David Krumholtz was noticeably absent from the 10 Things I Hate About You reunion on Dancing With the Stars’ Dedication Night, but he had a good reason for the missed appearance.
“I am [in upstate New York] shooting a film. I could not be in L.A. for Dancing With the Stars last night,” Krumholtz, 48, said in a Wednesday, October 21, Instagram video. “I would have loved, loved, loved to have been there. Everyone looked so amazing.”
DWTS season 35 contestant Julia Stiles reunited with several members of the 10 Things I Hate About You cast — including Joseph Gordon Levitt, Gabrielle Union and more — on Tuesday, October 20, for a performance dedicated to the late Heath Ledger. (Ledger was found dead in 2008 following an accidental overdose at age 28.)
Stiles, 45, and pro partner Ezra Sosa honored the late actor with a contemporary routine to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli, which Ledger’s character sings in the iconic rom-com, and ultimately earned a 36 out of 40 from the judges.
“Julia’s tribute to my dear friend who I miss every single day was amazing and stunning, and I’m so proud of her. I thought the cast looked amazing. They all looked so young still,” Krumholtz said before taking off his hat to reveal his partially bald head.
He joked, “It would have been weird because I shaved what’s left of my hair and then it becomes a whole internet fodder, ‘Oh, look what happened to him.’ I didn’t want that. But that’s not why I wasn’t there. I would have dealt with it. Anyway. Love them all. Love you all.”
Ahead of the performance, Stiles opened up about her connection to Ledger, who played her love interest in the hit 1999 film.
“We made 10 Things I Hate About You together. I learned a lot from Heath. He was so authentic,” Stiles recalled in her intro package while holding back tears. “I see pictures from that time and I’m like, ‘Wow.’ It was so easy with him.”
Stiles added to the cameras, “I have so many great memories, but I’m also sad because I really wish that I could pick up the phone and be like, ‘Hey dude, people really care about that movie. We did something special.’ And I can’t do that.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
