Julia Stiles has been paired with Ezra Sosa for Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, joining a celebrity cast of 16. Sosa celebrated the announcement by making it “TikTok official,” but the reveal sparked some controversy online. Many people speculated that Stiles’ experience from her role as an aspiring ballerina in Save the Last Dance gave her an unfair advantage, even mistaking her for a Juilliard graduate.
Stiles clarified that she is not a professional dancer and has only taken ballet classes in her youth. Both she and Sosa stated that her background in acting doesn’t mean she has any competitive edge. The show’s casting director emphasized that the main requirement for contestants is a willingness to participate and engage in the challenging process, regardless of prior dance experience.
Stiles’ comments aimed to dispel any misconceptions, highlighting that her performance in Save the Last Dance was merely acting, and she hasn’t had formal dance training like the character she portrayed.
