DWTS' Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa Tease "Piping Hot" Tea From Rehearsals

DWTS' Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa React to Juilliard's "Shady" Post About Her (Exclusive)Leave it to Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa to twist and shout. The Dancing With the Stars contestant and her pro partner teased how they've been leveling up their dance rehearsals ahead of the season 35 premiere on Sept. 15. "The tea is piping hot," Sosa exclusively told E! News at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sept. 6. "She's doing absolutely incredible. I will confidently say I've never worked with someone who's working so hard and who's so passionate about doing this, and it just makes me so excited to see their journey on the show." "One thing about Julia is how effortlessly beautiful she is," he continued. "She doesn't even try hard, and it's just the most stunning thing ever. I've never been around a movie star like this before, so just to be around that every single day, it's super inspiring." As for Stiles—who kept mum on the details of her first routine, but revealed the long nails she'll be sporting in the ballroom next week—she explained that Sosa has already instilled a new type of "confidence" in her."He really knows how to make a girl feel good," she quipped to E! in their joint interview. "Also, just the precision. I'm a workhorse, so I like repetition, repetition, repetition, and he's very patient with me about just doing it over and over again." The 10 Things I Hate About You star also appreciates how "creative and dedicated" Sosa is. "It is such a joy to watch him cook, so to speak," she said. "Like when he's coming up with new choreography."Scott Kirkland/FXX via Getty ImagesAnd that's especially valuable because she doesn't have formal dance training herself—despite playing a Juilliard-bound ballerina in the 2001 movie Save the Last Dance. "I stopped taking dance classes after that movie, and I wasn't even that good of a dancer to start with," the 45-year-old explained. "I'm a home dancer. Like, I have rhythm. That's why it was cast. But in terms of the training, no. So this is all new to me."Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesStiles and Sosa’s chemistry has become so strong that they've already picked out a team name: So Stilez. And they're planning to cement that bond with matching tattoos at some point. "It was probably one of our first discussions. We're like, 'so the tattoos,' but we don't know what we're gonna get yet," Sosa said. "We're just gonna let the season unfold, and then we'll see what the tattoo is."Before DWTS kicks off on ABC Sept. 15, read on to see who Stiles and Sosa will be competing against. —Reporting by Lauren Herbert Disney/Andrew EcclesJulia Stiles & Ezra SosaYou won't hate this news—the 10 Things I Hate About You star will be saving the last dance for her pro partner.Disney/Andrew EcclesGiada De Laurentiis & Alan BerstenCha-cha-chopping away... The celebrity chef will be turning up the heat this season.Disney/Andrew EcclesHarry Shum Jr. & Jenna JohnsonWhat did you miss on Glee? The actor taking his musical talents to the dance floor.Disney/Andrew EcclesTaylor Hanson & Britt StewartThe former '90s teen heartthrob will hope to MMMBop his way to the top of the leaderboard on season 35.Disney/Andrew EcclesTatyana Ali & Jan RavnikThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress will be bringing her fresh moves to the dance floor.Disney/Andrew EcclesJenna Dewan & Val ChmerkovskiyTwenty years after starring in Step Up, the dancer is stepping up to the challenge.Disney/Andrew EcclesAmber Glenn & Pasha PashkovThe 2026 Olympic figure skater will take her skills from the ice to the ballroom.Disney/Andrew EcclesEzra Frech & Daniella KaragachThe Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete will show off his athleticism on DWTS.Disney/Andrew EcclesSarah Jane Nader & Hailey BillsAfter sister Brooks Nader competed on season 33, the Love Thy Nader star is trying her hand. Disney/Andrew EcclesConnor Wood & Rylee ArnoldThe comedian, also known as Fibula on social media, is ready to earn more applause on DWTS.Disney/Andrew EcclesConner Leavitt & Adele ZaikmanThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star is following in the footsteps of wife Whitney Leavitt—who competed on season 34.Disney/Andrew EcclesTyler Cameron & Sharna BurgessThe Bachelor Nation star is trading in roses for rumbas.Disney/Andrew EcclesJackson Olson & Emma SlaterThe Savannah Bananas baseball player is stepping up to the plate, bringing his dance moves from the diamond to the ballroom.Disney/Andrew EcclesGuillermo Rodriguez & Witney CarsonThe Jimmy Kimmel Live! star is ready to learn some new moves.Disney/Andrew EcclesCiara Miller & Brandon ArmstrongThe Summer House star is prepping for her turn in the ballrom. "Looks are not indicative of being in shape," Ciara exclusively told E! News in June. "I do huff and puff going up the stairs, so I gotta get back into the gym and work on my stamina."Disney/Andrew EcclesMaura Higgins & Mark BallasThe Love Island UK alum is hoping her love for DWTS doesn't betray her as she manifested this experience. "I have a vision board and I redo it every year," she 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."