Dirty Dancing is one of the most popular and successful movies of all time. First released in 1987, it’s become an absolute cult classic, with more and more generations of viewers continuing to discover its charms.
The now-iconic romance between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, coupled with their amazing moves, makes this movie one of the most beloved in cinema history. But still, not everyone knows the truth of what happened behind the scenes. Let’s take a look back at the hidden secrets behind the set of this iconic masterpiece.
Casting Chaos
It’s pretty impossible to imagine the iconic Dirty Dancing movie with anyone other than Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey as the stars. But in fact, neither of them was the first choice for the roles! Can you believe it?
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Sarah Jessica Parker and Sharon Stone both auditioned for the role of Baby, before it eventually went to Grey. And, Swayze’s character Johnny Castle was originally meant for Billy Zane—but they switched to Swayze as Zane didn't have the right dancing style for the movie.
Ad Libbing
Dirty Dancing is such a perfect film in so many ways, that you would probably assume the entire production was perfected by the creators in every detail. But in fact, some of the most iconic moments in the movie actually came about completely naturally.
Screenshot from "Dirty Dancing"
For example, when Baby and Johnny are practicing their moves and she giggles or gets flustered, and Johnny gets annoyed with her? That’s the actors’ real emotions showing through! And this is only just one glimpse into the truth of the relationship between the stars.
Painful Parts
Just like in the movie, Swayze really was an experienced dancer and Grey really was a natural talent but with no training. In fact, Swayze loved dancing so much that he battled through even the more difficult scenes despite a long-term knee problem.
Screenshot from "Dirty Dancing"
Before Dirty Dancing, Swayze had been trying to avoid parts with too much dancing, but for this one, he just couldn't resist it—and just had to push through the pain.
Swayze Stunts
Isn’t it amazing to think that Swayze almost didn't take on this part, because he was worried about aggravating his knee injury further? But you may not know that, not only did he take on the part, but he insisted on doing all of the stunts himself!
Screenshot from "Dirty Dancing"
One particular scene—when Johnny and Baby are dancing on the log over the lake—caused Swayze such pain that he had to go to hospital to have the swelling drained.
No One Nose
Part of Baby’s unique charm was her sweet and natural looks, that won Johnny over alongside her personality. But there was one part of her unique features that Grey secretly didn't like—her nose.
Alesnick/Mediapunch/Shutterstock (8877633a)
And so, Grey decided to have surgery on her nose, but unfortunately the procedure didn't go so well. In the attempts to fix it, Grey was left with a nose that looked so different, many people say it ruined her career—as she simply wasn't recognizable as the star we knew and loved.
Age Difference
It’s no secret that Hollywood actors often end up playing characters that are far younger than them in real life. But for Swayze and Grey, the age differences between them and their characters were really quite something.
Screenshot from "Dirty Dancing"
Grey was 26 years old when she landed the part of 18-year-old Baby, and Swayze was 34 when he took on 24-year-old Johnny. That’s ten years! Wowza. They certainly pulled it off though.
