Photo: Christopher Willard/Disney
After a nostalgic and emotional run during which she paid homage to Heath Ledger and recreated him Save the Last Dance audition routine, Julia Stiles gave her final performance on Dancing with the stars last night. For At Week 8’s Disney Night, Stiles and his professional partner, Ezra Sosa, performed the paso doble to “Satisfied,” from Hamilton, earning 33 points out of a possible 40 from the judges. The dance offered an opportunity for redemption after last week, when the team received a disappointing score of four from guest judge Shirley Ballas for their Argentine tango on Horror Night. Unfortunately, this week’s dance wasn’t enough to save Stiles from another week.
“It’s sad because I feel like I was just getting started, but I’m really, really glad that we had that dance because for me, it was… I was able to prove something to myself that I needed to prove,” Stiles said in a post-show interview. “I found my confidence. I found my strength. I was able to make this dance my own. And so I’m really happy that we had this moment. I had so much fun. I’ll always have this; I had so much fun.”
The 45-year-old actress told New York TimeThat’s because she’s a long-time fan of the show and imagined herself competing during her Pilates workouts. Week after week, she was determined to stay in the competition, challenging herself to go all-in, even with a rib injury. “I didn’t come into this show to wilt or shake up the whole choreography. I wanted to work hard and stay open,” Stiles said. “It also helped me be proud of my body. I finally silenced that voice that was constantly criticizing every body part.” For many millennials, Stiles’ presence on the show sparked nostalgia for his previous films and served as a reminder that they’re never too old to throw them on the dance floor.
“It’s been an incredible experience all around, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot emotionally, physically, all of that,” Stiles said. What’s next for Stiles and Sosa? The two ask TikTok fans for advice on which matching tattoos to get, and they’re set to make an appearance on Watch what’s happening live to finally face Andy Cohen.
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