For years, Julia Stiles had a simple answer whenever Dancing With the Stars came calling: no. The actress loved the show and had been asked to participate before, but something always stopped her from taking that step into the ballroom.
That changed in 2026. After years of turning down the opportunity, Stiles finally agreed to join Season 35, pairing up with professional dancer Ezra Sosa. But for the actress, stepping onto the ballroom floor wasn’t simply another television appearance.
Stiles has spent much of her adult life being selective about how much of herself she puts in the public spotlight. Although she became famous at a young age through movies including 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance, she has generally maintained a more private approach to her personal life and career.
Her decision to join DWTS therefore represented something much more personal. Stiles explained that she had been asked to participate several times over the years, but fear repeatedly kept her from saying yes.
She eventually reached a point where the timing felt different. Instead of allowing that fear to make the decision for her again, Stiles decided to take the opportunity and see what would happen.
Part of that decision came from her complicated relationship with dancing after Save the Last Dance. Although the 2001 movie became closely associated with her character as an aspiring dancer, Stiles has said that she actually stopped taking dance classes after making the film.
The experience had left her feeling self-conscious because people expected her to be an accomplished dancer. Rather than continuing with formal dance training, she became more comfortable dancing privately at home.
Years later, DWTS gave her an opportunity to change that. Stiles has explained that one of her main reasons for joining the show was to rediscover the joy of performing and rebuild her confidence.
That made her partnership with Ezra Sosa particularly important. Stiles has credited the professional dancer with helping her come out of her shell and encouraging her throughout the demanding rehearsal process.
The two have already developed a memorable partnership, with Sosa bringing plenty of energy and personality while Stiles takes on the challenge of learning ballroom choreography from scratch.
Their first performance added another emotional layer to the experience. During the Season 35 premiere, Stiles and Sosa performed a quickstep to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” a song Stiles had specifically hoped to use. Parton had approved the song for Stiles weeks before her death, making the performance especially meaningful.
The pair earned 18 out of 30 points for their premiere performance, with the judges recognizing Stiles’ ability to combine her acting background with the demands of the ballroom.
But Stiles’ DWTS journey isn’t really about proving that she has always been a dancer. Instead, it is about allowing herself to perform again without letting old expectations or self-doubt control the experience.
That became even clearer during the show’s second week, when Stiles and Sosa performed a tango. She described the experience of being on the show as a “really big deal” because she wanted to find her confidence in performing again and become more comfortable letting people see her in a different way.
After years of saying no, Julia Stiles is finally taking the chance she once avoided. And with Ezra Sosa beside her, her DWTS journey has become less about whether she can become a perfect dancer and more about rediscovering the confidence and enjoyment that made her want to perform in the first place.
