Lisa Niemi Swayze, the widow of Patrick Swayze, has given her seal of approval to the upcoming Dirty Dancing sequel. The choreographer, who was married to the film's star for 34 years until his death in 2009, recently read the script and was deeply touched.
"I actually got to read the script," she told Us Weekly. "I was very moved by it."
Niemi Swayze, 69, appreciated that the plot honors her late husband's character, Johnny Castle. "I'll be very curious to see how it comes about," she added. "I wish [them] the best of luck. They've been working on it for quite a while."
Jennifer Grey, who will reprise her role as Frances "Baby" Houseman, said the character has always held a special place in her heart. In a statement announcing the sequel, Grey noted it took time to find the right people to build on the legacy of the original 1987 film.
But Grey stressed that no one can replace Patrick Swayze, especially when it comes to the iconic lift. "Patrick is the only one who really anyone should try it with, because he was just such a good ballet dancer," she told E! News in 2024. "He was so used to lifting women and so strong. By the end of the movie, I trusted him so much."
Here are more secrets from the beloved classic:
- The film's title almost became I Was a Teenage Mambo Queen after border authorities held up dailies, thinking it was a porn film.
- Billy Zane, Benicio Del Toro, and Val Kilmer were considered for Johnny Castle, but Patrick Swayze's ballet training won him the role.
- Swayze nearly turned down the part due to a serious knee injury, listing "no dancing" on his resume.
- Before Jennifer Grey, Sarah Jessica Parker and Winona Ryder auditioned for Baby. Grey was paid $50,000.
- Grey was terrified to partner with Swayze despite their work on Red Dawn, but their contrasting styles created magic on screen.
- The two leads initially clashed over their acting approaches.