Jennifer Grey, who was once a Hollywood sweetheart, became famous in the ’80s when she conquered the world with her sensual dance moves in the most romantic film of all time, Dirty Dancing, along with her partner Patrick Swayze. However, she went from fame to oblivion and her career ended abruptly when she decided to do things her way.
Jennifer Underwent Nose Surgery
Despite her success and popularity in the late 1980s, Jennifer’s career was destroyed at age 27. She rose to fame after starring in the romantic dance film as the teenage girl Baby who had a summer fling with her dance instructor Johnny Castle. The movie has proven to be timeless and is still a fan favorite, but it is not the case for the actress.
Jennifer auditioned for the film and stood out from the list, thanks to her unique face. Although she wanted to change her look for the better and fix her distinctive nose – her imperfection actually sealed her Hollywood career. After reaching the pinnacle of her career as an actress, she underwent two nose surgeries in the early 1990s -- and that’s the beginning of the decline of her thriving career.
After leaving the operating room, no one recognized her anymore and Hollywood was no longer interested in her. In an interview, Jennifer admitted, “I went in the operating room as a celebrity and came out anonymous. It was like being in a witness protection program, or being invisible.” The loss of fame and popularity was a traumatic event in her life.
Jennifer Stayed Away From Hollywood
But nose surgery was not the only thing that destroyed her working life in the entertainment industry. Nine days before the premiere of her film, Jennifer and actor Matthew Broderick, with whom she was in a secret relationship, were involved in a horrific car accident while on holiday in Ireland.
The release of “Dirty Dancing” was marked by the accident in which a mother and daughter were killed. On the other hand, Jennifer and Matthew were seriously injured. The actor had a broken leg, a collapsed lung, and a concussion while the actress had severe whiplash and tore ligaments in the back of her neck.
For the rising star, the impact of the accident led to a lifetime of pain, and she was unable to dance and act for years. She withdrew from the film industry, but when she decided to return to the limelight, her cardinal mistake of going under the knife crippled her career. The physical change was so dramatic that people apparently failed to recognize her.
Jennifer Returns To Hollywood
In 2009, Jennifer appeared as one of the celebrities taking part in Dancing With The Stars. To solve her problem with the trauma she had during the accident, she had surgery to correct her compressed spinal cord and a titanium plate was inserted to stabilize and support her neck, making her able to dance again.
She said in an interview, “I had been suffering for so long and didn’t fully realize how pain had taken control of my life. I stopped doing so many things that I loved, including dancing, because I didn’t want to make the pain worse.”
Despite her case, she did not give up and continued to thrive in the industry she once dominated. In 2011, she was chosen to stand in for head judge Len Goodman on Strictly. She has also continued working as an actress, appearing in hit shows like Grey’s Anatomy, and received small roles in films.
Jennifer tries to cement herself once again as the main character Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman in Hollywood with a Dirty Dancing sequel. The original film won an Oscar and Golden Globe awards for the song “I’ve Had The Time of My Life,” and was nominated in the comedy/musical category – as well as Jennifer in the best actress category.
Talking to PEOPLE, the actress revealed that the sequel’s producers will not be trying to replace her partner Patrick Swayze, who passed away in 2009 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She said, “All I can say is there is no replacing who’s passed -- you never try to repeat anything that’s magic like that. You just go for something different.”
Jennifer believes that it was the “very genuine and simple” appeal of the film that has ensured its popularity even after so many years. She acclaimed, “It was about innocence and the way that innocence is lost and how people explode into a different iteration of themselves.”
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed the Dirty Dancing sequel and said that it will be directed by filmmaker Jonathan Levine. He said, “It will be exactly the kind of romantic, nostalgic movie that the franchise’s fans have been waiting for and that have made it the biggest-selling library title in the Company’s history.” There are no details yet on the plot and release date of the film, so fans are left hoping that the sequel is able to lift off the ground sooner rather than later.