Jennifer Grey: I Trust Director Kenny Ortega With 'Dirty Dancing' Remake

Ever since news broke that Hollywood was gearing up for another “Dirty Dancing’ movie, many fans have voiced their anger and confusion about why it's necessary to remake the classic 1987 film.

However, there’s one person who thinks director Kenny Ortega will do a great job: original “Dirty Dancing” star Jennifer Grey.

"I love @Kennyortega and trust that he will do something special #DirtyDancingRemake," Grey, who played Baby in the original, tweeted Tuesday.

"Blown away by all of the love expressed for #DirtyDancing. Makes me want to see it again. So grateful to have been a part of it," she added.

The actress, who threw on her dancing shoes once more in 2010 to win “Dancing With The Stars,” is excited to team up again with Ortega, who choreographed the original film.

“I’m so excited about this news and I think there’s nobody better to do this than my beloved Kenny Ortega who is as responsible as anyone for the success of the first one. I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do with it,” Grey said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal.

It was announced Monday that the “High School Musical” director would take the helm for a Lionsgate-produced remake of the classic 80s film, which also co-starred Patrick Swayze.

"The opportunity to direct ‘Dirty Dancing’ is like returning home for me,” Ortega said in a statement, adding that he’s “looking forward to assembling a great creative team and an exciting cast to bring ‘Dirty Dancing’ to the screen for a new generation.”

“Dirty Dancing” isn’t the only 80s classic being remade for the 21st Century. An updated version of “Footloose,” this time starring “DWTS” pro Julianne Hough and newcomer Kenny Wormald, hits theaters in October.

There's no word on a tentative release date for Ortega's "Dirty Dancing" remake.

WATCH A TRAILER FOR THE ORIGINAL FILM:

Comments

[Grozdansmith]

02:09 AM on 08/11/2011

I appreciate to director for make the dirty dance remake film.She also approaches the director for good remake film.
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[wibbs79]

01:14 AM on 08/11/2011

I loved the movie! I remember the first time I watched it I had my parents buy me a poster of Patrick! There is NO reason to bring it back! I hope that with everyone against this movie being remade that you do not go see it when it comes out!
Sometimes there are movies out there that Hollywood should not touch!

[Marc Driftmeyer]

01:14 AM on 08/11/2011

What is with this generation? Can this generation come up with new ideas instead of aping from the past? All generations do it, but this one is doing it in spades.

[pjlowry]

07:53 AM on 08/11/2011

Truth is all generations pump out their equal share of remakes, the only difference was in the 80's and early 90's they changed the title so you wouldn't know it was a remake until you saw it. A good example would be the movie Switching Channels which starred Burt Reynolds, Kathleen Turner and Christopher Reeve. Clearly that was a remake of the 40's Carey Grant classic 'His Girl Friday' but they changed the title cause it was different enough to stand on its own.

The networks are trying to use the classic names to cash in at the box office on that all important first weekend, but movies would have a better chance to reach a broader audience if they changed the title and tried to stand on their own.

[SaraHuntie]

09:48 PM on 08/10/2011

Noooooo! A remake of "Dirty Dancing"? Seriously? Wasn't that lame-o "Havana Nights" sequel enough? For the love of all that is holy, PLEASE leave this movie alone! I hereby call for a moratorium on remakes! Who's with me?

[joyf1]

12:04 AM on 08/11/2011

Count me in.

[Tim Moore]

08:40 PM on 08/10/2011

If she could just re-attach her old nose, she could do the remake herself.

[triplettam]

08:50 PM on 08/10/2011

I know. I don't know why she did that. Her career went nowhere afterwards. She wasn't . . . gorgeous, but she was interesting looking.

[Tim Moore]

09:23 PM on 08/10/2011

Her career definitely took a nosedive.

[pjlowry]

07:55 AM on 08/11/2011

The nose made her unique, now she's just another actress.

[LMPE]

06:39 PM on 08/10/2011

It's getting to the point where we need a moratorium on remakes.

[lldem1]

08:23 PM on 08/10/2011

or at least some type of self-imposed rule "you can't make a remake unless it's better than the original."

[Tim Moore]

08:38 PM on 08/10/2011

There should be hefty fines levied.

[Pasavo22]

05:57 PM on 08/10/2011

The original "Dirty Dancing" certainly had its flaws, going "over the top" at times but all in all it was quite a good and entertaining film. Remakes generally do not work very well from an artistic standpoint. They are knocked out because Hollywood does not have the imagination to come up with good new original screenplays so attempt to beat an old idea to death in the hope of making some more bucks. A pefect example is Baz Luhrmann's attempt to remake "The Great Gatsby." Granted, the first was not great to say the least. F. Scott Fitzgerald described Gatsby as being "a dark brooding man." So, they tried to get Marlon Brando. He was not interested and they ended up with Robert Redford who was about as "dark and brooding" as a white swan gliding peacefully across a pond. So the film just did not work.

BUT "Dirty Dancing" DID work. Let it rest in peace!!!

[FOM]

05:37 PM on 08/10/2011

It's going to suck

[happycat]

03:50 PM on 08/10/2011

There are lots of people unemployed right now. Surely one of them is capable of writing an original and decent script.

[Ktbu Lfu]

04:40 PM on 08/10/2011

Too lazy.

[Leto II]

03:26 PM on 08/10/2011

I guess we'll be hearing from her again when someone remakes, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".

Hollywood sux.

[Ktbu Lfu]

04:41 PM on 08/10/2011

Well, at least that would give Charlie Sheen a job too.

[Tim Moore]

08:39 PM on 08/10/2011

They better not mess with the Sausage King of Chicago!

[Twelve]

03:26 PM on 08/10/2011

It will NEVER top the original.

[Ktbu Lfu]

04:41 PM on 08/10/2011

They never do

[Democrat in the South]

07:12 PM on 08/10/2011

Never! The first was a 'sort of' masterpiece. Dancing and musically speaking.

[redsongia]

03:19 PM on 08/10/2011

Here's a trailer for the sequal from 5 years ago. No stronger argument than that not to mess with this film. http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/artisan/dirtydancinghavananights/

[Shelly Santiago]

02:41 PM on 08/10/2011

I'm open to the idea....Yet, it better be greater than great. Dirty Dancing was already hands down the best dance movie ever. My 13 year old loves that movie...so that tells you that it has no limits on age. I recall looking at it with my mother...so this better be one great remake..They have to out do a great movie..

[Ktbu Lfu]

04:42 PM on 08/10/2011

Yeah, but, what's the point? Why mess with a good thing? Why can't they come up with something new?

[ComicClassroom]

02:41 PM on 08/10/2011

Gracious comment. I can't wait to see it.

[kjgirl1]

02:29 PM on 08/10/2011

Skip it.