‘Dirty Dancing’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

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'Dirty Dancing’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

Voices, hearts and hands! It’s been more than three decades since Frances “Baby” Houseman and Johnny Castle fell in love during a summer at Kellerman’s. Dirty Dancing, which followed Baby (Jennifer Grey) filling in for Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) as Johnny’s (Patrick Swayze) dance partner during a summer vacation with her parents, hit theaters in 1987. While the film has several iconic lines (“nobody puts Baby in a corner!”) and scenes, perhaps the most memorable is Johnny and Baby’s lift. "I only did it on the day I shot it,” Grey revealed about the scene during an interview with The Guardian in 2015. "Never rehearsed it, never done it since. I don't know how all these people who reenact it have the guts to throw themselves into the arms of anyone other than Patrick Swayze. It's insane!" The actress added that she’s “thrilled” the move has stood the test of time — but she has no plans to follow the trend of fans recreating the moment. [jwplayer RmxW6pS8-l3ahXupL] “It happened, enjoy it, watch it over and over again but never ask me to do it again because I'm too f—king old,” she quipped. "I have a family and I want to live longer." Baby may not be doing any more lifts, but news broke in 2020 that Dirty Dancing was getting a sequel, with Grey starring and executive producing the new movie. Lionsgate said in a statement at the time: “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.” Grey later confirmed the news. “Its appeal was that it was very genuine and simple," she said in a 2020 People interview about the original movie. "It was about innocence and the way that innocence is lost and how people explode into a different iteration of themselves." When asked about replacing Swayze’s role after his 2009 death, Grey said there’s “no replacing” the late actor. “You never try to repeat anything that’s magic like that," she said. "You just go for something different." Scroll through for an update on the cast:

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Jennifer Grey

The Ferris Bueller's Day Off actress appeared as herself on ABC’s It's Like, You Know… from 1991 to 2001 before she starred as Judy Meyers in the Prime Video’s Red Oaks from 2014 to 2017. In addition to several film roles, Grey won season 11 of Dancing With the Stars with partner Derek Hough in 2010.

Us Weekly confirmed in 2020 that Grey and husband Clark Gregg split after 19 years of marriage. According to court documents obtained by Us at the time, Grey will retain all the earnings and residuals from Dirty Dancing in the divorce and receive 50 percent of Gregg’s royalties and residuals for his projects, including Marvel films such as Avengers, Captain America and Iron Man, and his ABC series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

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Patrick Swayze

Swayze went on to star in 1989’s Road House, 1990’s Ghost, 1991’s Point Break and 1995’s To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. The actor’s final roles were in the A&E series The Beast and 2009’s Powder Blue. Nearly two years after Swayze was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer, he died in September 2009. He was 57. 

He is survived by wife Lisa Niemi, whom he was married to for 34 years before his passing.

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Cynthia Rhodes

The Flashdance star, who played Penny, stepped back from acting after Dirty Dancing, appearing only in 1991’s Curse of the Crystal Eye.

Rhodes split from husband Richard Marx in 2014 after 25 years of marriage. She is the mother of sons Lucas, Jesse and Brandon.

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Jerry Orbach

The actor, who played Baby’s dad, starred as Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order for 12 years. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1994 and lost his battle with the disease in 2004. He was 69.

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Kelly Bishop

The Tony winner’s TV-career thrived after Dirty Dancing when she landed the role of Emily Gilmore on Gilmore Girls (and reprised her role for the Netflix revival in 2016). She re-teamed up with Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino for Bunheads, which aired for one season from 2012 to 2013.

Credit: Lionsgate

Jane Brucker

The actress is best known for her role as Baby’s sister, Lisa Houseman, but appeared in 1988’s Stealing Home, 1989’s Bloodhounds of Broadway and 2005’s Dishdogz.

She married Raul Vega in 2001 and welcomed daughters Sally and Rachel.

Credit: Lionsgate

Max Cantor

Cantor, who portrayed Robbie in Dirty Dancing, quit acting shortly after the film to pursue a career as a journalist. He died in 1991 after a drug overdose. He was 32.