It’s been more than 25 years since “Save the Last Dance” aired, but it’s back in the headlines following last night’s “Dancing With the Stars.”
The 2001 film turned Julia Stiles into an instant star, and in honor of the anniversary, the actress recreated the film’s most iconic scene in this week’s episode of the dance competition.
In the latest episode, titled “Super Bowl Night,” Stiles performed a high-energy jazz routine to Jennifer Lopez’s hit “Jenny From the Block” with professional partner Ezra Sosa.
With her long braid and crop top, Stiles paid homage to the film’s final scene, in which her character auditions in front of a panel of judges at Julliard.
If you need a refresher, the film, directed by Thomas Carter, follows aspiring ballerina Sarah Johnson (Stiles), whose future is suddenly derailed after her mother dies in a car accident.
Afterwards, Sarah is forced to leave her home in northern Illinois and move in with her father, who lives on Chicago’s South Side. As Sarah rebuilds her life, she meets Derek Reynolds (Sean Patrick Thomas), who introduces her to hip-hop and they fall in love.
In the film’s final scene, Sarah auditions for a coveted spot at Juilliard and combines ballet and hip-hop in what becomes a legendary dance routine.
In the years since the film’s release, Stiles has starred in a variety of film and TV hits, including the “Bourne Identity” franchise as well as acclaimed TV series such as “Dexter” and “Riviera.”
But the actor came full circle on the latest episode of “Dancing with the Stars” when he recreated his 2001 dance routine, right down to the folding chair his character used in “Save the Last Dance.”
The performance received high marks from the judges, including Bruno Tonioli, who praised 45-year-old Stiles’ “perfect” getting into the beat.
“I didn’t know how good he was at hip-hop,” Tonioli gushed before continuing, “Of course I loved the tribute to his own hit, but the whole routine, not just the dancing, the commentary, the editing, the way he played the character, not his best performance yet.”
In the end, Maura Higgins, her partner Mark Ballas, and Harry Shum Jr. and received 33 out of 40, tying with partner Jenna Johnson, who received the same scores.
Among those watching the performance was Stiles’ former co-star Thomas, who said he was “so excited” to watch Stiles “do his thing.”
In a nod to the movie, Thomas stood in the background of Stiles’ “DWTS” routine, holding his jacket over his shoulder just like his character did during his “Save the Last Dance” auditions.
“We had a great time doing ‘Save the Last Dance’ back in the day, and he brought it here tonight,” Thomas raved.
Stiles recently made headlines after responding to criticism from Andy Cohen, who said Stiles wasn’t “the best dancer on the planet” during a 2025 episode of his radio show “Andy Cohen Live.”
In the first episode of “Dancing with the Stars,” Stiles said he wanted to win the competition, referencing Cohen’s dig, and then said “go sit on Andy’s couch.”
Following his opening performance, judge Derek Hough defended Stiles’ talent, saying Cohen could “eat him up.”
Cohen, who calls himself “Jackhole,” later apologized to Stiles on “Watch What Happens Live,” saying he was “the last person who should be giving everyone feedback on his dancing,” saying the actor gave a “great” performance and “destroyed him.”
Stiles also made news in September after it was announced that he would be appearing as a contestant on the dance competition; Some fans confused the 2001 Juilliard auditions with real life, suggesting that the actor had an advantage over other contestants due to his Juilliard experience.
“No, Julia Stiles didn’t actually go to Juilliard. But we still love her. You can see the — real — Juilliard dancers (and musicians and actors) at Opening Night of the Juilliard Fall Festival,” the music school later wrote on Instagram.
While some thought the post threw shade at the actor, others viewed it as a carefree and flippant response to the controversy.
However, Stiles responded to Juilliard’s comments: “Oh my God! Thank you! Good luck to your wonderful students.”