality.

During rehearsals, she described him as somebody who brought warmth and authenticity to the people around him. She also admitted that revisiting the film had been unexpectedly emotional.

At one point, she explained how much she wished she could simply call Heath and tell him how much people still loved their movie. That was the part that really got me. Because no matter how successful somebody becomes, there are certain conversations they can never have again.

The Cast Reunion Made Everything Better

I also loved seeing Gabrielle Union, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan, and Susan May Pratt, what a wonderful group of actors. There is something particularly satisfying about seeing performers reunite decades after making a film together. Especially when the film has become such an important part of popular culture. 10 Things I Hate About You was released in 1999.

It was a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, set in an American high school. And unlike many teenage films from that period, it has aged remarkably well in several respects.

Kat was intelligent, outspoken, opinionated and completely uninterested in making herself more agreeable to attract a boyfriend. She wasn’t always pleasant. But she wasn’t supposed to be. She was a teenage girl figuring out who she wanted to become and Julia played her beautifully.

Heath Ledger Was More Than the Joker

I think it is also important to remember Heath’s earlier work. His performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight was extraordinary. He deserved the recognition he received.

But sometimes that role dominates conversations about his career. Before The Dark Knight, there was 10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight’s Tale, Brokeback Mountain and several performances that demonstrated his remarkable range.

A Knight’s Tale.

Brokeback Mountain.

He could be funny, romantic, vulnerable, and deeply unsettling. That versatility is one of the reasons his death remains such a loss to cinema. We never got to see the roles he might have taken in his forties or fifties. Or how his performances might have evolved. Julia’s tribute acknowledged that loss without allowing sadness to overwhelm the celebration of his work.

Some Films Really Do Stay With Us

The routine earned Julia and Ezra 36 out of 40 points. But I doubt the score was particularly important to Julia that evening. She had the opportunity to honour somebody who helped shape her early career.

She reunited with people who shared that experience and she reminded audiences why a film released nearly three decades ago continues to mean so much to people.

I also appreciate that Julia and Ezra approached the tribute with sensitivity rather than attempting to manufacture an enormous emotional spectacle.

I genuinely hope somebody organises a proper 10 Things I Hate About You anniversary event featuring the surviving cast. Because this reunion reminded me how much I loved that film and how wonderful Heath Ledger was in it.

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