Dirty Dancing: Jennifer Grey turned down role in ABC remake

ABC is dusting off Dirty Dancing for a three-hour musical, taking nods from the film’s characters and lusty dance moves. One thing it won’t have is Jennifer Grey. The actress, who played Baby opposite Patrick Swayze in the 1987 original, revealed she turned down a role in the television remake.

“I was asked to do something on that show and I was flattered because I always want to be asked because it’s nice to want to be included. But for me, it would be sacrosanct for me to do it because it didn’t feel appropriate to me,” Grey told The Hollywood Reporter.

Explaining her reasons, she continued, “It feels like if you’re going to do your own thing, do your own thing. I wouldn’t say [what role it would have been] but I will tell you, it wasn’t Baby.”

That role will be filled by Abigail Breslin (Scream Queens), while Colt Prattes succeeds Swayze as Johnny. The remake also features the Pussycast Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger as Penny, Sarah Hyland (Modern Family) as Baby’s sister Lisa, Shane Harper (Awkward) as the womanizing Robbie, Bruce Greenwood (The People vs. O.J. Simpson) as Dr. Jake Houseman, Debra Messing as Marjorie Houseman, and Katey Sagal as Johnny’s seductress Vivian Pressman.

“I am always interested in any iteration of something where they feel there’s more to be gotten and I would love to see what it is that they come up with,” Grey told THR, later adding, “I think they’ve got wonderful actors in it. I’m going to be watching it and I’m excited.”

The remake is adapted for television by Jessica Sharzer (American Horror Story) and directed by Wayne Blair. ABC hasn’t announced an air date.