What happened to Jennifer Gray? The Dirty Dancing star tells us about the dramatic incident that changed her life
Dirty Dancing was a low-budget film directed by a director who was not a superstar and with a cast that was not world famous. When it hit the big screens in 1987, producers and actors realized they had achieved something unimaginable.
In the late 1980s, everyone knew the passionate love story told in Dirty Dancing.
The flirtation between the beautiful dance teacher Johnny Castle and Frances Houseman, aka Baby, conquered the whole world to the point that the film became the big success of the whole decade.
No one expected the main protagonist of this dream love story to disappear from the spotlight overnight.
Jennifer Gray has lived in the shadows for a very long time. In the interview published a few years ago on People Magazine, the actress admitted that this is the result of a tragic accident that changed her life irreversibly.
Just before the film hit the big screens, Jenny and her then boyfriend, actor Matthew Broderick, decided to go on vacation to Ireland. They didn't know they would end up in a terrible car accident.
Matthew invaded the opposite lane and crashed into a car in which a mother and her daughter were traveling, who died instantly. With a collapsed lung, concussion, fractured ribs and a fractured leg, Matthew spent 4 weeks in the hospital.
Matthew was initially accused of unsafe driving but then the charge was changed to "careless driving". Jennifer, on the other hand, had suffered only minor injuries, but her mental scars were enormous.
The impact was emotional and physical. "My body has never been the same, my head has never been the same, my ambition has never been the same."
The film premiered a few days later, but despite the film's staggering success, Jennifer was unable to enjoy the moment of glory.
She knew she would probably never recover from the mental trauma caused by that tragic story. The actress escaped the spotlight and retired at just 27.
Jennifer later underwent nose surgery which changed her appearance a bit. Since then it has been difficult for her to land lead roles as people no longer recognized Dirty Dancing's "Baby".
In the years following the tragic accident, Gray appeared on several television shows, but nothing more. Fortunately, in 2010 she returned to the spotlight by winning the "Dancing with the Stars" program and becoming a fan favorite again.
In 2018, Jennifer is expected to appear in the comedy "Untogether".
Fortunately, after so many years of living in the dim light, the actress has found her calling again. We are so happy for you, Jennifer!
