Julia Stiles gets emotional over Heath Ledger after finding old set photos

Julia Stiles recently stumbled upon a bittersweet reminder of her time on 10 Things I Hate About You alongside the late Heath Ledger.

Speaking to Page Six at the Gotham Awards last week, the actress revealed that her sister had found a photo album filled with behind-the-scenes memories from the set of the 1999 cult classic.

“When I moved out of my New York City apartment many years ago, I put my stuff in my sister’s storage,” Stiles, 43, shared. “And recently she was like, ‘Oh, I found this photo album,’ and it was photos from 10 Things I Hate About You.”

Reflecting on the discovery, she called it “bittersweet,” adding, “Wonderful memories but also sad.”

Ledger, who played her on-screen love interest Patrick Verona, tragically passed away in 2008 at just 28 years old due to an accidental drug overdose. The beloved romcom was Ledger’s breakout role, while one of his last performances was in The Dark Knight, which earned him a posthumous Oscar. 

Stiles fondly recalled the vibrant energy of the young cast, which included Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Larisa Oleynik, saying they “were so excited to be there” and unguarded as they launched their careers.

Since then, Stiles has enjoyed a thriving career, from Save the Last Dance to the Bourne franchise. Now, she’s achieved a “career-long dream” after a five-year process: directing her first feature film, Wish You Were Here.