Because the revival age means that all actors must see themselves replaced by younger, prettier models, Jennifer Grey has done her part for the survival of the species, selecting her and Patrick Swayze’s Dirty Dancing heirs. Appearing on the radio show Just Jenny, Grey revealed that if Dirty Dancing ever gets remade as a movie (a truly excruciating burn of omission dealt to ABC’s upcoming telefilm), she’s got some picks. “I think Natalie Portman and Ryan Gosling … or Channing Tatum,†she said. Since this is merely the stuff of fantasy, you can just hush it right now with the Natalie Portman’s-a-touch-old-to-play-a-virginal-teen negativity — besides, Grey’s got some principled defenses for her choices. While Portman’s “the best, most beautiful, amazing — and a great dancer,†Gosling had it in the bag as a wee babe, winning Grey over as the “sexiest guy in some MC Hammer pants†during his Mickey Mouse Club days.
Of course, both Gosling and Tatum have displayed that Johnny Castle passionate stoicism before. Don’t forget, Gosling memorably lifted Emma Stone off of her feet in Crazy, Stupid, Love, and Tatum once did a powerful recreation of a critical Dirty Dancing moment with Charlyne Yi. Compare, contrast, and listen to Grey’s interview in full below.