Where the Dirty Dancing cast are now from heroin overdose, heartbreaking cancer death and ditching showbiz
A lot has changed in the space of almost four decades…Dirty Dancing sent shockwaves through cinemas when it landed in 1987, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon and turning its cast into overnight stars – but where are the cast now?
With ITV airing the iconic film Dirty Dancing again this New Year’s Eve, almost four decades on, it’s the perfect time to look back at where the cast are now. How did life unfold for the actors behind Baby, Johnny and the residents of Kellerman’s?
It is a welcome addition to the Christmas TV schedule ahead of the new year!
Cast of Dirty Dancing now: Jennifer Grey played Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman
Playing Frances “Baby” Houseman propelled Jennifer Grey straight into the spotlight. Now 65, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for the role and was firmly established as one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars.
Jennifer continued acting throughout the late 80s and early 90s, appearing in films such as Bloodhounds of Broadway, Red Meat and Wind. However, her career momentum stalled after she underwent rhinoplasty. A second corrective surgery left her looking so different that casting directors struggled to recognise her.
In her autobiography, Jennifer wrote that after Dirty Dancing she was “America’s sweetheart”, but things didn’t unfold as expected. She revealed a plastic surgeon once questioned why she hadn’t had her nose done after watching the film. She later described the global misunderstanding of her appearance as deeply painful, saying it felt like she’d committed an “unforgivable crime” against herself.
Despite this, Jennifer continued to find success. She appeared in Friends in 1995, won Dancing With the Stars in 2010 and later served as a guest judge on Strictly Come Dancing in 2011. Her most recent film role came in Jesse Eisenberg’s 2024 comedy A Real Pain.
Her personal life also attracted attention. She was romantically linked to Matthew Broderick, Michael J Fox and Johnny Depp, as well as President Clinton’s aide William Baldwin. Jennifer married Marvel actor Clark Gregg in 2001, and they share a daughter. The couple divorced in 2021.
Patrick Swayze played Johnny Castle
Patrick Swayze, who played Johnny Castle, enjoyed an even more glittering Hollywood career. Following Dirty Dancing, he starred in a string of hit films including Next of Kin, Road House, Ghost and Point Break.
In 1991, he was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive. He later returned to the Dirty Dancing universe in 2004’s Havana Nights, playing a dance instructor. The prequel was poorly received and flopped at the box office.
Patrick married actor and dancer Lisa Niemi in 1975, and the pair remained devoted to each other throughout their marriage. In 2009, Patrick died aged 57 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His ashes were scattered over his ranch in New Mexico.
Jerry Orbach played Baby’s dad Jake Houseman
Veteran stage actor Jerry Orbach was already well known before taking on the role of Dr Jake Houseman. TV audiences recognised him from Murder, She Wrote and its spin-off The Law and Larry McGraw.
After Dirty Dancing, Jerry voiced Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast and went on to enjoy a hugely successful run as Lennie Briscoe in Law & Order. He was married twice and had two sons.
Jerry died in 2004 at the age of 69 following a private 10-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Cast of Dirty Dancing now: Kelly Bishop played Marjorie Houseman
Kelly Bishop, now 81, played Baby’s mother, Marjorie Houseman. Despite being a Tony Award-winning dancer thanks to A Chorus Line, she didn’t dance in Dirty Dancing at all.
Kelly later became a household name as Emily Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, appearing in the series from 2000 to 2007 and returning for the 2016 Netflix revival. She was married to talk show host Lee Leonard until his death in 2018.
Cynthia Rhodes played Penny Johnson
Cynthia Rhodes, now 69, portrayed Penny, Johnny’s original dance partner. Before Dirty Dancing, she’d appeared in Flashdance, Staying Alive and Runaway.
Dirty Dancing proved to be her penultimate film role, with just one further appearance in 1991’s Curse of the Crystal Eye. Cynthia then shifted focus to music, fronting the band Animotion between 1988 and 1990. She later retired from acting to raise a family with husband Richard Marx. They divorced in 2014 after 25 years of marriage.
Jane Brucker played Lisa Houseman in Dirty Dancing
Jane Brucker, now 67, made her film debut as Baby’s sister Lisa and also co-wrote the song Hula Hana for the movie. She reunited with Jennifer Grey in Bloodhounds of Broadway in 1989, which failed at the box office.
Jane went on to appear in Doctor Doctor, Dishdogz and Bright Day, and was a guest judge on The Real Dirty Dancing in 2022. She has two children from two marriages.
Jack Weston played Max Kellerman
Jack Weston played resort owner Max Kellerman and was already an established actor by the time Dirty Dancing was released. He’d been acting since the 1950s and earned a Golden Globe nomination for The Ritz in 1976.
After Dirty Dancing, further accolades followed, including a Tony nomination for his role in Woody Allen’s play The Floating Light Bulb. Jack was married twice and had one child. He died in 1996 aged 71 after a long battle with lymphoma.
Wayne Knight played Stan
Wayne Knight, now 70, played Kellerman’s employee Stan. His career flourished after Dirty Dancing, with roles in Jurassic Park, Space Jam, Toy Story 2 and Seinfeld. In more recent years, he’s appeared in Torchwood, Law & Order and Amazon Prime series Them.
He has been married twice and has one son.
Cast of Dirty Dancing now: Lonny Price played Neil Kellerman
Lonny Price, now 66, played Neil Kellerman, the spoilt grandson of Max. Before Dirty Dancing, he’d appeared in The Muppets Take Manhattan and worked extensively on stage. He later enjoyed success both on screen and behind the scenes, winning two Emmys as a director.
In 2017, he directed Glenn Close in the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard and went on to helm the touring production of Peter Pan in 2023. He also reprised his Dirty Dancing role in the 2017 TV remake.
Dirty Dancing cast now: Max Cantor played bad boy Robbie Gould
Finally, Max Cantor portrayed Robbie, the smooth-talking waiter whose storyline remains one of the film’s darkest. Sadly, Max’s acting career was short-lived, with Dirty Dancing his most notable role.
In 1991, he died aged just 32. His death was later attributed to acute intoxication from heroin, cocaine and Prozac, following drug use that began while researching a film role.
Nearly 40 years on, Dirty Dancing remains a beloved classic – and the stories of its cast continue to fascinate fans every time the film returns to our screens.
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