Julia Stiles called out Andy Cohen over his past dancing criticism as she began her DWTS journey, prompting Cohen to respond with an on-air apology and praise later.
Julia Stiles brought an old comment from Andy Cohen back into the spotlight during her debut on “Dancing With the Stars,” revealing that the remark about her dancing had stayed with her.
During Wednesday’s episode, Stiles, 45, discussed how expectations surrounding her 2001 film “Save the Last Dance” affected her relationship with dancing. She told professional dance partner Ezra Sosa that she had stopped taking dance classes because people expected her to be an accomplished dancer after seeing her perform in the movie.
The actress then specifically brought up Cohen, asking Sosa whether he knew the Bravo executive.
Sosa responded, “Yes, that diva,” according to the report.
The comment Stiles remembered
Stiles referred to a 2025 episode of Cohen’s “Radio Andy” show, saying the remark had been “imprinted” in her memory.
At the time, Cohen was interviewing Stiles’ “Save the Last Dance” co-star Kerry Washington when he questioned whether Stiles was one of the best dancers.
“Can we all just agree that Julia Stiles is not the greatest dancer on the planet?” Cohen said during the 2025 discussion.
The comment resurfaced as Stiles entered Season 35 of “Dancing With the Stars,” where she is competing alongside Sosa.
Rather than avoiding the subject, Stiles turned it into motivation. She joked that her goal was to win the Mirrorball Trophy and eventually appear on Cohen’s “Watch What Happens Live” couch.
Stiles says ‘Save the Last Dance’ became a disadvantage
Stiles has previously explained that her role in “Save the Last Dance” created unexpected pressure when she joined the dance competition.
She told Entertainment Weekly that the movie experience could actually work against her because audiences had associated her with dancing.
The actress said she stopped taking dance classes after the film because of expectations that she should be an excellent dancer.
For Stiles, returning to dance was therefore about more than competing on television. She said she wanted to rediscover the enjoyment and confidence she had once found in dancing and learn to let go of the self-consciousness she had developed after the movie.
Derek Hough joins the moment
After Stiles and Sosa performed a Quickstep to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” host Derek Hough weighed in on the Cohen exchange.
Hough declared, “Andy Cohen, you can eat it!” following the performance. The routine received 18 out of 30 points from the judges.
The moment quickly became part of the episode’s entertainment storyline, with Stiles’ old frustration, her new competition and Cohen’s previous comment coming together on the same night.
Cohen responds
Cohen addressed the viral moment on his own show later that evening.
He jokingly dubbed himself the “Jackhole” of the day before apologizing to Stiles. He acknowledged that he was not necessarily in a position to criticize anyone’s dancing and used footage of himself dancing at a concert as part of the joke.
Cohen then praised Stiles for her performance, telling her she had done well and expressing hope that she would have a successful run on the competition.
He ended his response with another reference to one of Stiles’ films, jokingly inviting her to let people flood his inbox with the “10 things” they dislike about him.
For Stiles, the exchange has added another layer to her “Dancing With the Stars” journey — one that began with overcoming the pressure attached to a dance role from more than two decades ago.
