Jennifer Grey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jennifer Grey
Grey at the 2024 New York Film Festival
Born	(1960-03-26) March 26, 1960 (age 65) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1979–present
Spouse(s)	Clark Gregg ​ ​ (m. 2001; div. 2021)​
Children	1
Parents	Joel Grey (father) Jo Wilder (mother)
Relatives	Mickey Katz (grandfather) Ronald A. Katz (uncle)

Jennifer Grey is an American actress born on March 26, 1960. She became famous for her roles in popular movies from the 1980s. Her big break came with the teen comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day Off in 1986. The next year, she starred in the romantic drama Dirty Dancing, which made her known around the world. For her role in Dirty Dancing, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Jennifer Grey has also appeared in many other films and TV shows. Some of her movies include Red Dawn (1984), The Cotton Club (1984), and Bounce (2000). On television, she won season eleven of Dancing with the Stars in 2010. She also voiced characters in animated shows like Phineas and Ferb.

Early Life and Education

Jennifer Grey was born in New York City on March 26, 1960. Her mother, Jo Wilder, was an actress and singer. Her father, Joel Grey, was a famous actor who won an Academy Award. Her grandfather, Mickey Katz, was a comedian and musician. Both of Jennifer's parents came from Jewish families.

Jennifer went to the Dalton School in Manhattan. There, she studied dance and acting. After finishing school in 1978, she continued her acting training. She attended the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre for two years. While she was waiting for acting jobs, she worked as a waitress.

Career Highlights

Starting Her Acting Journey

Jennifer Grey first appeared in a TV commercial for Dr Pepper when she was 19. Her first small movie role was in Reckless in 1984. That same year, she had another small part in Francis Ford Coppola's film The Cotton Club. She also starred in the war film Red Dawn in 1984. In 1985, she appeared in the movie American Flyers.

Becoming a Star

In 1986, Jennifer Grey played Jeanie Bueller in the comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. She acted alongside Matthew Broderick in this movie. The film was very popular and received good reviews.

The next year, she worked again with Patrick Swayze, who was also in Red Dawn. They starred together in Dirty Dancing. In this movie, Jennifer played Frances "Baby" Houseman. The story is about a young woman who falls in love with a dance instructor. This happened while she was on vacation with her family. Dirty Dancing was a huge surprise hit. It was the first movie to sell one million copies on video. Many people still consider it a classic film today. Jennifer was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her role.

Jennifer Grey with William Baldwin at the 1988 Academy Awards.

After Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey made a big decision about her appearance. She had two nose surgeries in the early 1990s. The second surgery changed her nose so much that even close friends did not recognize her. This change affected her acting career. She once said it was like being in a "witness protection program". She even thought about changing her name to start fresh. However, she decided not to.

Later Roles and Dancing Success

From 1999 to 2000, Jennifer Grey played herself in the TV show It's Like, You Know.... The show even made jokes about her nose surgery. She also appeared in a CBS TV movie called The West Side Waltz. She had a small role in an episode of Friends as Mindy. In 2000, she was in the film Bounce.

In 2010, Jennifer Grey joined Dancing With the Stars as a contestant. Her dance partner was Derek Hough. She started the competition very strong. She often had the highest scores. Even though she faced some injuries and stress, she kept improving. On November 23, 2010, Jennifer and Derek won the competition. She became the oldest female winner of the show.

After Dancing with the Stars, Jennifer continued acting. She voiced Mrs. Kurokawa in the English version of Hayao Miyazaki's film The Wind Rises. From 2014 to 2017, she played Judy Meyers in the TV series Red Oaks. In 2018, she co-starred in the film Untogether. She also appeared with her father, Joel, at the 2015 Tony Awards. In 2022, she released her memoir, a book about her life, called Out of the Corner.

Personal Life

Jennifer Grey with her former husband, actor Clark Gregg, in 2010.

In 1987, Jennifer Grey was in a car accident in Northern Ireland. She was on vacation with actor Matthew Broderick. The accident was serious, and two people were killed. Jennifer suffered a neck injury. She has said that this event made it hard for her to enjoy the success of Dirty Dancing. She took some time away from acting after the crash.

Jennifer Grey married actor and director Clark Gregg on July 21, 2001. They have one daughter together. They lived in Venice, Los Angeles. The couple also acted together in the TV movie The Road to Christmas in 2006. In July 2020, Jennifer and Clark announced they had separated. Their divorce was finalized in February 2021.

Jennifer has reconnected with her Jewish faith. She mentioned in 2015 that she loves being Jewish. This became more important to her because of her daughter's bat mitzvah.

Before competing on Dancing with the Stars in 2010, Jennifer had a medical check-up. Doctors found a small growth on her thyroid gland. It was removed in 2009. She also had surgery on her neck to help with problems from her car accident years earlier. She was able to return to work in early 2010. In January 2017, Jennifer Grey took part in the 2017 Women's March in Los Angeles.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jennifer Grey para niños