Dancing With The Stars always has the best theme nights, and a fan favorite remains the tear-jerking “Dedication Night.” That proved to be true again this year, with heartfelt performances like Julia Stiles' number dedicated to Heath Ledger that featured several of her 10 Things I Hate About You co-stars. Unfortunately, David Krumholtz, who played Michael Eckman in the film, was notably missing from the reunion, but there’s a good reason for his absence.
After receiving all nines for her performance, including from Carrie Ann Inaba, who has become known for her sometimes aggressive comments, Stiles spoke with ET about how the mini reunion came to be and set the record straight about Krumholtz's absence before anyone could start speculating about a feud on social media.
For the record, very important PSA. David Krumholtz… we wanted him here. He wanted to be here, but he’s working on an HBO show in New York, so there was no way he could fly to Los Angeles.
It’s unclear what HBO show Krumholtz is currently working on, but it could be The Trial of Louise Woodward, which is set to premiere on HBO in 2027. However, the Oppenheimer star currently boasts a slew of upcoming projects despite once considering “quitting” Hollywood, so it’s anyone's guess what could have kept him away. Stiles’s Dancing with the Stars partner Ezra Sosa said it best:
Diva is booked as diva should be
Despite the Save the Last Dance star immediately clearing the air for worried fans, Krumholtz took to his Instagram to further confirm his disappointment at not being able to participate in the touching tribute. Check it out:
As a massive fan of the beloved romantic comedy, I’m glad both Stiles and Krumholtz set the record straight about his absence and that there’s no bad blood between the cast.
In fact, Krumholtz wasn’t actually the only star missing from the tribute, as none of the actors who played adults the film, like Larry Miller, Daryl Mitchell, and Allison Janney, were present either. The latter makes sense since Janney is currently performing on Broadway opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, and Stranger Things star Joe Keery. Mitchell’s absence was slightly more curious considering he’s already a part of the ABC family, appearing in the sitcom Shifting Gears.
Still, the tribute to the late Heath Ledger was a moving one, and it was heartwarming to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Gabrielle Union, Susan May Pratt and Andrew Keegan standing with Stiles. According to the Dancing with the Stars competitor, it was fairly easy to get the cast back together again, too, as they were all eager to appear as long as their fellow actors were also included. There’s something special about a cast sticking together after all these years.
10 Things I Hate About You can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, which Dancing with the Stars fans should already have, considering episodes are streamed live every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on the streaming service and ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Next week’s episode is one you won’t want to miss, with it being Halloween Night.
