More than two decades after “Save the Last Dance” became a fan favorite, Julia Stiles could be returning to the dance floor. The actress is reportedly among the celebrities joining “Dancing With the Stars” for its 35th season. While Stiles has taken on a range of roles since her breakout years, the potential appearance in the dancing competition would take her back to familiar territory.
Julia Stiles became widely known for her role as Kat Stratford in the 1999 rom-com “10 Things I Hate About You,” but one of her most memorable performances came as Sara Johnson, a classically trained ballet dancer who finds a new rhythm through hip-hop, in “Save the Last Dance.”
Now, 25 years after the dance movie’s release, Stiles is reportedly gearing up to head back to the dance floor as one of the competitors in the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars.”
The dance competition show has, so far, confirmed the identities of four contestants, but sources who are part of the production told TMZ that Stiles will be heading to the ballroom.
The Actress Is An Avid Fan Of ‘Dancing With The Stars’
In 2025, Stiles shared that she was hooked on “Dancing With the Stars,” describing it as her version of Monday Night Football.
“I’ll go down YouTube rabbit holes of watching old videos, and I have my favorite choreographers,” the actress told PEOPLE, adding that she has thought about participating in the show, but the logistics would be difficult. “I live in New York City, so it would be hard. Maybe they could do an East Coast version,” she added.
Stiles was born and raised in New York City, and she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Preston J. Cook, and their three young sons.
Julia Stiles Underwent Intensive Dance Training For Her Role
Stiles had no formal dance training before taking on the role of Sara, admitting that her only experience came from dancing casually and brief ballet lessons in her younger years.
To embody the classically trained ballet dancer, Stiles had to undergo intensive training for months before filming began. While she said the choreography was challenging, she was eager to learn. For the film’s 20th anniversary, Stiles looked back at her experience and said the “best thing” about the movie was dancing.
“It was really challenging and really daunting because I’m not a professional dancer. So there was a lot of playing catch-up. But it was so fun. And such an awesome opportunity to get to do that kind of, like, rigorous training, and choreography rehearsals,” she told TODAY in 2021.
The Actress Appeared On ‘SNL’ As Her Character In 2023
Ain’t no way! Julia Stiles herself made an appearance!👀😁😂#SNL pic.twitter.com/IiHkEjdcSG
— Giselle//💥⏳ 💍💫 (@giselleb1234) December 10, 2023
During the “Weekend Update” segment on “SNL” in 2023, Chloe Fineman enters and performs dance moves while yelling plot points of “Save the Last Dance.” Colin Jost then asks, “So, does she get into Juilliard?”
Stiles bursts onto the scene and confirms that Sara did get into the prestigious academy at the end of the movie. She and Fineman then perform a short routine.
In 2025, the actress said “SNL” approached her a day before the show, and she agreed to appear in the skit not knowing what it was going to be about. “But I thought it was so cool. I was excited to be there. It was so fun,” she said of the experience, per The Hollywood Reporter.
‘Dancing With The Stars’ Returns In September For Season 35
Four celebrities have been officially confirmed for the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars” so far: Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Jackson Olson, and Guillermo Rodriguez.
Other media personalities rumored to join the show include Sarah Jane Nader, Connor Leavitt, and Tatyana Ali. The full cast list will officially be announced live on “Good Morning America” on September 2, followed by the show’s premiere on September 15 on ABC and Disney+.
