The film's title was almost changed to I Was a Teenage Mambo Queen after Dirty Dancing caused authorities at the Canadian border to hold up the dailies "because they thought it was a porn film,"
Billy Zane, Benicio Del Toro and Val Kilmer were all considered for brooding dance instructor Johnny Castle before Patrick Swayze
But Swayze almost turned down Dirty Dancing due to a serious knee injury he sustained during his Broadway days, with his resume even reading "no dancing."
Before Jennifer Grey was cast as Baby, Sarah Jessica Parker and Winona Ryder auditioned. Grey later revealed to The New York Times that she was paid $50,000 for the film.
Non-dancer Grey admitted she was terrified to partner with Swayze, despite already having worked with him in Red Dawn.
Choreographer Kenny Ortega used their real-life dynamic to fuel Johnny and Baby's chemistry on-screen.
A turning point for the actors came during the film's iconic lift scene in the lake, Swayze and Grey bonding over the difficult experience.
But all their hard work proved to be worth it, with Grey reflecting on finally nailing the lift with Swayze in her 2022 memoir, Out of the Corner,
The scene in which Baby keeps laughing as Johnny trails his fingers down her arm was unscripted as Grey really was ticklish and Swayze's annoyance was very real.
Sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer was initially set to play Mrs. Schumacher, but she backed out when she learned the character was revealed to be the resort's thief.