Julia Stiles is clarifying misconceptions about her dancing skills as she prepares to compete in "Dancing with the Stars." The Julia Stiles Joins TikTok Trend To Dispel Dancing Rumors Ahead Of ‘DWTS’ Premiere first appeared on The Blast

With the new season of “Dancing with the Stars” approaching, some contestants are already facing scrutiny over their previous dance experience. Fans have questioned whether celebrities with dance backgrounds have an unfair advantage over their fellow competitors.

Among those drawing attention is Julia Stiles, who famously starred as a ballerina-turned-hip-hop-dancer Sara Johnson in the film “Save the Last Dance.” Now, the actress is revealing how much dance experience she really has.

Julia Stiles’ Dance Abilities Aren’t Quite What Her Iconic Role Suggested

Several competitors in the upcoming season of “Dancing with the Stars” have raised eyebrows, with their dance backgrounds allegedly giving them an unfair advantage in the ballroom. Some of them include Ciara Miller, Harry Shum Jr., and Jenna Dewan, to name a few.

Julia Stiles, who trained in dancing while preparing for her role in “Save the Last Dance,” has also caught fans’ attention. On September 6, the actress and her “DWTS” pro partner, Ezra Sosa, joined the TikTok Yep/Nope challenge to clear up some rumors. “PSA just to clarify #dwts” Stiles captioned the post.

Upon answering a few questions, people were surprised to learn a few facts about her dance background, or lack thereof.

The Actress Used A Body Double In ‘Save The Last Dance’

First, Stiles wanted to clarify that she did not attend The Juilliard School, the prestigious performing arts conservatory in New York. However, her character in “Save the Last Dance” did. Following the news of her “DWTS” casting, many fans joked that having a Juilliard-trained competitor in the show was unfair.

Next, Stiles said that she wasn’t a trained dancer. While she had to learn dance techniques for the movie, she did not have professional dance training before or after making the film. Moreover, she revealed that she used a body double. According to reports, most of the complicated dance sequences were performed by a professional dancer.

Finally, Stiles said she has not danced since making the movie, which was released in 2001.

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Julia Stiles’ Drunk Dancing For A Movie Got Her An Audition

On the 20th anniversary of “Save the Last Dance,” Stiles revealed how she got the role of Sara Johnson despite her lack of professional dance skills.

Talking to Today in 2021, the actress said she met director Thomas Carter, who told her he had seen her performance in “10 Things I Hate About You.” The rom-com came out in 1999, and Stiles played the leading role of Kat Stratford. In one scene, Kat, drunk on tequila, climbs on a table and wildly dances to The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize.”

“He saw that, and he was like, ‘Oh, you have rhythm’,” Stiles recalled. She then had a screen test and was eventually hired for “Save the Last Dance.”

The Actress Said Her Limited Dance Training Is A ‘Disadvantage’

For Stiles, dancing and training were the activities she enjoyed the most while filming “Save the Last Dance.” “It was really challenging and really daunting because I’m not a professional dancer. So there was a lot of playing catch-up,” she said, adding that it was a great opportunity to experience “rigorous training” and “choreography rehearsals.”

Following the “DWTS” full cast announcement, Stiles revealed that she thinks her limited dance training for the movie was “a bit of a disadvantage” for her stint on the ballroom-dancing competition. She told Entertainment Weekly that she has not received any formal dance training since the movie.

“I love dancing at home, and part of my reason for coming on this show was to find the joy in dance again… find my confidence in dance again,” she said.

Julia Stiles’ Former Co-Stars Support Her Dance Journey

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Stiles is already hard at work with Sosa, learning dances and perfecting routines ahead of the show’s premiere.

In an appearance on “Good Morning America” on September 2, following the cast reveal, Stiles was shown surprise videos from her “Save the Last Dance” co-stars. Kerry Washington and Sean Patrick Thomas, who played brother and sister in the movie, had sweet messages for Stiles.

“Honestly, the competition better watch out, because I know that you have some slammin’ moves up your sleeves,” Washington said. Thomas, meanwhile, congratulated Stiles and said, “From what I remember, you got into Juilliard, so I know you’re gonna kill it.”

“DWTS” Season 35 kicks off with a two-night premiere on September 15 and 16, followed by new episodes every Tuesday.

The Julia Stiles Joins TikTok Trend To Dispel Dancing Rumors Ahead Of ‘DWTS’ Premiere first appeared on The Blast