Julia Stiles reveals Michelle Williams approved Heath Ledger tribute on 'Dancing with the Stars'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Julia Stiles reached out to Michelle Williams before organizing a reunion of the '10 Things I Hate About You' cast to honor Heath Ledger on 'Dancing with the Stars'.

The actress wanted to ensure Williams, the mother of Ledger’s daughter, Matilda, was comfortable with the tribute. Stiles also opened up about the emotional experience of revisiting memories of her late co-star and bringing the cast together 27 years after the 1999 teen romantic comedy.

Julia Stiles contacted Michelle Williams before Heath Ledger tribute

Ahead of “Dedication Night” on 'Dancing with the Stars', Stiles made several phone calls to organize the reunion honoring Ledger. Her first call was to Williams, whom Ledger met while filming 'Brokeback Mountain' in 2004.

The former couple welcomed their daughter, Matilda, the following year before ultimately splitting in the autumn of 2007. Speaking to Extra, Stiles explained that she contacted Williams to ask “if this was okay.”

Williams gave her approval, responding, “Yes.” However, Stiles remained cautious about speaking on behalf of the rest of Ledger’s family in Australia, admitting, “I don’t really want to speak for them.”

Ledger died aged 28 just months after his separation from Williams, following an accidental overdose. For Stiles, the tribute was an emotional experience that she described as “very transformative.” She performed to Frankie Valli’s 'Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You', the song Ledger’s character serenades her with in the movie.

“I was like balling the first day of rehearsals because of all the nostalgia and the memories,” Stiles revealed. She added that the experience also brought her face-to-face with something emotionally significant.

Her professional dance partner, Ezra Sosa, recognised what she was experiencing and adjusted their approach to the performance. “He clocked it, and he changed the concept or the way that we thought about the dance in a way that really opened me up, and I’m forever grateful,” Stiles said.

Julia Stiles reunites the '10 Things I Hate About You' cast

Bringing the film’s cast together for the tribute was a special experience for Stiles. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, she explained that the idea emerged during a group conversation with the show’s producers about dedicating the performance to Ledger.

They needed someone to represent the film on stage, but Stiles believed the entire cast should participate. “And I was like, well, it has to be the whole cast, can’t just be one person, ‘cause we were a pack,” she recalled.

Stiles called Joseph Gordon-Levitt first, followed by Larisa Oleynik, who played her sister in the film. She subsequently contacted Gabrielle Union, Susan May Pratt and Andrew Keegan.

Recalling the conversations, Stiles said everyone was willing to participate provided the others joined as well: “Everybody was kind of like, ‘I’ll do it if everybody else does it!’ So it just took one. And it was so special to have them here.”

During rehearsals, Stiles also reflected on Ledger’s influence on her as a young actress. Speaking on 'Dancing with the Stars', she described him as authentic and recalled how naturally they worked together.

“I learned a lot from Heath. He was so authentic,” she said. “I was so charmed by him. I see pictures from that time like, ‘Wow, it was so easy with him.’”