Actress Julia Stiles joins “The Jennifer Hudson Show” on Monday, September 21, where she opens up about her decision to join “Dancing with the Stars” and discusses why now is the perfect time for her to return to the dance floor. She also shares why she stepped away from dance after the hit film “Save the Last Dance,” and how the film has become a fan favorite! She also reflects on the ongoing impact of the iconic film “10 Things I Hate About You,” and what it continues to mean to fans.

Next, Jennifer welcomes veteran actor Ernest Harden Jr. to celebrate his emotional Emmy win at the age of 74. Ernest reflects on the profound significance of this achievement, the enduring impact of his work on “The Jeffersons,” and the heartfelt bond he shares with Noah Wyle and the team from “The Pitt.”

Opening up about her Dancing with the Stars journey, the actress admitted that stepping onto the dance floor has been both exciting and deeply personal. Although she loves to dance, she revealed that she hadn’t taken a dance class since starring in a movie where she played a ballerina. The experience actually left her feeling self-conscious about performing in front of people.

So, when the opportunity to join Dancing with the Stars came along, she saw it as a chance to rediscover the joy and confidence that comes with performing. She’s been a longtime fan of the show and said being part of it had always been a dream but fear kept her from saying yes.

This time, though, the timing felt right.

She credits her decision to simply feeling ready to take that leap, along with having an incredible dance partner by her side. And judging by her performances, that confidence is definitely showing! The audience even cheered when she joked about going from “mommy” to becoming a Vegas showgirl.

As a mom of three young boys, she said her children are used to seeing her dancing around the kitchen and singing at home. Now, they’re beginning to understand why Mom is suddenly dancing on television! She admitted it’s probably a little strange for them to see her in this new light, but she hopes her journey makes them proud.

And what about those intense rehearsals? Whew!

Once she signed on, she knew she needed to get her stamina up and get her body ready for the demands of the competition. But now that rehearsals are in full swing with her partner Ezra Sosa, she says she’s having an absolute blast.

The hours are long, but because she’s having so much fun, the time seems to fly by. She even called dancing “the best exercise” because it doesn’t feel like a workout when she’s enjoying herself.

She also opened up about her dance experience, explaining that she’s an actress—not a professional dancer and that much of the ballet audiences saw in her previous film was performed by a double. She jokingly admitted she was never great at ballet and could never get on pointe. However, when it came to the hip-hop and club dancing in the movie, that was all her!

Now she gets to learn choreography alongside an actual professional, and she couldn’t be happier with Ezra. She described him as supportive, patient and incredibly fun to work with. And because she considers herself a bit of a “workhorse,” she’s more than happy to rehearse over and over again until she gets it right!

It sounds like this dancing duo is having just as much fun behind the scenes as they are on the dance floor and I’m here for it!