Nobody puts (the original) Baby in the corner, so it should come as no surprise that Jennifer Grey - who played Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman in ‘80s classic Dirty Dancing - has turned down a role in the ABC TV remake.
Speaking at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, the actress revealed that she was approached by the network about making a cameo appearance in the series, but decided that taking up the offer would be ‘sacrosanct.’
‘I was asked to do something on that show and I was flattered because I always want to be asked because it’s nice to want to be included,’ she said. ‘But for me, it would be sacrosanct for me to do it because it didn’t feel appropriate to me. It feels like if you’re going to do your own thing, do your own thing.’
‘I wouldn’t say [what the role was] but I will tell you, it wasn’t Baby!’ she added. And why be relegated to a bit-part at Kellerman’s holiday camp when you’ve already had the time of your life playing the heroine?
Despite ruling out a cameo, the actress said that she was keen to see the new version, which will star Abigail Breslin as Baby, Nicole Scherzinger as Penny and Colt Prattes as Johnny Castle – originally played by Patrick Swayze.
‘I am always interested in any iteration of something where they feel there’s more to be gotten and I would love to see what it is that they come up with,’ she added. ‘I think they’ve got wonderful actors in it. I’m going to be watching it and I’m excited. My only advice is to own it for yourself […] I’m only flattered and excited for people who are excited enough to put their stamp on it and see what they make of it and how they make it their own.’
On March 2nd we wrote...
As we reported last year, the coming-of-age classic movie Dirty Dancing is getting an ABC TV remake. And today another star has confirmed their role... none other than Pussycat Dolls front woman, Nicole Scherzinger.
Taking to Twitter to confirm the news, the popstar wrote:
'So excited to join the cast of @ABCNetwork #DirtyDancing remake! Can't wait for you all to see it!'
She posted a further Tweet later on, showing a photograph of her apparently in training for the role...
Unsurprisingly, the former X Factor judge, singer and renowned dancer is set to take on the role of Penny – lead character Johnny's initial dancing partner, first played by Cynthia Rhodes in the 1987 film.
But who is playing the leading man, you might ask? Up and coming actor Colt Prattes, is the answer. Best-known for starring in Pink's Pink: The Truth About Love Tour, DD the remake will be Colt's first mega leading role. Will he live up to Patrick Swayze's Johnny? We're not sure – he's got some mega shoes to fill, that's for certain.
Whether more news of a remake will delight or further enrage diehard DD fans remains to be seen. But one thing's for certain though, we can't wait to see it anyway.
Last year we wrote...
In news that may thrill or disarm Dirty Dancing fans - the movie is getting a remake.
ABC has the green light to make a three-hour long musical version of the 1987 dance film, which starred Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.
TIME confirmed the news and revealed who will play Baby. Drum roll, please... 19-year-old Abigail Breslin has scored the role.
You'll recognise her from Scream Queens and less recently as Little Miss Sunshine. We bet she's already practicing her delivery of 'I carried a watermelon' and that famous lift.
No word yet as to who is playing Johnny Castle, but given that he's already proved he's very adept at the aformentioned lift, might we suggest Ryan Gosling?!
There's plenty of other big names in the mix, with Allison Shearmur (who's previously worked on The Hunger Games) down to executive produce, plus Eleanor Bergstein, who also wrote the screenplay for the original movie. The music will come courtesy of Adam Anders and Peer Astrom, responsible for the tunes in Glee, while The L Word writer Jessica Sharzer will pen the script.
If anyone's seen the 2004 Dirty Dancing sequel,* Havana Nights*, they may be more than a little dubious of a follow-up, but with so much talent on board we reckon it'll be a runaway success.
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