Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa unveiled matching tattoos Thursday, two days after their Dancing With the Stars elimination.
The actress, 45, and her pro partner, 25, each now wear eight stars on their wrists, one for every routine they performed together during Season 35. They shared photos of the fresh ink on Instagram, where Sosa also revealed two additional tattoos of his own.
Sosa got a chair inked on his ribs to honor the prop Stiles used in their October jazz number, which recalled her 2001 film Save the Last Dance. He also added “diva check” in script, a phrase he explained in the comments served as his daily wellness check-in with Stiles during the competition.
“It’s how I’d ask how she was doing everyday,” the choreographer wrote.
Stiles’ second tattoo was the matching “diva check” inscription, making three pieces of commemorative art between the two partners.
Jenna Dewan, 45, who remains in the competition with pro Val Chmerkovskiy, reacted to the post with an emotional comment. “Omg ðŸ˜,” the Step Up star wrote.
The tattoo reveal came after a difficult Tuesday evening for the pair, who were cut from the ABC series following their paso doble to “Satisfied” from Hamilton on Disney Night. Stiles addressed the elimination on Instagram with a message to Sosa that reflected on her personal journey back to dance.
“I did this for the little girl in me that stopped dancing. … love you forever @ezrasosa,” she wrote.
Sosa has developed a tradition of marking his DWTS partnerships with permanent ink. In 2024, following his season with Anna Delvey, 35, he had the word “nothing” tattooed on his back after the fraudster’s viral remark that she gained nothing from the show. He explained the choice on Instagram, writing that the tattoo “felt right” because “t’s not about glossing over what happened but taking back control of my story.”
The following year, Sosa and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, 25, got matching “just married” tattoos amid persistent public speculation about a romance between them.
Sosa, who joined DWTS in 2021, has been open about his ambitions for the program’s future. In an interview with Out magazine last week, he said he had already contacted casting directors about competing with a same-sex partner in Season 36.
“I’m working my magic,” he said. “I definitely want that 100% to happen. I’ve been so passionate about same-sex dancing in general, especially being part of the queer community.”
The Tuesday elimination shocked viewers who had followed Stiles’ progress from novice to confident performer across eight weeks of competition. Her Disney Night paso doble, performed in a gold-trimmed gown against a Hamilton-themed backdrop, earned praise from judges but not enough votes to advance the pair to the following week.
After the results, Stiles posted to assure Sosa that their partnership had value beyond the scoreboard. “We won in so many ways,” she wrote on Instagram.
Sosa’s farewell speech on the broadcast channeled Stiles’ breakout role in the 1999 teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, delivering a poem-style tribute that referenced their journey together.
The matching stars and “diva check” tattoos now join Sosa’s growing collection of DWTS memorabilia on skin, each marking a distinct chapter in his young career. For Stiles, the ink represents a return to dance after walking away from it as a child.
Sosa continues to appear on DWTS as a troupe member for the remainder of Season 35, which airs Tuesdays on ABC.