Julia Stiles Revives 'Save the Last Dance' Choreography on 'DWTS' as Former Co-Star Looks On
Julia Stiles performed on Dancing with the Stars during its Super Bowl Night episode. She brought back moves from Save the Last Dance alongside pro partner Ezra Sosa. Her former co-star Sean Patrick Thomas watched from the audience.
During the Super Bowl Night episode, Julia Stiles, 45, and pro partner Ezra Sosa performed a jazz routine with hip-hop elements to Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny From the Block.” Stiles wove in steps connected to her role in Save the Last Dance, creating a callback for longtime fans.
Sean Patrick Thomas, her former co-star and romantic lead, watched from the audience, echoing the film’s final audition scene. Judges Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and guest Joe Buck gave the pair 33 out of 40. Inaba noted Stiles’s growing confidence, while Thomas said in a DWTS Instagram video that he was thrilled to see her perform.
The segment may resonate most with viewers who grew up with Save the Last Dance, turning a competition dance into a nostalgia moment. It could drive social clips and discussion around Stiles’s versatility, and may nudge some fans to revisit the film or its soundtrack. For DWTS, such cross-promotional nostalgia can broaden weekly buzz beyond its usual audience.