From its very conception, it was a low-budget movie. It had no big actors; it had no well-known director. And yet the very moment Dirty Dancing hit the big screen in August 1987, the producers and cast knew they’d accomplished something enormous.
The audience simply came out of nowhere. People rushed to see the new film, and it became the first ever to sell over 1 million copies on VHS. Even the soundtrack, ‘I’ve Had The Time of My Life‘ won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
For male lead Patrick Swayze, the success was instantaneous. He became a teen idol and sex symbol, going on to land roles in big movies like Ghost and Donnie Darko.
Even Jennifer Grey, who played ‘Baby’ in the film, was predicted to enjoy a significant upturn in career prospects. However, it wasn’t to be…
In an interview with People Magazine, Grey has now talked about the tragic accident that changed everything, forcing her to turn her back on the film industry for good.
“There was some very, very heavy stuff that went down that changed my life forever and there was no one to blame,” she says.
By the end of the 1980s, no one could escape Dirty Dancing. The passionate love story of Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman and dance teacher Johnny Castle took the world by storm – the movie became one of the most popular of the decade.Dela03:03
But amongst the hubbub and celebrations, Jennifer Grey was gone as quickly as she had appeared.
Grey was missing from the public spotlight for a long, long time. Now, in an interview with People Magazine, she’s revealed all about the accident that changed her life.
Shortly before the film’s premiere in August 1987, Grey was residing in Ireland with then-boyfriend Matthew Broderick.
”I learned so many things about myself from my relationship with Matthew. First of all, we were really young. We were in our mid twenties when we got together. And from where I sit now, that’s pretty young. And we were, I don’t know, I can only speak for myself. I was really in love with him,” Jennifer says.
Sadly, the couple were involved in a terrible car accident when Broderick was driving on the wrong side of the road and crashed into another vehicle.
A mother and her daughter were in the other car – both were killed, instantly.
”It was a pure and simple accident that was tragic. And it had very serious traumatic lasting effects on, I’m sure, Matthew and the family of the other women and me,” Jennifer told People.
Broderick was charged with dangerous driving – later reduced to careless driving. Jennifer Grey, meanwhile, suffered nothing more than bruises and minor physical injuries, though her mental scars remained.
The premiere for Dirty Dancing was mere days later. But, despite the success of the film, Grey simply couldn’t enjoy it.
“The juxtaposition of that deep sorrow, the survivor’s guilt, and then being celebrated as the new big thing just didn’t jibe. It didn’t feel good to be the toast of the town,” Grey said, as per the Daily Mirror.
The actress would never fully recover from the trauma brought about by the accident. She retired from the spotlight aged just 27.
“My head was never the same, my ambition was never the same,” she told People.
In the years that followed Grey appeared in some television shows, but nothing more.
She struggled with survivor’s guilt and disappeared for a couple of years in the early 90s before appearing in one episode of Friends, in 1995.
By then, she had undergone plastic surgery, and her face was very different. She also underwent an operation on her nose, but in much the same vein, it was a failure.
“I went in the operating theatre a celebrity and come out anonymous,” she said in 2012.
The surgery led to a change in her appearance, one that meant it was difficult to land major roles as people no longer recognized her.
“It was like being in a witness protection program or being invisible. It was the nose job from hell. I’ll always be this once-famous actress nobody recognises because of a nose job.”
After her second nose job, Jennifer went to a premiere, where Michael Douglas turned around and didn’t recognize her.
“That was the first time I had gone out in public. And it became the thing, the idea of being completely invisible, from one day to the next. In the world’s eyes, I was no longer me. and the weird thing was that thing that I resisted my whole life, and the thing I was so upset with my mother for always telling me I should do my nose. I really thought it was capitulating. I really thought it meant surrendering to the enemy camp. I just thought, ‘I’m good enough. I shouldn’t have to do this.’ That’s really what I felt. ‘I’m beautiful enough.’”
However by 2010, Jennifer had forced her way back into the mainstream media. She won the TV show ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and returned to being a firm fan favourite. According to her, that was something that was important to her.
“It’s like I’ve starved myself because of what people could think about me. This is like eating a delicious steak after having been on a diet for 23 years,” the star told People.
In 2018, Grey took another step toward the limelight she left. She appeared in the movie Untogether as well as the comedy Red Oaks. She has made sporadic appearances in TV series and movies in recent years. In 2022, Jennifer Gray released her new book “Out of the Corner: A Memoir,” a New York Times Bestseller.
We’re so happy you’ve got your passion and joy back, Jennifer!
Now, who else feels like taking a nostalgia-fuelled trip back to 1987? See below the unforgettable scene from Dirty Dancing. What fantastic memories!
Please share this story with your friends on Facebook. Just as I did, they probably watched Dirty Dancing and wondered what happened to the gorgeous Jennifer Grey!
