After heated rehearsal, Julia Stiles dubs DWTS partner Ezra Sosa a ‘cranky bitch’—then they survive double elimination

Rehearsal tensions rise

Stiles and Sosa were preparing an Argentine tango to “The Dogs Attack,” from the 1976 horror film The Omen. Sosa said he was being especially demanding because competitors Jenna Dewan and Amber Glenn were also performing that dance style, and told Stiles to “be prepared.” During practice, Sosa critiqued Stiles on details including heel leads. The 45-year-old actress said frustration did not bring out her best work and asked him to focus less on telling her what she was doing wrong.

Sosa explains his approach

In a confessional, the 25-year-old choreographer acknowledged he had been “being too hard” on Stiles. He said he wanted to push her because he knew what she could deliver and did not want her to be disappointed with the performance.

Sosa apologized in the rehearsal space, saying he had been pushing too far. Stiles told him he did not need to apologize, adding that handling the challenge was her responsibility.

A joke after the apology

Stiles said she needed “to be a big girl” and follow her coach’s direction. She told Sosa, “I love you,” then joked that he should get more sleep because he was a “cranky bitch” when tired.

The pair performed in front of the judges and received 26 out of 40. Derek Hough described the score as a “low” in Stiles’ journey on Season 35.

The pair avoid elimination

Stiles and Sosa survived the double elimination. Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson were sent home, along with professional dancers Sharna Burgess and Emma Slater. New episodes of DWTS air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming on Hulu the following day.