Jennifer Grey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer Grey
|
|
---|---|
![]() Grey at the Epic Mickey launch party at the Times Square Disney Store, November 2010
|
|
Born | March 26, 1960 New York City, New York, U.S.
|
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1979–present |
Spouse(s) |
Clark Gregg (m. 2001)
|
Children | 1 |
Parent(s) | Joel Grey Jo Wilder |
Relatives | Mickey Katz (grandfather) |
Jennifer Grey (born March 26, 1960) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the 1980s films Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and Dirty Dancing (1987), for which Grey earned a Golden Globe Award nomination. Her television work includes her 2010 victory in season eleven of Dancing with the Stars, and starring in the Amazon Studios comedy series Red Oaks. Grey is the daughter of Academy Award–winning actor Joel Grey and former actress/singer Jo Wilder. Her paternal grandfather was comedian and musician Mickey Katz.
Early life
Grey is an alumna of the Dalton School, a private school in Manhattan where she studied dance and acting. After graduating in 1978, Grey enrolled at Manhattan's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre for two years of training as an actress. While waiting for roles, she supported herself as a waitress.

In the early 1990s, Grey had two rhinoplasty procedures—the second of which was necessary to correct problems stemming from the first. Even even close friends to fail to recognize her, and the major change in her appearance hurt her career. Of the experience she said, "I went in the operating room a celebrity—and came out anonymous. It was like being in a witness protection program or being invisible." Grey briefly thought about changing her name and starting anew, but decided against this.
Personal life

Grey was romantically involved with actors Michael J. Fox and Johnny Depp and journalist George Stephanopoulos. She married actor/director Clark Gregg on July 21, 2001. They have a daughter born in 2001. They live in Venice, California. The couple co-starred in the Lifetime movie The Road to Christmas in 2006. In January 2017, Grey participated in the Los Angeles 2017 Women's March.
Grey was a contestant on season eleven of Dancing With the Stars. She was partnered with professional dancer Derek Hough. She came out very strong at first, frequently topping the leader-board. However, injuries, stress, and exhaustion took their toll on Grey, and for a couple of weeks she fell behind. In week seven, however, she improved. On November 23, 2010, Grey and her partner Hough won the competition.
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Reckless | Cathy Bennario | |
Red Dawn | Toni Mason | ||
The Cotton Club | Patsy Dwyer | ||
ABC Afterschool Special | Carol Durate | Episode: "The Great Love Experiment" | |
1985 | Laura Eller | Episode: "Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale" | |
American Flyers | Leslie | ||
1986 | Ferris Bueller's Day Off | Jeanie Bueller | |
The Equalizer | Valerie Jacobs | Episode: "A Community of Civilized Men" | |
1987 | Dirty Dancing | Frances "Baby" Houseman | Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical |
1988 | Gandahar | Airelle (voice) | |
1989 | Bloodhounds of Broadway | Lovey Lou | |
1990 | Murder in Mississippi | Rita Schwerner | TV movie |
Criminal Justice | Liz Carter | ||
If the Shoe Fits | Kelly Carter / Prudence | ||
1991 | Eyes of a Witness | Christine Baxter | |
1992 | Wind | Kate Bass | |
1993 | A Case for Murder | Kate Weldon | TV movie |
1995 | Friends | Mindy | Episode: "The One with the Evil Orthodontist" |
Fallen Angels | Ginger Allen | Episode: "A Dime a Dance" | |
The West Side Waltz | Robin Ouiseau | TV movie | |
Lover's Knot | Megan Forrester | ||
1996 | Portraits of a Killer | Elaine Taylor | |
1997 | Red Meat | Candice | |
1998 | Outrage | Sally Casey | TV movie |
Since You've Been Gone | Patty Reed | TV movie | |
1999–2001 | It's Like, You Know... | Herself | TV series |
2000 | Bounce | Janice Geurrero | |
2002 | Ritual | Dr. Alice Dodgson | |
2006 | The Road to Christmas | Claire Jameson | TV movie |
2007 | John from Cincinnati | Daphne | 3 episodes |
2008 | Redbelt | Lucy Weiss | |
Keith | Caroline | ||
2008–2014 | Phineas and Ferb | Various voices | 8 episodes |
2009 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | Tracey | Episode: "Love Means Never Having to Say You're Crazy" |
2010 | House | Abbey | Episode: "Unplanned Parenthood" |
Dancing with the Stars | Herself | Winner, season 11 | |
2011 | The Bling Ring | Iris Garvey | TV movie |
Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Replacement judge for Len Goodman, series 9, week 6 | |
2013 | The Wind Rises | Mrs. Kurokawa | Voice role; English dub |
2014 | In Your Eyes | Diane | |
2014–2017 | Red Oaks | Judy Meyers | 21 episodes |
2017 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | 1 episode |
2018 | Untogether | Joise | Post-production |