There was not a dry eye in the ballroom Tuesday night after celebrities competing on “Dancing with the Stars” paid tribute to those who left an impact on them, who included actors Heath Ledger and James Avery.
The dedication week is a tradition for the reality series, often leading to emotional moments on the normally lighthearted dance series. Among those competing this season are actors Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali, who chose to honor their former co-stars.
Stiles reflected on her time with Ledger while they were filming their ’90s rom-com “10 Things I Hate About You,” in which Ledger’s role as the mischievous Patrick Verona solidified him as a teen heartthrob. Ledger died in 2008 of an accidental overdose caused by mixing painkillers and sedatives that were prescribed to him.
In her rehearsal package, Stiles recalled how authentic Ledger was during the filming. She teared up talking about how easy it was working with him.
She and her partner, Ezra Sosa, did a contemporary dance to a cover of Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” It was an homage to a famous scene from the movie in which Ledger’s character serenades Stiles.
“I have so many great memories, but I’m also sad, because I really wish that I could pick up the phone and be like: ‘Hey, dude, people really care about that movie. We did something special,’” Stiles said. “And I can’t do that.”
Before the episode aired, the partners posted a joint Instagram statement saying the dance was about honoring “a film that changed so many lives, and someone whose impact continues to be felt by generations.”
Stiles ended her dance by placing a rose down in front of a photo of Ledger. When she turned back, the entire main cast of “10 Things I Hate About You” was on the dance floor to join her.
Actors Andrew Keegan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik and Gabrielle Union joined hands with Stiles as the music faded.
Judge Derek Hough thanked the cast for joining Stiles for the moment after the performance ended.
“I mean, how cool is it to have created something that will last forever, you know?” Hough said. “And tonight, this performance will last forever, as well. It was a perfect combination of joy, fun and emotion.”
Stiles earned a combined total of 36 from the four judges, her best score of the competition series so far.
Another poignant dedication came from the former cast members of the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” as Ali and Alfonso Ribeiro danced in honor of Avery, their on-screen father. Avery, who portrayed Uncle Phil on the series, died on New Year’s Eve in 2013 following complications from open-heart surgery.
Before the episode, Ali posted a TikTok video explaining how much Avery meant to her. She spoke about how he offered her mentorship and “poured” into her at a young age.
“I met him when I was 11 years old,” Ali said. “Every holiday, James would give me a baby doll. I have a collection of beautiful baby dolls. And he told me, ‘I’m giving you these dolls because they look like you, and I always want you to know how beautiful you are.’”
In the segment showing her rehearsals, Ali said she “loved him a lot.”
Ribeiro called it a blessing of his life to be able to do the dance with Ali.
Ribeiro, Ali and her partner, Jan Ravnik, danced a Viennese waltz to Nancy Wilson’s “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am.” The song was a cover recorded by Ali, who said Wilson was one of Avery’s favorite artists.
During the dance, Ravnik left Ali on the dance floor and allowed Ribeiro to end the performance with her. The two shared a tearful hug when the music stopped, with a portrait of Avery on display behind them.
The four judges gave Ali a combined score of 32, her best of the season.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba said she felt honored to be able to watch the former on-screen siblings dance together.
“Dance plays a role in our lives, like, a real role,” Inaba said. “And tonight, I saw it play this role right here live. And you dance like — it was like watching an old Hollywood film come to life, and all of your grace.”