Julia Stiles is feeling pretty good about trusting her gut, and it seems to have paid off in more ways than one.
Stiles became a household name in the beloved 2001 drama “Save the Last Dance,” where she played Sara Johnson, a young woman who found her footing through ballet and hip-hop.
It has remained one of the actress’s most memorable roles, cementing her place in the hearts of millions of millennials who grew up watching her.
Now, with her appearance on “Dancing With The Stars,” Stiles returned to her roots with a special performance.
Julia Stiles Was Not Sure DWTS Judges Would Like Her “Save The Last Dance” Tribute
During the “Dancing With The Stars” “Super Bowl Night”, Stiles and professional partner Ezra Sosa recreated a scene from her movie to Jennifer Lopez hit song “Jenny From The Block”
Speaking to her millennial fans, the former teen star said, “We did this for you guys. Thanks for wanting it, because I wanted to serve it,” as fans had wanted to see a routine like that since the Hollywood star joined the celebrity series.
Sosa told Entertainment Weekly that the original number was meant to be something completely different, a traditional jazz routine, but their gut kept pushing them toward “Save The Last Dance,” even though it wasn’t necessarily for the ballroom.
“I looked at Julia, like, ‘We have to lean in all the way. The millennials will love it,’” he said, admitting that “we didn’t even think the judges were going to like this routine.”
Their intuition paid off in the end, as they received their highest scores of the season for the number.
The “10 Things I Hate About You” actress admitted she felt much more comfortable in her own skin, which nudged her final decision to recreate the scene.
Julia Stiles Regretted Playing Up ‘Save The Last Dance’ Training
While the homage drew more attention to her film, Stiles once admitted she wished she hadn’t played up her training for “Save the Last Dance.”
Earlier this month, the 45-year-old watched a 2000 video of herself talking about her iconic movie.
“I enjoy working so much that it’s just sort of natural that I would focus on it, on achieving success and working hard,” the then 19-year-old said. “And actually, in this movie, the dance training that I had to do, I’ve put a lot of energy into. But it’s easy because it’s so much fun and I love to dance,”
After the video, the 90s star was left in shock, admitting she’d exaggerated the training for the project, which she felt was really wrong. She also said she came on “Dancing With The Stars” to refresh what she learned during that period.
‘DWTS’ Has Helped Stiles Reclaim Her Relationship with Fame
Revisiting her roots has become more than a refresher course in old skills. The Hollywood star is also navigating her complicated feelings about being famous.
According to The Blast, while discussing her tango to Teddy Swims “Door” for “Viral Hits Night,” Stiles said she felt a personal connection to the lyrics, as she has felt weird about being in the public eye.
After receiving a lot of attention at a very young age, the “Dexter” alum was intoxicated with it, but it also scared her, causing her to go in the other direction. Stiles spoke about how private she has been and how she didn’t chase popularity the way she was probably expected to.
“So I’m reclaiming my relationship with people watching me,” she confessed “…coming on the show is a really big deal to me. Like, I am a performer. I do love performing, but it’s taken a bit to get me [here],”
Julia Stiles Had A Cryfest Following Judges’ Criticism
Despite the song’s deep meaning and lyrics, the contest judges didn’t receive it well, as Stiles and Sosa earned 16 out of 30, along with tough feedback from Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.
When she was asked backstage how she felt about the review, she replied, “To be completely honest, I’m not feeling great.”
Nevertheless, the actress stayed positive, highlighting the best part of the night: her partner Sosa. She confessed, however, to having a “cryfest” in her trailer after the criticism.
Julia Stiles Received A Special Package From Juilliard School
Stiles’ memorable role remains a recurring theme throughout her journey on “Dancing With The Stars.” Last month, she received a special package from the prestigious Juilliard School, where her character, Johnson, worked hard to get into.
“Dear Julia, with our apologies for the clerical error, your alumni file was found under the name Sara Johnson,” the school wrote in a note sent with alumni gear. “We are so proud of you and cheering you and Ezra on.”
The gesture came after fans called out the school for a previous post. Stiles, however, cleared the air that while her character in the motion picture went to Juilliard, she did not.
