Julia Stiles turned her “Dancing With the Stars” debut into a heartfelt tribute to Dolly Parton during the second night of the Season 35 premiere. Stiles and professional partner Ezra Sosa performed a lively quickstep to Parton’s classic “9 to 5” on September 16.
The song perfectly fit the premiere theme, which asked each celebrity to dance to a No. 1 hit from the year they were born. Stiles was born in 1981, the same year “9 to 5” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
But what initially seemed like a fun nostalgic song choice became much more meaningful after Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80. Stiles explained that the routine and song had actually been chosen before the country legend’s death.
Even more remarkably, Stiles revealed during the show that Parton had personally approved the use of “9 to 5” for her routine just weeks before her passing. That knowledge transformed Stiles’ first competitive dance into a tribute carrying Parton’s blessing.
Stiles said she felt incredibly honored to dance to Parton’s music and wanted to make her proud. She described Dolly as a “powerhouse” and a legend, explaining that she thinks about Parton whenever she experiences self-doubt.
Stiles and Sosa brought plenty of energy to their quickstep, while the workplace-inspired song gave the routine a playful character. It also allowed Stiles to combine acting and dancing—two abilities audiences have associated with her since “Save the Last Dance.”
The judges responded positively to her debut. Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli praised Stiles’ performance qualities, with Tonioli particularly recognizing how effectively she remained in character throughout the routine.
Stiles and Sosa ultimately received 18 points out of 30 for their quickstep. It was a solid beginning for an actress who had repeatedly turned down opportunities to compete on “Dancing With the Stars” before finally agreeing to join Season 35.
Despite her famous dancing role in “Save the Last Dance,” Stiles has made clear that she has not spent the intervening years continuously training as a dancer. She said she stopped taking dance classes after making the 2001 movie, making ballroom competition a fresh challenge more than two decades later.
There was also a special connection between Parton and the “DWTS” ballroom long before Stiles’ tribute. Parton appeared on the show in 2007 and performed “9 to 5” alongside professional dancers including Derek and Julianne Hough, Cheryl Burke and Mark Ballas.
Parton originally wrote “9 to 5” for the 1980 movie of the same name, in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The song became one of her signature recordings and remains closely associated with both her film career and her influence as a songwriter.
For Stiles, however, the Season 35 premiere became about something bigger than earning judges’ points. Knowing that Parton had approved the song before her death gave the performance an unexpectedly personal meaning, allowing Stiles and Sosa to begin their “DWTS” journey by celebrating a legendary entertainer Stiles clearly admired.
