Dirty Dancing is one of those iconic movies that just continues to thrill audiences. It’s amazing to think that it has been decades since it was released and it is still being discussed today.
Most people tend to focus on the primary stars of the movie Dirty Dancing, including Patrick Swayze. Actually, there is someone else who is noteworthy from the movie, Cynthia Rhodes.
Cynthia played the part of Penny, and she really made a mark on Hollywood, thanks to a part of that movie. She was born in 1956 and she had a lot of singing and dancing talent, as well as being a great actress.
It wasn’t long before she was a very popular actress and built a fan base that continued to grow. Suddenly, however, it seemed as if she disappeared from the limelight and many people wondered what happened.
Rhodes was building a very successful career in Hollywood but she decided to choose something that was much different. We all have to make these decisions in life, but her sudden disappearance from the spotlight left many to wonder what happened.
From a very young age, Rhodes, who is from Tennessee, was interested in dancing. She said that she started when she was about three years old but when she was 16, she started to train professionally.
It’s obvious that she was dedicated to dancing and she was even working to be part of the Olympics. Her routines would last eight hours a day, but she eventually was led to Hollywood and became a famous actress.
In looking back over her career, she said that the preparation before filming stuck out in her mind. She would work with Patrick Swayze for up to 10 hours a day, saying that it was the hardest rehearsal she had ever had.
The work that she was putting into the movie took a toll on her body and she decided to step back from dancing professionally. She also was interested in keeping the clean-cut image in her acting role, so if there was nudity involved, she would turn it down.
Along with her role in Dirty Dancing, she also started fields, including Staying Alive, Flashdance, and Runaway.
After becoming famous, she married a famous singer, Richard Marx. He has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and they Met in 1983.
They didn’t do well together at first but after being around each other for two years, they started dating and ended up getting married in 1989. Marx even said that she was the inspiration behind the wrote, Right Here Waiting.
The pair had three boys together, Brandon, Lucas, and Jesse. After being married for a few years, they decided they would leave Los Angeles and move to Chicago. Rather than focusing on their careers, they focused on their family.
Rhodes became a stay-at-home mother, dedicating herself to raising their children. That journey did more than build them up as a family, it deepened the love their fans had for her.
Although it seemed to be the perfect union, they were only married for 25 years when they decided to get divorced. That shocking news came in 2014, and they never did say why they decided to separate.
He did express his affection for her, even though they were separated. He said: “What I will say is that I had the great fortune and blessing to not only be married to Cynthia for all those years but to just share her company,.”
Marx was remarried in 2015 and many people were surprised at the resemblance his new bride had to his first wife. Rhodes has since stayed out of the limelight for the most part and less is known about her life in general.
Despite the difficulties they have faced, they still remain in close contact and share in raising their sons. All three of their children are pursuing music careers like their father.
We wish both of them all the best and success to the entire family.
