After securing a breakthrough role as Baby Houseman in ‘Dirty Dancing,’ Jennifer Grey underwent a nose operation with the influence of her parents and some plastic surgeons. In the following years, she expressed her distaste for the decision across a few interviews and her autobiography.
The first surgery achieved its goal by removing the bump on Grey’s nose. But a few months later, another issue arose, with a bit of cartilage appearing under the surface of her nose. The actress underwent a second surgery to fix this, completely changing her appearance. In fact, during her first public event after the ‘Dirty Dancing’ release, neither the paparazzi nor actor Michael Douglas recognized her.
About that, she told People magazine in 2022:
“That was the first time I had gone out in public. And it became the thing, the idea of being completely invisible, from one day to the next. In the world’s eyes, I was no longer me.”
In her autobiography, ‘Out Of The Corner: A Memoir,’ Grey revealed that she initially didn’t want to change her nose. The actress noted that while her parents had undergone similar operations to fit in Hollywood and the acting industry, she resisted the idea until a halt occurred in her career due to a lack of new role offers.
On the other hand, the surgeries didn’t bring her the roles she wanted, either. Grey said that public reaction to her new appearance made her feel like ‘the punchline,’ leading her to take on more voice acting jobs and minor roles on screen. Still, the actress made a comeback at ‘Dancing With The Stars’ in 2010 and won the competition at the age of 50.
Reflecting on her experience and life, she once told People:
“I believe in my heart that the second half of a woman’s life is the best half. I can’t speak to a man as I’ve never been one, but I will tell you that my experience is the second half is the best half. I’m sure of it. I’ve never felt what I’m feeling these days.”
You can check out Grey’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’ performance in the video below.