Michelle Williams gave Julia Stiles her blessing to honour late actor Heath Ledger during Dancing With the Stars. Stiles performed a special tribute to her former 10 Things I Hate About You co-star during the show’s Dedication Night on October 20. The performance celebrated Ledger’s lasting impact on the cast and his fans.
Stiles, 45, and professional dance partner Ezra Sosa performed a contemporary routine to Frank Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. Before the performance, Stiles contacted Williams, who shares daughter Matilda with Ledger, to seek her approval. Speaking to Extra TV afterwards, Stiles confirmed that Williams had agreed to the tribute.
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Williams and Ledger met while filming Brokeback Mountain in 2004 and began dating shortly afterwards. They welcomed their daughter, Matilda, in 2005 before ending their relationship in 2007. Ledger died in 2008 at the age of 28 from an accidental overdose.
The tribute carried special meaning because Can’t Take My Eyes Off You featured in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You. Ledger’s character, Patrick Verona, famously serenaded Stiles’ character, Kat Stratford, with the song. Her dance included subtle references to their on-screen romance, bringing the memorable scene back into the spotlight.
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Stiles also reunited several of the film’s cast members for the dedication. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt and Larisa Oleynik joined the tribute. Stiles explained that she wanted the entire cast to represent both the film and Ledger, making the performance a collective remembrance of their late co-star.