Julia Stiles' Real Name: Julia O'Hara Stiles

Quick answer: Julia Stiles' full name is Julia O'Hara Stiles. She was born on March 28, 1981, in New York City and acts under her birth name (Britannica; TV Guide). She was eliminated from Dancing with the Stars on November 2, 2026 (EW).

Early life

Stiles grew up in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. Her mother is a potter and her father ran a pottery business. She started performing as a child with New York's experimental La MaMa theater company. Later, while acting in films, she studied English literature at Columbia University and graduated in 2005.

Breakout: Shakespeare for the '90s generation

• 10 Things I Hate About You (1999): She played Kat Stratford opposite Heath Ledger in this update of The Taming of the Shrew.
• Hamlet (2000): She played Ophelia opposite Ethan Hawke.
• O (2001): a high-school version of Othello.
• Save the Last Dance (2001): a box-office hit with Sean Patrick Thomas.

Bourne, Dexter and beyond

Stiles played CIA operative Nicky Parsons in the Bourne films, from The Bourne Identity (2002) to Jason Bourne (2016). She earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her season 5 role as Lumen on Dexter (2010). Other roles include Silver Linings Playbook (2012), the British series Riviera and Hustlers (2019). She made her feature directing debut with Wish You Were Here (2025), adapted from Renée Carlino's novel.

Dancing with the Stars (2026)

Stiles competed on Dancing with the Stars with pro partner Ezra Sosa. She was eliminated on the November 2, 2026, Disney Night episode after a paso doble to "Satisfied" from Hamilton. Afterward, the pair got matching tattoos (EW; People).

Personal life

Stiles married camera assistant Preston J. Cook in 2017. They have children together.