Dirty Dancing is one of the most feel-good movies ever made. Sure, there’s plenty of drama, and you might cry for Jennifer Grey’s character along the way. But by the time Patrick Swayze lifts her up in his strong arms, they’ll turn to tears of joy. The entire movie builds up to this cathartic moment, the kind that everybody hopes to experience one day. She got to show off in front of all her haters and walk away with the man of her dreams. What else could this tiny dancer ask for?
Because Dirty Dancing makes us feel so good, you might be surprised by all the tragedy that has engulfed its stars. Not only did they endure a legendarily intense production, but long after they wrapped on this film, their lives were shattered forever. Some of these stars experienced life-changing tragedy, while others died in the worst and most unpredictable ways. Just what happened to your favorite stars after the credits rolled? Keep reading to discover the most terrible things that happened to the cast of Dirty Dancing!
Jennifer Grey was in a fatal car wreck with a co-star
Remember when we said that some of the tragedies that happened to the Dirty Dancing cast were completely unpredictable? Nobody exemplified this better than leading lady Jennifer Grey. Everybody knows that she got an ill-advised nose job that transformed her face and effectively destroyed her career. But what most fans don’t realize is that she was in a fatal car wreck along with the lead of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off!
When they started in that high school comedy together, Jennifer Grey fell in love with Matthew Broderick. They were dating at the time, which is how he scored a cameo in Dirty Dancing. Shortly before that film premiered, the two were on vacation in Ireland, and Broderick crashed the car they were both in. He sustained injuries so severe that Grey thought he had died. Broderick survived, but the same couldn’t be said for two local women whom he crashed into, both of whom died.
Patrick Swayze’s tragic death
Aside from Jennifer Grey, the biggest star of Dirty Dancing was Patrick Swayze. He was one of the biggest stars of the ‘80s, appearing in major films like Red Dawn and Road House. Dirty Dancing firmly established that he could be just as successful as a romantic lead as he was a chisel-jawed action hero. He continued to dominate Hollywood into the ‘90s, starring in killer movies like Ghost and Point Break.
To fans, it seemed like both Patrick Swayze and his career would live forever. That’s why it was such a terrible shock when the actor died due to pancreatic cancer. The whole thing seemed very sudden: he was diagnosed in 2008 and died later that year. Sadly, he was only 57 years old at the time of his passing. Even sadder, he admitted to Barbara Walters shortly beforehand that he was scared of dying, confirming that this sudden diagnosis had filled his waking life with misery and fear.
Jerry Orbach died of cancer
In Dirty Dancing, Jerry Orbach played Baby’s father. He was already a well-established actor, but being in one of the hottest films of the ‘80s helped remind audiences of just how good an actor he really was. It helped that he was playing something so different from his usual films: that is, he played a kind and gentle father rather than a no-nonsense cop. Shortly after that film, he returned to his comfort zone to play Lennie Briscoe in Law & Order, a role that helped introduce the acclaimed actor to a brand new generation.
Unfortunately, that role served as the swan song for Jerry Orbach. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer that claimed his life in 2004. He was mourned by countless fans, one of whom was his Dirty Dancing costar, Patrick Swayze. According to the younger man, Orbach was something of a mentor on set, and his approval was all it took to convince Swayze that he had hit the right notes in his performance.
Jennifer Grey’s failed marriage
Poor Jennifer Grey just can’t catch a break. Earlier, we discussed her career-ending nose job as well as her relationship with Matthew Broderick. Despite surviving that harrowing car crash, she didn’t end up staying with her Ferris Bueller costar. She eventually married Clark Gregg, better known to Marvel fans for playing Phil Coulson in The Avengers and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. At the time, everyone assumed this was the start of her own happily ever after.
But in 2020, the couple took to Instagram to reveal the shocking fact that they were getting divorced. Both of them kept it classy and discussed how they would continue to support each other even after the divorce. Moreover, they didn’t get into the dirty details of what drove them apart in the first place. Of course, you don’t have to have all the dirty deets to be sympathetic to Jennifer Grey: she lost her famous look, she lost her nose, and she even ended up losing her husband!