Jennifer Grey admitted she smoked “a lot of weed” before filming her intimate scene with Patrick Swayze in “Red Dawn.” The undisclosed moment never made it into the 1984 action film, and the reasons revealed lead to a deeper reflection on the fragile nature of creativity and the impact of personal vices.
On December 20, during her appearance on “The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter” podcast, Grey recalled the atmosphere surrounding that particular scene. She remembered being in a sleeping bag with a tipsy Swayze, who seemed particularly nervous. “He came into the sleeping bag drunk,” she shared candidly with host Scott Feinberg.
Behind the Scenes of a Cut Scene
In “Red Dawn,” a storyline unfolds where teenagers band together to resist a foreign invasion led by a Russian force. Grey, alongside notable actors like Charlie Sheen and Lea Thompson, portrayed young rebels navigating the complexities of their reality and emotions.
Art Imitates Life: The Tenderness of Acting
“As an actor, you’re juggling action sequences and adrenaline-filled moments. Yet, the sex scene offered a rare opportunity to connect on an emotional level,” Grey explained, reflecting on her experience. This particular scene was meant to showcase vulnerability amid chaos, which Grey felt was a unique challenge and a reason she took the job. “It was one of the more tender scenes, and I thought it was important,” she emphasized.
“I was smoking a lot of weed in those days, too. And so, I was super paranoid, and I was scared.”
Unfortunately, the scene was never reshot, and Swayze’s inability to remember his lines played a role in its exclusion. Grey also recounted light-hearted pranks her co-stars pulled, like placing firecrackers in her door—childish antics that balanced the intensity of their situation.
The Weight of Being Young in Hollywood
Grey wanted her audience to ponder her perspective as a young actress, grappling with serious expectations. She felt the pressure to perform authentically, almost to the point of annoyance. After “Red Dawn,” both Grey and Swayze reunited for the iconic film “Dirty Dancing,” solidifying their cinematic legacy.
Despite the highs of their careers, Swayze’s life ended tragically. In 2009, he succumbed to pancreatic cancer at just 57. Grey’s reflections echo a blend of nostalgia, gratitude, and profound sadness as she recalls their working relationship.
Love, Loss, and the Aftermath
Lisa Niemi Swayze, Patrick’s widow, recently opened up about the moment they discovered his diagnosis, encapsulating the overwhelming feeling of impending loss. “It was the worst night of my life,” she disclosed. The sharp reality of the diagnosis lingered like an unwanted shadow over their lives. It’s a potent reminder of how fleeting love can be and reinforces the need to cherish every moment.
As Lisa continued her journey through grief, she found solace in the knowledge that survival through hardship is a universal human experience. “I thought, ‘This is going to kill me. Grief is going to kill me,’” she shared with People. Yet, she discovered that resilience is often born of adversity.
The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer now sits at 13%, a statistic that conveys ongoing struggles in the fight against the disease. Lisa emphasizes the urgency of raising awareness around pancreatic cancer—an effort that could potentially save lives and prevent families from enduring the pain of loss that she faced.
In these stories intertwined within cinema and real life, a nuanced tapestry of human experience emerges, weaving between laughter, heartbreak, triumph, and the memories we hold dear.
