From Billboard · Gil Kaufman · · 1m 30s
Julia Stiles honors Dolly Parton on Dancing With the Stars
The actress danced to 'Nine to Five' on her DWTS debut, with Parton's blessing before her death.
In brief
The actress danced to 'Nine to Five' on her DWTS debut, with Parton's blessing before her death. Julia Stiles performed a quickstep tribute to Dolly Parton's 1980 hit 'Nine to Five' on Dancing With the Stars, using a song Parton had personally approved just weeks before her passing. Originally reported by Billboard.
Stiles debuts on Dancing With the Stars
Actress Julia Stiles made her Dancing With the Stars debut on September 16, 2026, paired with professional dancer Ezra Sosa for a high-energy quickstep.
Dancing to Dolly's biggest hit
Stiles and Sosa performed a quickstep to Parton's 1980 Billboard Hot 100 number one crossover smash 'Nine to Five,' the theme song from the beloved workplace comedy.
Parton approved the song weeks before
Stiles revealed that Dolly Parton personally approved the use of 'Nine to Five' just a couple weeks before her death on August 25 at age 80.
“It was only a couple weeks before Dolly passed that she approved this song specifically for me.”
Sparkling tribute to feminist anthem
Both dancers wore sparkling white tuxedos with silver accents, opening with a playful nod to the film's feminist dynamic before spinning and high-kicking across the floor.
Stiles wanted this song from the start
The song was the first choice Stiles and Sosa discussed for the night's theme of number one hits from the year they were born. 'Nine to Five' topped the Billboard chart on February 21, 1981.
“It was the first song we talked about. I wanted it so badly.”
Solid start with 18 out of 30
The pair earned a score of 18 out of 30, placing them third for the night behind Maura Higgins and Jenna Dewan.
The one thing
Julia Stiles performed a quickstep tribute to Dolly Parton's 1980 hit 'Nine to Five' on Dancing With the Stars, using a song Parton had personally approved just weeks before her passing.
