Julia Stiles' elimination on Disney Night has prompted a backlash from Dancing with the Stars viewers, with some vowing never to watch the show again.
The actress, who danced through a rib injury, was voted off alongside professional partner Ezra Sosa after performing a paso doble to Satisfied from Hamilton.
Emotional Farewell
Stiles became emotional while speaking to ABC's On the Red Carpet about her experience on the programme, which recently featured Shirley Ballas as a judge. She said: "I will always have that with me. And I'm really, really glad that we were able to go out with a bang. I'm really sad because I'm gonna miss seeing this guy every day."
Sosa pressed his forehead against hers before stating: "She made me a better person. Oh, I'm gonna cry!"
Fan Reactions on Social Media
Viewers rushed to X, formerly Twitter, to voice their reactions to the elimination. One threatened to abandon the programme entirely, posting: "Why are the judges always SO HARD on Julia Stiles??! She was great tonight and they gave 8's??!! Now she's voted off! I'm not watching anymore #dwts #DancingWithTheStars."
Another agreed: "Wdym Julia got voted off!??? #DancingWithTheStars is rigged af", reports the Irish Star. Another viewer raged: "I am LIVID Julia got sent home. Before some of these other people at that. This is exactly why this show infiltrates me."
A fan who deliberately avoided the programme stated: "Me going to bed at 8pm instead of watching Dancing with the Stars because a friend on the east coast spoiled it saying my fave went home." Another viewer declared: "I am never watching this show again," while a final fan remarked: "What a s*** show. This is the last time I'm watching Dancing with the Stars."
Contestant and Official Reactions
Fellow contestant Maura Higgins told Entertainment Weekly it was "awful" witnessing Stiles and Sosa's departure. "It was a shock, it really was a shock," she said.
The programme's official Instagram account honoured Stiles and Sosa, posting: "To a couple who brought us so much joy in the ballroom, we're sad to see them go. Everyone show Julia and Ezra some love as they leave the competition."
Sosa wrote: "I'm the luckiest guy in the world to get to share this experience with you @missjuliastiles."
Regular panellists Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli were joined by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo for the episode. Reflecting on her final appearance, Stiles said: "I pulled things out of myself that I didn't realize were there."
Sosa commended his partnership with Stiles, describing it as an "absolute honor" to witness her development. The duo also discussed their experience with Entertainment Tonight, where the actress attributed her newfound "confidence" and "strength" to the competition. She said emotionally: "I had so much fun. I'll always have that: I had so much fun."
Stiles, who had endured a recurring rib injury throughout the competition and had been moved to tears by the discomfort during rehearsals, remained "determined" to continue. Sosa went on to commend the actress for her commitment while speaking to On the Red Carpet.
He shared: "Just your openness, and your honesty, really - it touched me in so many ways, and I'm just so lucky. I took away, I took a lot from Julia, and I'm really grateful for this experience."
Dancing with the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ in the US.
