Guest judge Cynthia Erivo awarded two couples perfect scores on Monday, while a cumulative tiebreaker granted Harry Shum Jr. immunity ahead of next week's Grammy-themed ballroom showcase.
LOS ANGELES — Julia Stiles and professional partner Ezra Sosa concluded their run on Dancing With the Stars on Monday night, bowing out during an energetic Broadway-themed Disney Night that featured two perfect scores and a high-stakes group dance round. The pair landed in the bottom two alongside television personality Maura Higgins and veteran dancer Mark Ballas before co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro confirmed the elimination.
The outcome closed a determined run for Stiles, who spent the preceding days managing an agonizing rib injury sustained during rehearsal sessions. Taking the ballroom stage for a dramatic paso doble set to Satisfied from the musical Hamilton, the screen actress posted an individual mark of 33 points out of 40 from the four-member judging panel.
Addressing the exit backstage following the broadcast, Stiles acknowledged the emotional weight of departing just as her footwork began to click. "It's sad because I feel like I was just getting started," Stiles said, explaining that navigating physical discomfort alongside Sosa helped unlock fresh resolve. "I'm really, really glad that we had that dance because… I was able to prove something to myself that I needed to prove." Stiles noted that the demanding process revealed what she was capable of achieving.
The live broadcast, which shifted to Monday from the show's customary Tuesday window, opened with Tony winner Heather Headley delivering Circle of Life from The Lion King alongside vocalist Selloane Nkhela and performers from the Broadway production. An ambitious musical medley followed, spotlighting stage favorites such as Newsies and The Greatest Showman alongside Beauty and the Beast. Troupe dancer Paul Pasillas stumbled briefly during the high-tempo opening medley but recovered swiftly without breaking choreography.
Acclaimed performer Cynthia Erivo joined regular adjudicators Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli at the judges' table. Bringing experience as an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner alongside three Academy Award nominations, Erivo offered sharp technical feedback throughout the evening. Sosa noted the thrill of performing in front of the Wicked star, describing Erivo's evaluation as a very surreal experience.
Two couples capitalized on the atmosphere, capturing flawless marks of 40 in the opening round. Jenna Dewan and partner Val Chmerkovskiy produced a sparkling quickstep to Be Our Guest that drew universal acclaim from the panel. Erivo singled out Dewan's airborne split jump for specific praise, while Hough commended the crisp posture in her ballroom frame. Harry Shum Jr. and partner Jenna Johnson matched that ceiling moments later, securing 40 points through an inventive jazz number that represented their second maximum mark of the thirty-fifth season.
Competitive pressure escalated when the eight couples divided into opposing squads for the season's opening group dance challenge. Team Wildcats delivered an electric routine to We're All in This Together from High School Musical, earning an unblemished 40 points from the judges. Dewan and Shum Jr. each performed with the Wildcats, allowing Dewan and Chmerkovskiy to complete the evening with an unblemished total of 80 points.
Opposing squad Team Slaytopia countered with an intricate performance set to Zoo from Zootopia 2, collecting 36 points. The lineup included Stiles and Sosa, Higgins and Ballas, and Tatyana Ali alongside partner Jan Ravnik. That team score lifted Stiles and Sosa to an overall mark of 69 points, leaving them trailing the top tier when viewer ballots merged with the panel's tallies.
While Stiles and Sosa departed, Shum Jr. secured a major strategic advantage heading into the next stage of the tournament. Tied with Dewan on night-eight totals, Shum Jr. captured immunity from next week's dance-off round by winning the season-long cumulative scoring tiebreaker by a single point, 236 to 235.
The departure trims the field to seven couples competing for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Advancing alongside Dewan, Shum Jr., Ali, and Higgins are Paralympic athlete Ezra Frech with Daniella Karagach, figure skater Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov, and online creator Connor Wood with Rylee Arnold. The ballroom competition resumes in its standard Tuesday timeslot on November 10, when the remaining contestants tackle Grammy Night with routines featuring music from artists such as Brandy, Monica, Maren Morris, and Sheryl Crow.
Source:
Entertainment Weekly (EW) November 3, 2026
Us Weekly November 3, 2026
Extra TV November 3, 2026
Forbes / Ground News November 3, 2026
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