Julia Stiles delivers emotional 10 Things I Hate About You Heath Ledger tribute

Julia Stiles reunited with the cast of 10 Things I Hate About You during an emotional tribute to Heath Ledger on Dancing With The Stars.

Stiles starred opposite Ledger in the 1999 cult romcom 10 Things I Hate About You. One of the film’s most memorable scenes sees Ledger’s bad boy Patrick Verona serenade Stiles’ Kat Stratford with Frankie Valli’s 1967 hit ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Of You’.

Last night (Tuesday October 20) Stiles used the same song during her performance on Dancing To The Stars’ “dedication” night, paying tribute to Ledger who died in 2008 after overdosing on prescription drugs.

She wore a blue dress that was similar to her outfit in the movie and the routine, which she performed with professional dancer Ezra Sosa, featured several nods to Ledger’s 10 Things I Hate About You performance. The dance ended with a photo of Stiles and Ledger from the film and audio of Kat telling Patrick that she “hates it when he’s not around.”

Stiles then placed a rose under the picture before she was then joined by her 10 Things I Hate About You castmates Gabrielle Union, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt and Larisa Oleynik. Check out the performance below:

Stiles told Dancing With The Stars’ co-host Julianne Hough that she was reflecting on “who I was at 17-years-old and who I am now” before the dance. “I remember that Heath just brought out the light in everybody. He was the leader of the pack at the time. He made everybody else shine.”

“I don’t think we’ve ever approached a performance with more care, sensitivity, and intention than this one,” Stiles and Sosa wrote on Instagram. “From the very beginning, it was incredibly important to both Julia and I that this tribute be created with the utmost respect, thoughtfulness, and close guidance from those who hold Heath and his memory closest.

“This isn’t about defining a relationship or telling a story that isn’t ours to tell. It’s about honouring a beautiful moment in time, a film that changed so many lives, and someone whose impact continues to be felt by generations,” the continued. “We’ve poured so much love into this piece, and we’re incredibly grateful for the trust placed in us to bring it to life. Our only hope is that it honours his memory with the dignity, love, and respect it deserves.”

In August, it was confirmed that Lena Dunham and Carly Rae Jepsen’s musical adaptation of 10 Things I Hate About You was set to hit Broadway in 2027. The logline calls it a “rebellious” musical about “growing up, discovering yourself, and refusing to live by others’ expectations. Amid the crushes, cliques and teenage angst, two sisters set out to define themselves on their own terms.”

Speaking to Dork Magazine about the project, Jepsen said: “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before, but it feels like I was born to do it. I know that sounds cocky, but it’s all the things that I love in one place… It’s a playground of songwriting because the usual rules don’t apply.”