The “Dancing With the Stars” season 35 premiere is just four days away. Right now, the celebrity contestants and their professional dance partners are perfecting their routines and preparing for the big night. “Save the Last Dance” actress Julia Stiles can’t wait to show her Quickstep, which will honor the late Dolly Parton.
Julia Stiles Opens Up About Her Tribute to Dolly Parton
ABC officially released the full set list for the DWTS season 35 premiere night. There will be 16 stunning routines, but Julia Stiles is over the moon to have a Dolly Parton song.
“This performance will be such a special moment! Join host @richtercommaandy and guests every Thursday on the #DWTSPodcast, now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu,” the official “Dancing With the Stars” Instagram account shared, teasing what fans can expect from the new podcast episodes.
In the clip, Andy Richter reveals that each contestant will perform to a song from the year they were born. Actress Julia Stiles and her partner Ezra Sosa will dance the Quickstep to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton. Though they chose the songs prior to the singer’s death, Julia Stiles can’t wait to honor her.
“So I was born in 1981, which was a weird year for music,” Stiles explains. “Surprisingly, you’d think it was the ’80s, but we hadn’t gotten to Madonna or Cyndi Lauper yet. But I lucked out because I get to dance to ‘9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton.”
“And we picked it. It was the first song that the producers suggested to me and I was like, ‘Yes, that’s it!'” the “10 Things I Hate About You” star continued. “It was before Dolly passed, so we had no idea. And now I’m just like, so honored to dance to her music.”
While Dolly Parton was widely loved for her music, admirers also adored her personality. She was a beacon of kindness and acceptance throughout her life.
“Anytime I feel shaky or have self-doubt, I just think of Dolly,” Stiles added. “She was just epic. I feel so, so honored.”
DWTS Viewers Demand a ‘Dolly Parton’ Theme Night
Fans were absolutely delighted to hear that a Dolly Parton song will be included in the season premiere.
“You go girl!! 🤗 How cool and special this will be!! I’m watching!!” one fan excitedly shared in the comments.
“And I’m crying. The show hasn’t even started,” another added.
Several DWTS fans wrote how much they’d love to see an entire night dedicated to Dolly Parton. As Julia Stiles explained, they choose the music well in advance. However, there’s always time to make adjustments to the schedule.
Fans can catch Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa’s performance during the second night of the DWTS season 35 premiere. On Tuesday, September 15, the men will showcase their routines, with the women performing on Wednesday, September 16.
Two couples will go home during week one, so fans will need to vote to keep Julia and Ezra in the competition.
