Actress Julia Stiles has been eliminated from Dancing With the Stars alongside professional partner Ezra Sosa following their performance on Disney Night.
The couple exited the ballroom after performing a Paso Doble set to "Satisfied" from the musical Hamilton. Although the pair wowed the judges with the routine, their journey on season 35 came to an end as the competition bid farewell to one couple.
Stiles was in tears after the elimination was announced. "It's been an incredible experience. I pulled things out of myself that I didn't realize were there," Stiles said. "And Ezra is just an amazing person. I'm going to be sad not to see him every day."
Sosa was equally downhearted to say goodbye, having watched the actress develop her technique throughout the competition. "Just to see your growth in and outside the ballroom has been an absolute honor," he told the Save the Last Dance actress. "I'm so lucky that I got to share this experience with you. I love you so much."
Stiles is best known for her starring roles in teen cinema classics, including 10 Things I Hate About You and the 2001 dance drama Save the Last Dance. Her elimination marks the departure of one of the season's most recognisable Hollywood figures.
Perfect Scores for Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan
Two couples achieved perfection on the dance floor during the Disney Night broadcast. Harry Shum Jr. and partner Jenna Johnson earned a perfect score for their jazz routine set to "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins. Shum, who previously starred as dancer Mike Chang on the musical television series Glee, displayed sharp choreography that earned the night's highest marks.
Actress Jenna Dewan and partner Val Chmerkovskiy also earned a perfect score for their quickstep to "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast. Twenty years after her breakout role in the dance film Step Up, Dewan delivered a fast-paced routine that drew universal acclaim from the judges.
The Disney Night festivities took place without professional dancer Adele Zaikman. Zaikman had previously shared why she was missing the Disney Night broadcast.
Broadway Routines and Animated Favorites
Other couples embraced Disney's musical catalogue across film and stage. Amber Glenn and partner Pasha Pashkov delivered a quickstep to "A Star Is Born" from Hercules. Glenn, a 2026 Olympic figure skater, transferred her athletic precision and speed from the ice to the ballroom.
Ezra Frech and partner Daniella Karagach performed a samba set to "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid. Frech, a Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete, brought high energy and athleticism to the routine.
Broadway stage productions also featured during the broadcast. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress Tatyana Ali and partner Jan Ravnik took inspiration from the stage, performing a contemporary routine to "Easy as Life" from the Disney-produced musical Aida.
Fallout From Horror Movie Night
The Disney-themed celebration marked a sharp tonal shift from the previous week's Horror Movie Night, which featured a double elimination that sent two couples home.
That broadcast saw the departure of Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson and partner Emma Slater, alongside Bachelor Nation personality Tyler Cameron and professional dancer Sharna Burgess.
Following their exit, Burgess praised Cameron for his support outside the competition. She raved to E! News about how close the two had become beyond the ballroom.
"There's been a lot of things happening in my life that he's been an incredible friend through. He's so grounded for his age. He's so well beyond his years that he surprises me sometimes with his wisdom and his depth," Burgess shared. "I found an amazing human that I just want to keep in my life."
Season 35 Elimination Tracker
Season 35 began on September 15 with the immediate departure of Conner Leavitt and professional partner Adele Zaikman. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star followed the path of his wife, Whitney Leavitt, who competed during season 34.
On September 16, reality star Sarah Jane Nader and partner Hailey Bills were eliminated following their debut episode. Her departure mirrored that of her sister, Brooks Nader, who was the fifth celebrity eliminated during season 33. Sarah Jane stars in Love Thy Nader.
The September eliminations continued on September 22 when celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis and partner Alan Bersten were voted off after failing to cha-cha-chop away the competition. On September 29, former 1990s teen pop star Taylor Hanson and pro partner Britt Stewart were axed, unable to MMMBop their way to the top of the leaderboard.
October brought two further exits. Summer House cast member Ciara Miller and partner Brandon Armstrong were eliminated on October 6. On October 13, Jimmy Kimmel Live! regular Guillermo Rodriguez and partner Witney Carson saw their time in the ballroom cut short.
Contenders Pursuing the Mirrorball Trophy
Several celebrities remain in the hunt for the Mirrorball trophy. Comedian Connor Wood, known online as Fibula, continues to compete alongside professional partner Rylee Arnold.
Love Island U.K. alumnus Maura Higgins is also pursuing the trophy alongside pro partner Mark Ballas. Higgins previously revealed that she had actively manifested her appearance on the show long before entering rehearsals.
"I have a vision board and I redo it every year," Higgins told E! News in May. "This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year's Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board."
