“And his energy in it, I wanted to have musically and in terms of the choreography,” she continued. “We want to have the joyful celebration of when he was around.”

In the years since the film’s release, Stiles has opened up about Ledger’s demeanor, noting that he was “very kind and generous” to her.

“He was amazing,” she told E! News in January 2025. “He was such a bright light.”

As Stiles explained, though she and her fellow costars had “such a good time and were close on that set,” Ledger’s presence was notable.

“He just walked into the room,” she recalled, “and lit it up.”

For a closer look at the DWTS cast from this season, keep reading…