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Then and now: A look at the cast of Dirty Dancing 30 years later

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PHOTO: Getty Images
PHOTO: Getty Images

A scene most Dirty Dancing fanatics will never forget – Baby leaps into Johnny’s arms and he lifts her up in the air while The Time Of My Life plays in the background.

Can you believe it’s been 30 years since the coming-of-age movie was released?

The now classic film, released in 1987, was predicted to fail because its cast was pretty much unknown and the movie had a small budget. But despite all those difficulties, it still managed to become a box office – and pop culture – sensation.

The iconic movie was based on the youthful experiences of Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay. She hopes to bring Baby and Johnny back to movie theatres soon by releasing a sequel. 

“I always did think they had a future, I just wasn’t ready to go back into it,” Eleanor told E! Online, “Now I think I am ready to.”

The hit movie made the late Patrick Swayze, who played Johnny, and Jenniffer Grey, who played Baby, Hollywood royalty.

After Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008, he fought the illness for more than a year while continuing to work, but passed away tragically in 2009.

Jennifer Grey, who turned 57 in March, currently stars in Amazons Studios comedy series, Red Oaks. She also won season eleven of Dancing with the Stars with dance partner Derek Hough.  

There was an attempt to recreate the movie this year, but after being aired on America’s ABC in May 2017, it received bad reviews from most critics. 

Watch the trailer here: 

Here’s a look at the 1987 cast then and now:

1) Jennifer Grey (Baby Houseman):

2) Cynthia Rhodes (Penny Johnson):

3) Jerry Orbach (Dr Jack Houseman):

4) Jack Weston (Max Kellerman) died in 1996 at age 71: 

Sources: businessinsider.com, vox.com, hollywoodreporter.com

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