"It feels like I'm living it when I'm watching it. And then I'm realizing that Patrick [Swayze] is gone," said Jennifer Grey.
Dirty Dancing is a cult classic that many of us love. From its iconic dance moves to the chemistry between its two stars, Jennifer Grey and the late Patrick Swayze, even its actors can't forget it. Jennifer Grey, now 62, recently opened up about how the movie impacted her life in an interview with PEOPLE. "It gets me every time. It feels like I'm living it when I'm watching it. And then I'm realizing that Patrick [Swayze] is gone," Grey revealed as she was moved to tears when a classic clip from the film was shown during a morning show appearance. Swayze passed away in 2009 at the age of 57 after battling pancreatic cancer.
In a separate interview with PEOPLE, Grey had spoken about her relationship with Patrick Swayze during the filming of Dirty Dancing. While they played love interests in the movie, there was tension between them off-screen. "I feel like if I could say anything to him now, I would say, 'I'm so sorry that I couldn't just appreciate and luxuriate in who you were, instead of me wishing you were more like what I wanted you to be'," she said.
Yearning for a love like theirs.💖 pic.twitter.com/tvhJNF98Tf
— Dirty Dancing Movie (@DirtyDancingMov) February 9, 2023
Despite the tension, Grey revealed that Swayze gave her strength and supported her on the set, particularly during the filming of the famous lift scene. "I was terrified to do the lift choreography at the movie's end, but Patrick was an unwavering source of strength for me. He was really strong and very protective of me," she said. As iconic as it is, the famous lift was never rehearsed, according to Grey. "I only did it on the day I shot it. Never rehearsed it, never done it since. I don’t know how all these people who re-enact it have the guts to throw themselves into the arms of anyone other than Patrick Swayze. It’s insane," she said in an interview with The Guardian in 2015.
Grey also discussed fun facts about herself. Revealing her latest obsession she said, "I'm currently obsessed with eating big jars of peach halves in syrup with whole-fat cottage cheese like I'm 90 years old. I could eat it all day, anytime, anywhere." She also told PEOPLE, she loves playing Wordle. "I played Wordle yesterday. I've gotten it on the second try but mostly the third. I wouldn't want it on the first—I want a little tension," she shared.
Grey also discussed when she last felt nostalgia with PEOPLE, "I'm in New York City, and I was walking from my dad [Joel Grey]'s place down Bleecker Street. This was my neighborhood for 20 years, and it felt like no time had passed." And she also discussed her ideal day off, "I love having an open day—it feels so luxurious. What do I make for breakfast? Should I meditate? I think I'll get in the shower. Or not. I just like seeing how the day unfolds."
Dirty Dancing remains a movie that is watched and rewatched across the world and its actress, Grey, not only cherishes her time on the set but also the cult classic the movie became.
References:
https://people.com/movies/jennifer-grey-memoir-out-of-the-corner-people-interview/
Cover Image Source: (L) IMDb | Dirty Dancing; (R) Getty Images | Michael Loccisano
