On this day August 21, 1987, (May 12, 1981 in Cannes) Dirty Dancing made its debut in theaters, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. This iconic film captured the hearts of millions, but did you know there was tension behind the scenes? Patrick Swayze had to convince Jennifer Grey to take on the role because she wasn’t too fond of him after their work together on Red Dawn in 1984. Despite their initial differences, their chemistry lit up the screen.