The actress who played “Baby” in the beloved movie Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey, was expected to see a significant boost in her career possibilities.
That was not to be, though. Instead, a terrible accident changed everything and forced her to give up the movie industry forever.
The terrible period in her life that left Jennifer Grey severely traumatized was finally discussed by the sixty-two-year-old Jennifer Grey after many years.
It’s a low-budget movie without a big name director or celebrity cast.
But when Dirty Dancing opened in theaters in August 1987, the actors and producers realized they had accomplished something truly great.
The primary actor, Patrick Swayze, achieved quick success. He became well-known as a sex icon and teenage hero before going on to appear in big-budget films like Donnie Darko and Ghost.
But when the movie first came out, his co-star Jennifer Grey wasn’t feeling well, so she swiftly disappeared from sight. Jennifer Grey disappeared amidst the chaos and celebrations just as quickly as she had appeared.
In addition, the actress spent a considerable amount of time away from the spotlight.
Nonetheless, in a recent interview with People Magazine, she revealed every detail of the accident that changed her life.
First, let’s take a look at Jennifer Grey’s life leading up to the tragic event that happened in the summer of 1987.
Jennifer Gray began taking dancing classes at a young age. Her father most likely urged her to seek a career in entertainment when she was born in New York in 1960. Her father, Joel Gray, was an actor, director, photographer, dancer, and vocalist.
Jennifer attended the Dalton School to study dancing and acting. After graduation in 1978, she began seeking acting roles, and she went on to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. But it wasn’t a rose-colored dance in her life. Jennifer had to work as a waitress to pay the bills.
She did, however, manage to get a couple of TV commercials, including one for Dr. Pepper. Her first motion picture role was in 1984’s “Reckless.” A few years later, she had an incredible breakout role in “Dirty Dancing,” where she played Frances “Baby” Houseman.
The cherished film’s narrative is based on scriptwriter Eleanor Bergstein’s early years. Jennifer became well-known overnight and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.
Sad event
Unfortunately, she was never able to enjoy the enormous success.
Just before the movie’s August 1987 premiere, Grey and her then-boyfriend Matthew Broderick were residing in Ireland.
But Broderick was driving on the wrong side of the road when he struck another car, and the pair was involved in a horrifying auto accident. A woman and her daughter were killed instantly when they were in the other car.
Eventually, Broderick’s charges of careless driving were withdrawn. In contrast, Jennifer Grey only suffered minor bumps and bruises, but her psychological scars remained.
A few days later, Dirty Dancing had its premiere. Nevertheless, Grey was unable to enjoy the success of the film.
In the middle of such severe sadness and survivor’s guilt, it just didn’t feel right to be heralded as the next big thing. “It didn’t feel good to be the toast of the town,” Grey reportedly said, according to the Daily Mirror.
The actress’s anguish from the accident will never fully go away.
“My ambition and my head were never the same,” she told People.
The most awful nose job ever
Her struggle with survivor’s guilt caused her to disappear for a while in the early 1990s, but she reappeared in a single Friends episode in 1995.
By then, she had undergone plastic surgery, and her face was radically altered.
“I entered the operating room as a celebrity and left anonymous,” she said in 2012.
It was like being undercover or covered by witness protection. The worst nose job I’ve ever seen. I’ll always be this once-famous actress that nobody knows about because of a nose job.
Jennifer’s Hollywood career was sporadic after that.
By 2010, Jennifer had made a successful comeback to the mainstream media. She was a hit with the public once more after winning “Dancing with the Stars.” She said that was something that was important to her.
I feel like I’ve starved myself out of concern for what people may think of me. “This is like having a delicious steak after 23 years on a diet,” the actor said to People.
In 2018, Grey took another step toward the limelight she had previously left behind. She is expected to star in the upcoming motion picture Untogether and comedy Red Oaks.
Jennifer, we’re so happy to see you back to your passionate, happy self!
Who else has a strong need to go back in time to 1987 at this point? Watch the classic scene from Dirty Dancing down below. What beautiful memories!
Please share this news with your friends on Facebook. Like me, they probably watched Dirty Dancing and wondered what happened to the gorgeous Jennifer Grey!
My Stepmother ‘Gifted’ Me an Old, Smelly Couch — When She Saw What I Did With It, She Demanded $2,500 From Me
When Nicole’s stepmother calls her saying that she has a gift for her, Nicole goes over excitedly. But when she discovers what the gift is, Nicole is torn between keeping her father happy or retaliating. Finally, she accepts it and plans to transform it into something completely different. In the end Nicole is ready to claim the rewards of her hard work.
Ever have one of those moments where you should’ve just trusted your gut? Yep, that was me, standing in my stepmother’s basement, staring at the ugliest, smelliest couch I’d ever seen.
A close up of a young woman | Source: Midjourney
My stepmother, Susan, called me earlier that morning with a grand gesture for my birthday. She insisted that she had a “priceless” gift that was too big for her to move alone.
“You’re going to love it, Nicole!” she said. “It’s absolutely priceless! Come over later today, and we’ll show it to you.”
Now, this is the point when I tell you that Susan and I had never been close. In fact, if I’m being honest, she barely tolerated my existence. So, imagine my absolute surprise when she offered me a gift.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
“Curiosity killed the cat, Nic,” I said to myself as I got into the car.
I just wanted to see what it was, and I hoped that, for once, she might actually be genuine.
So, I get to my dad’s house, and he tells me that Susan’s busy.
“She’s sorting out the basement, honey,” he said. “Susan is finally cleaning out her clutter. It’s about time, to be honest. Come, have a cup of tea.”
A smiling older man | Source: Midjourney
“No, let me check out the gift first, Dad,” I said. “I’m so curious!”
He chuckled, oblivious to my nerves. Susan had a knack for random gifts. Last year, she gave me water bottles and socks for my birthday. I wondered if this year would be any different.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll get Susan, and then we can have some tea and a slice of cake. Susan made lemon cake this morning.”
A slice of lemon cake | Source: Midjourney
I paced in the foyer while my dad went down to the basement. Moments later, I heard them on the stairs.
Then I saw it.
My dad and Susan were making their way out of the basement with the monstrosity of a couch. The fabric was stained and ripped, with a stench that could probably knock out an adult horse! It looked like it had been neglected for decades!
A stained yellow couch | Source: Midjourney
“Happy Birthday!” Susan beamed, as if she were handing me the keys to a new car.
My dad looked at me expectantly, hoping I’d be happy with the gift. But it was horrendous! Rejecting it would hurt him, and Susan knew it. I could see it on her face.
A close up of a man | Source: Midjourney
I swallowed my frustration and called my boyfriend to bring his van over.
“I’ll be there in about ten minutes, babe,” Derek said.
“Thank you!” I replied. “I think they want the couch out today, so I need to take it home.”
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“Not a problem, Nic,” he said. “I’m just gaming online. But I’ll be done soon.”
I knew that Susan was using me as a free dump and delivery service. That couch wasn’t fit to be in any home. But again, I was determined to keep the peace for my father.
Derek showed up as I was drinking my cup of tea, and we loaded the couch and left for my home. He was going to follow me home, and we planned on having dinner together.
A young man in a driving | Source: Midjourney
“This couch is rough,” he said. “Looks like it’s been through a storm or two.”
My initial plan was to dump it at the curb and let someone else take it, but then something shifted inside me. I wasn’t going to let Susan win.
I decided to restore the couch and give it a second life. And so began a project I ne ver thought would lead to surprising results.
A young woman with yellow rubber gloves | Source: Midjourney
First, I tackled the smell.
The couch reeked of a stench that it seemed to have a life of its own. And the odor only got stronger as the day went on.
Luckily, I found a recipe for a DIY deodorizing solution online: white vinegar, water, and a few drops of lavender essential oil. I mixed it up and sprayed it generously over the couch, letting it sit for a few hours.
Glass bottles on a counter | Source: Midjourney
The vinegar smell was overpowering, but it faded, taking most of the nasty odor with it.
Next, I had to deal with the stains.
The years of spills and neglect had left their mark, so I whipped up a cleaning concoction of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a small amount of dish soap. With a soft brush in hand, I carefully scrubbed the stained areas, working the mixture into the fabric.
Different cleaning supplies on a counter | Source: Midjourney
I let it sit for about fifteen minutes before wiping it off with a damp cloth. The transformation was already noticeable. The stains were fading, and I felt optimistic about my restoration project.
But then I had to deal with the rips and tears. A simple needle and thread weren’t going to fix this.
A woman scrubbing a couch | Source: Midjourney
“Nic, you need material,” Derek said while marinating chicken in the kitchen. “There’s no other way than to do a funky patch job.”
“I agree,” I said. “Will you be fine here while I do a quick dash into town?”
Derek nodded.
“But why are you rushing?” Derek asked.
A young man in the kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Because if I don’t, it’ll end up as another sidelined project.”
“Go,” he laughed. “I’ll finish dinner in the meantime.”
So, I went to the local thrift store and found some reasonably matching fabric, random buttons, frills, and even two throw cushions.
A young woman in a thrift shop | Source: Midjourney
I used fabric glue to patch the larger holes and an iron-on fabric mender for the smaller tears. Finally, to give the whole couch a more cohesive look, I added some decorative buttons and tufting in key areas, making it look almost intentional.
A young woman sitting on a couch and looking through buttons | Source: Midjourney
“Alright, give it a rest, Nic,” Derek said as he took the last flatbread out of the pan. “You can finish it off in the morning.”
My arms were exhausted from all the scrubbing, so I was ready to listen to Derek and just sit down and eat everything he prepared.
Flatbread on a board | Source: Midjourney
But the next morning, I was back at it. I used my steam cleaner and thoroughly steamed the couch. I spent hours going over every inch of it, bringing the fabric back to life while I imagined every germ evaporating into oblivion.
By the time I was done, the couch looked like something out of a high-end furniture store.
“Damn, Nic!” I said to myself. “Well done, girl.”
A woman steam cleaning a couch | Source: Midjourney
Feeling pretty proud of my work, I decided to post the couch on a social media marketplace for $5,000. It was almost a joke because I just wanted to see if anyone would go for it.
I loved the restoration of the couch, but I also just wanted to see if I could make some money from my DIY project.
“What on earth?!” I exclaimed when my phone buzzed with a notification. Someone named Maggie was ready to purchase my couch!
A woman holding a phone | Source: Midjourney
To my shock, within a day, I got an offer from someone in the ritzy part of town. I couldn’t believe my luck, but I accepted the offer anyway.
“This is just wonderful,” Maggie said.
The moment I agreed to the sale, she came flying over to my place to test out the couch.
“This couch is going to be perfect for my art studio! Why would you ever want to get rid of it?” she asked.
“I’m just redecorating,” I said sheepishly. “But look, it’s yours to love and enjoy.”
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
A few days later, Susan showed up at my doorstep, furious. She had seen the post and the fact that the couch had been purchased for $5,000.
“You ungrateful little brat! How dare you sell my gift?” she screamed.
“Susan, you gave me a piece of junk. Actual junk. I put in the time and effort to restore it. The only reason it was worth anything now is simply because of my work.”
But she didn’t back down.
A close up of an angry woman | Source: Midjourney
“It was my couch! I expect half the money since you sold it. That’s $2,500!”
I couldn’t believe her nerve.
“No, Susan. If you wanted to sell the couch, you should’ve done it yourself. The transformation and profit are all mine.”
“You’ll regret this!” she shouted, storming off.
She hasn’t come back, so I don’t know what she’s planning. But I know I’ll be getting a call from my dad soon.
A smiling young woman | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
In-Laws Kicked Us Out of the House They Gifted After We Paid for Renovations — Then It Got Even Worse
When Mike’s parents offer him and his family a home, they are over the moon. Mike and Maria have a growing family, and they need the extra space. So, they venture into renovations, making the house a home. But one day, Mike’s parents called, wanting their home back.
When my in-laws offered us a house, we thought it was a dream come true. With three kids and a tight budget, any help came as a blessing.
A close-up of a house | Source: Midjourney
But, let me be honest with you: the house was far from ideal.
“It’s in the middle of nowhere, Mike,” I told my husband when we were sitting on the couch talking about the possibility of moving into the house.
“It’s miles away from the kids’ school and our jobs! We’ll have to leave a lot earlier just to make it on time,” I said, sighing.
A couple sitting on a couch and talking | Source: Midjourney
“I know, Maria,” my husband said. “It irritates me that the nearest grocery store is twenty minutes away. But I don’t want to seem ungrateful.”
I understood. Their gift came at the perfect time. Our little two-bedroom house was cluttered, and our three kids had to share one bedroom.
A cluttered bedroom | Source: Midjourney
“We’ll do it for the kids,” I said, taking his hand. “Whatever happens, we’ll make it work for them.”
“Think of it as a fresh start, kids,” Mike’s mom said when we went over to their home for dinner. “You’ll love the peace and quiet, and the kids will have a lot of space to run about in. This is going to be good for you.”
“Yes, Mom,” Mike said. “We agree with you. We’re looking forward to this new start and just going on a journey together as a family.”
A family sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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