Julia Stiles has multiple hit movies under her belt. She stepped out of her comfort zone with “Save the Last Dance,” where her ballet character learned how to dance hip-hop.
Stiles, 45, is dancing again as a competitor on “Dancing with the Stars.” The actress explained that she took dance classes before “Save the Last Dance” and stopped after its release in 2001.
Julia Stiles Lost Confidence After ‘Save the Last Dance’ and Stopped Dancing
The “10 Things I Hate About You” star is partnered with Ezra Sosa for season 35. The season started with her addressing the criticism of the dancing in the movie. She and Sean Patrick Thomas took lessons for their roles. They were new to the art form, except Stiles took modern dance classes before filming.
“I stopped taking dance classes after that movie,” she said, according to PEOPLE. “I was way too self-conscious about the whole thing. I completely wilted.”
Casting reached out to Stiles to do the show after they found out she was a fan of the competition. She hopes the experience will fix why she felt the need to stop dancing.
“My biggest hope for coming on the show was to find my confidence in performing again,” she said. “I love dancing at home in my living room, but to be able to do that in front of an audience and also let them in on my inner world comfortably, that’s really where I’m hoping to grow.”
Andy Cohen Apologized to Julia Stiles
One of the people who weren’t impressed with Sara’s audition for Juilliard is Andy Cohen. “Can we all just agree that Julia Stiles is not the greatest dancer on the planet?” the Bravo host said in a conversation with Kerry Washington on “Radio Andy.”
Washington, who played Chenille in the movie, defended the choreographer of the film, Fatima Robinson. The clip was played in the “Dancing with the Stars” episode before Stiles’ first dance. The judges gave her high scores, and Derek Hough yelled, “Andy Cohen, you can eat it!”
Cohen, 58, addressed his comments afterward. “Julia, I am so sorry,” he said on “Watch What Happens Live” as he made himself the Jackhole of the Day. He gave permission to viewers to send “the ten things you hate about me” to his inbox.
Juilliard posted her cast picture on Instagram and captioned it, “*Checks registrar* No, Julia Stiles did not, in fact, attend Juilliard. But we love her anyway. You can see ~actual~ Juilliard dancers (and musicians and actors) on Opening Night of the Juilliard Fall Festival Sept 16. Tickets available at Juilliard.edu/FallFestival P.S. Good luck on DWTS, Julia… we’re cheering you on!”
The institution showed support for the actress with a package. On Sept. 17, Sosa and Stiles posted a video of them opening a package from the school. There were totes inside and a note.
“Dear Julia, with our apologies for the clerical error your alumni file was found under the name Sara Johnson. We are so proud of you and cheering you and Ezra on, and remember ‘Dancing with the Stars’ ain’t no square dance. But we know you’ll dance circles probably around everyone else,” read the note.
So the actress is facing her critics through this experience. This opportunity also gets her back on the dance floor after quitting.
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‘Dancing with the Stars’: Why Julia Stiles Stopped Dance Classes After Her Hit Movie