Alex Carson
After star-making turns in the hit films Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Dirty Dancing; it seemed like actress Jennifer Grey poised to have a long and successful career in the entertainment industry. However a pair of nose jobs she received after the filming of the former feature took away what made the actress special and made it hard for her to find work into the 1990s. Join Facts Verse as we take a look at the plastic surgery that destroy Jennifer Grey’s career.
When Celebrity Plastic Surgery Goes Bad
Getting plastic surgery certainly isn’t uncommon in the industry. In fact, you’d likely have a harder time finding a Hollywood celebrity that hasn’t undergone some type of plastic surgery than one who has. While the average plastic surgery isn’t too invasive and will likely only increase the celebrity recipient’s chances of success. This wasn’t the case for the pair of nose jobs that actress Jennifer Grey received in the late 1980s. Every once in a while, celebrity plastic surgery will go bad, and this was the case for Jennifer.
Prior to her botched plastic surgery, Jennifer Grey had risen to prominence in Hollywood thanks to her roles in the features Red Dawn, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Dirty Dancing. While Jennifer’s roles in the former features had been supporting ones; her starring turn in the latter feature made her a star. Jennifer starred in Dirty Dancing alongside Patrick Swayze; and both of them rocketed to stardom as a result of their performances in the hit film. Patrick Swayze would go on to have a long and successful acting career following Dirty Dancing’s release. Sadly, Jennifer Grey would duped into getting a nose job soon after the film’s premiere, decreasing her future career prospects.
Jennifer Grey’s Nose Job Goes Bad
According to Jennifer Grey, the nose job that she received soon after the release of Dirty Dancing took away her identity, and, subsequently, her career. Jennifer actually ended up having to receive two surgeries, though she had intended to only receive one. Jennifer’s first nose job botched, so she had to go in for a second one to fix the mistakes. This second nose job was able to salvage Jennifer’s nose, but it also left the star essentially unrecognizable. Memorably, Michael Douglas said to have not recognized Jennifer upon her first public unveiling after recovering from her dual nose jobs. This unveiling took place at a film premiere, and devastated Jennifer.
As it turns out, nose jobs ran in Jennifer Grey’s family. Both of Jennifer’s parents had nose jobs; And Jennifer’s mom had even encouraged Jennifer to get one from a young age. While Jennifer was sympathetic with her parents’ needs to control their own appearances. She always claimed that she was beautiful enough the way that she was and didn’t need a nose job herself. However, the actress’s tune started changing once Hollywood executives began echoing her mother’s sentiments. Once it became a business issue, Jennifer felt that getting a nose job was the right thing to do.
Sadly, it seems that Jennifer duped by whoever the Hollywood executive that told her getting a nose job would increase her career prospects. Jennifer had risen to the status of a star with her God-given nose; and that was the nose that the people wanted to see! Jennifer’s nose job not only did nothing whatsoever to increase her career prospects, but it actually ironically diminished them.
The Consequences of Jennifer’s Botched Surgery
Jennifer Grey’s nose made her stand out, and she didn’t feel like herself without it. The actress had a hard time coming to terms with her new nose, but she was eventually able to overcome the challenge. Besides Jennifer’s mother and the aforementioned film executive, another person who contributed to the actress’s negative view of her nose was Andy Warhol. Jennifer apparently spent a lot of time partying in the same scene as Andy Warhol, and the famous artist remarked once that she needed a nose job. Despite all this bullying, it ended up being the prospect of more fame and fortune that caused Jennifer to undergo her plastic surgeries.
If Jennifer Grey had played her cards right, the actress arguably could’ve maintained her stardom well after the release of Dirty Dancing. However, whether her nose job the only reason or not, she ended up finding a greatly reduced amount of work offered to her entering into the 1990s. Besides a lack of work in the entertainment industry, another thing that plagued Jennifer over the course of that decade, and the next, was chronic pain.
This pain came not as a result of Jennifer’s botched nose job, but as a result of an accident that she had gotten into while driving with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off costar and former love interest Matthew Broderick. If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! Also, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
Jennifer’s Botched Nose Job Wasn’t Her First Tragedy
Only a few weeks prior to the release of Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey got into a tragic automobile accident with her then-boyfriend and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off costar Matthew Broderick. The two had been dating since the filming of that picture only a little over a year previously. They were visiting Ireland at the time, and there happened to be two other passengers in the car with them. Sadly, both of these passengers passed away a result of the accident. Matthew was the driver, and he didn’t sustain any serious injuries. However, Jennifer sustained injuries to her neck and spine that would cause repercussions in her life for two decades.
Jennifer Grey’s and Matthew Broderick’s romantic relationship didn’t last very long after that car accident, but Jennifer’s pain sure did! The accident caused Jennifer to suffer from chronic pain for the next two decades. Apparently, Jennifer wasn’t fully aware why she was in so much pain or what she should do about it. It wasn’t until a physical exam that she took in preparation for her competing in the 11th season of Dancing with the Stars that the actress finally realized what had been hurting her for so many years.
After realizing that she had plagued by spinal injuries that she wasn’t even aware of since that 1987 car accident; Jennifer Grey finally underwent the surgery that she needed; and was able to say goodbye to her pain once and for all. Finally, Jennifer was free from her pain! The actress had also long-since come to terms with the results of her botched nose job. And so had the audience. Jennifer had long-since given up dancing after the release of Dirty Dancing; with one of her main reasons for doing so being her chronic pain.
Another reason was that that the actress was afraid that her decidedly unprofessional dancing skills wouldn’t hold their own in the eyes of Dirty Dancing’s fans. The movie had depicted the actress as a trained dancer. While Jennifer has always had dancing in her blood and certainly has innate rhythm, it wasn’t until working on Dirty Dancing that the actress first gained any professional dancing experience.
Jennifer’s Victory on Dancing with the Stars
With both her history of chronic pain and her decided lack of professional experience; Jennifer Grey certainly had a lot to prove going into the 11th season of Dancing with the Stars. Miraculously, the star and her partner ended up winning the season’s competition! The win was a victory for the actress in more ways than one. And validated her after several decades of not feeling herself in the entertainment industry.
Sadly, Jennifer Grey’s Dirty Dancing costar was no longer alive to see her win the 11th season of Dancing with the Stars. Patrick Swayze had passed away in 2009, and Jennifer was saddened to see her former costar go. Although Jennifer and Patrick had never been romantically involved, the two had shared a deep friendship. Of course, there were always those fans that refused to believe that the chemistry that Jennifer and Patrick exuded on the screen in the film wasn’t real. However, both Jennifer and Patrick have continuously denied that they ever hooked up in real life.
Patrick Swayze was married at the time that he was working on Dirty Dancing. And Jennifer Grey was busy hanging out with the aforementioned Matthew Broderick. After moving on from Matthew, Jennifer would go on to have an equally high-profile relationship with Johnny Depp. A decade later, in 2001, Jennifer would get married for the first and hitherto only time in her life. Jennifer married an actor by the name of Clark Gregg. And the two had a child together by the name of Stella. Recently, in 2021, Jennifer and Clark separated.
How Is Jennifer Today?
Jennifer Grey is currently 62 years old, and she’s long-since gotten over the trauma of her botched nose job. However, the actress still likes to remind people of her story just in case she can persuade any female stars that are in the same position that she was not to go through with it. If Jennifer had stuck to her guns and refused to bow to the bullying of those around her. The actress arguably could’ve had a much more successful career. Still, it’s doubtful that Jennifer Grey would choose to be anywhere other than where she is. Today, Jennifer claims that she’s happier and freer than she’s ever been before. And all of the hardships she’s overcome have only helped her become who she is.
While actress Jennifer Grey decided to get a nose job because she wanted to get more work in the entertainment industry; the botched surgery ended up having the opposite effect! Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that Jennifer Grey and Matthew Broderick dated during the late 1980s. And that the actress was convinced to get a nose job after making her appearance in Dirty Dancing? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
