Julia Stiles Is FINALLY Joining Dancing With The Stars — And The Nostalgia Is Too Much 💃✨

Stop everything, because the DWTS casting we didn't know we desperately needed just got confirmed — and we are absolutely not okay. 💕

Julia Stiles is joining "Dancing With the Stars" Season 35, Page Six can confirm. Yes, the Julia Stiles. The "Save the Last Dance" queen herself. The irony? We're LIVING for it.

The actress will compete for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy when the show returns Sept. 15 on ABC and Disney+, and honestly, if she doesn't dance to at least ONE track from that iconic 2001 film, we riot.

This Has Been YEARS In The Making

Here's the thing that makes this casting even more perfect: Julia has been a superfan of the show for literally years.

In a February 2025 interview with People, she called "Dancing With the Stars" her version of "Monday Night Football." Iconic behavior, honestly.

"I'll go down YouTube rabbit holes of watching old videos, and I have my favorite choreographers," she revealed at the time. The actress even admitted there had been talks about her joining before, but living in New York City made it complicated. "Maybe they could do an East Coast version," she joked.

Well, looks like she figured it out — and we are SO here for it. 🙌

The "Save the Last Dance" Connection Is EVERYTHING

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the beautiful full-circle energy of this?

Stiles played Sara in "Save the Last Dance," a young woman chasing her Juilliard dreams while navigating an interracial relationship on Chicago's South Side. The 2001 dance film became an instant classic, and now, 25 years later, she's dancing on TV for a completely different trophy.

The nostalgia is hitting HARD right now.

And let's not forget: Julia also starred in "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) opposite the late Heath Ledger, plus cult favorites like "Mona Lisa Smile," "The Omen," and four films in the "Bourne" franchise alongside Matt Damon. The woman has RANGE.

The Tea ☕

• Julia Stiles is confirmed for "Dancing With the Stars" Season 35, premiering Sept. 15
• She's been a self-proclaimed superfan of the show, calling it her "Monday Night Football"
• This is peak full-circle energy for the "Save the Last Dance" star
• The full cast (celebs + pros) will be announced Sept. 2 on "Good Morning America"

Who Else Is Hitting The Ballroom?

The Season 35 cast is shaping up to be JUICY. So far, ABC has confirmed:

• Ciara Miller from "Summer House" (yes, the one whose ex started dating her best friend — the DRAMA)
• Maura Higgins, the "Love Island" and "The Traitors" alum
• Jackson Olson from the Savannah Bananas
• Guillermo Rodriguez, Jimmy Kimmel's longtime sidekick

And the rumors? Even spicier. TMZ reports that Sarah Jane Nader (following in sister Brooks Nader's footsteps) and "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" alum Tatyana Ali are joining. Us Weekly says "Bachelorette" fave Tyler Cameron and "Step Up" star Jenna Dewan are also in the mix.

The full lineup drops Sept. 2 on "Good Morning America," and we'll be watching with popcorn ready.

This Is Going To Be GOOD

Between Julia's dance film pedigree, her genuine love for the show, and the fact that she's a mother of three who clearly has nothing left to prove but is doing this anyway? This is the kind of contestant energy we LOVE to see.

Plus, judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli are all returning, so you know the critiques are going to be chef's kiss.

The show has been having a serious resurgence lately — last season saw Robert Irwin (yes, Steve Irwin's son) take home the Mirrorball — and Season 35 is already looking like appointment television.

So here's the question: Is Julia Stiles about to save the last dance… and WIN this whole thing? Sound off below! 👇

---

Sources:

• Page Six