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Dirty Dancing Cast Recall Chilling Lake Scenes
7 Mar
Summary
- The lake scene was filmed in freezing temperatures with Jennifer Grey in thin clothing.
- Crew members painted leaves green to simulate summer in the fall.
- The film became a huge success, grossing $170 million worldwide on a low budget.
Cast and crew members of the beloved 1987 film Dirty Dancing recently shared fond memories of its production, as the movie approaches its 40th anniversary and a sequel is underway. They recalled the challenging conditions during the filming of the memorable lake scene.
Andrew Charles Koch, a dancer, recounted that the lake was frozen during the shoot. He noted that Patrick Swayze wore a wetsuit, while Jennifer Grey had to endure the cold in just a blouse and jeans. "Thank God I'm not out in the lake doing that," Koch recalled thinking.
Writer and co-producer Eleanor Bergstein explained the film's low-budget origins. She mentioned that the crew had to paint autumn leaves green to make North Carolina and Virginia appear as the Catskills during summer.
Made for under $5 million, Dirty Dancing achieved remarkable success, grossing $170 million worldwide. This financial triumph propelled stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey to fame and led to a remake in 2017.
Beyond the film's success, the cast developed strong bonds. "We became like a real family, and we all hung out," Andrew added. Heather Lea Gerdes, another dancer, remembered Jennifer Grey as "super sweet" and willing to join dance workouts with the core dancers.
