Lisa Niemi Swayze, widow of the late Patrick Swayze, has shared her heartfelt reaction to the upcoming sequel of the iconic 1987 film Dirty Dancing, expressing gratitude for how the project honors her husband's legacy.
“I actually got to read the script,” Lisa told Us Weekly. “I was very moved by it.”
Now 69, Lisa—who was married to Patrick from 1975 until his death from pancreatic cancer in 2009—said she appreciated how the script treated his beloved character, Johnny Castle. “I’ll be very curious to see how it comes about,” she continued. “I wish [them] the best of luck. They’ve been working on it [for] quite a while. And I can’t wait to see it.”
The sequel, announced earlier this year, will see Jennifer Grey reprising her role as Frances “Baby” Houseman. Grey, 66, said in a statement, “The role of Baby has held a very deep and meaningful place in my heart, as it has in the hearts of so many fans over the years.” She added that she had often “wondered where we might find Baby years later and what her life might be like.”
While Patrick Swayze won’t appear in the new film—having briefly returned for 2004’s Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights—his influence remains palpable, especially regarding the movie’s famous lift. Grey previously cautioned fans about attempting the move, noting, “Patrick is the only one who really anyone should try it with, because he was just such a good ballet dancer. He was so used to lifting women and so strong.”
Reflecting on filming the iconic lake scene, Grey admitted she never rehearsed the lift off-camera. “I never rehearsed it,” she said. “There was no room for a panic attack.” She recalled being “really scared and protective” but ultimately trusting Swayze completely by the end of production.
The original Dirty Dancing, which faced working title changes and casting challenges—with actors like Billy Zane, Benicio Del Toro, and Val Kilmer considered for Johnny—became a cultural phenomenon. Despite initial on-set tensions between Swayze and Grey, their chemistry proved electric, with choreographer Kenny Ortega once describing them as “human fireworks.”
Now, with Lisa Swayze’s endorsement and Jennifer Grey’s return, the sequel aims to capture the magic of the original while paying tribute to Patrick Swayze’s enduring legacy.