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ABC ‘Dirty Dancing’ Remake To Feature Katey Sagal

By Kirsten Silven
Published on: 11:23 PST, Apr 4, 2016

Katey Sagal will join what is shaping up to be an all-star cast for the upcoming three-hour ABC Dirty Dancing remake, reported Deadline. The actress, whose career is still smoking hot from recent Sons of Anarchy fame, will play Vivian Pressman in the Dirty Dancing remake. Pressman is a former beauty queen and “bungalow bunny” who has a reputation for coloring outside the lines and seducing good-looking male staff members like Johnny Castle (who will be played by Colt Prattes).

Although ABC’s Dirty Dancing movie does closely resemble the original feature film, the remake also weaves some new twists into the plot as a way to freshen up the story for modern audiences. For example, although Pressman is still seen vacationing at the Catskills resort where the Houseman family is enjoying an extended holiday, she’s not so dependent on men for money in the Dirty Dancing remake, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Recently divorced and fabulously wealthy, Vivian introduces Marjorie (Debra Messing) to the freedoms of being single, causing her to question her own marriage.”

Also, Katey Segal’s portrayal of Vivian will also be a bit edgier – perhaps predictably after watching Gemma’s antics on SOA. So when Johnny rejects her to be with Baby Houseman (played by Abigail Breslin), fireworks ensue when Sagal’s character takes matters into her own hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyiDs4iq0wQ

Actress Katey Sagal will join an impressive cast of stars that is reported to include Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek; I, Robot) as Baby’s father Jake, Messing as Baby’s mother Marjorie; Breslin (Scream Queens) as Baby, dancer Cole Prattes as Johnny, Sarah Hyland (Modern Family) as Baby’s older sister Lisa, former Pussycat Dolls singer and dancer Nicole Scherzinger as Penny, Trevor Einhorn (Mad Men) as geeky Neil Kellerman, Shane Harper (Awkward; Happyland) as two-timing waiter Robbie; actor, dancer and choreographer Beau “Casper” Smart (Step Up 3D) as Johnny Castle’s not-as-cool friend Billy Kotsecki, and Billie Dee Williams (Star Wars) as Tito, the band leader for the resort’s house band.

The made-for-TV movie was written by Jessica Sharzer (American Horror Story; The L Word), who also serves as the executive producer. ABC’s Dirty Dancing remake will be produced by Lionsgate TV and Allison Dearmur Productions (The Hunger Games). Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the 1987 screenplay for the original Dirty Dancing movie, has signed on as an executive producer. Tony winner Andy Blankenhuehler (Hamilton, Bring It On) will be in charge of choreography, while Stephen Altman (Gosford Park) will serve as the production designer.

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Other all-stars working on ABC’s rendition of Dirty Dancing will include Adam Anders and Peter Astrom (Glee) on music, as well as Anders with Judy Cairo (Crazy Heart) serving as producers, and Wayne Blair (The Sapphires) as director.

The pending Dirty Dancing remake will be the second television broadcast role for Katey Sagal in 2016. The actress is also scheduled to star in an as-yet-untitled comedy on CBS based on Australia’s Upper Middle Bogen. Sagal is represented by WME and B&B Management. A release date for ABC’s rendition of Dirty Dancing has yet to be confirmed, but the production team will be filming across Western North Carolina throughout April and May, with an expected air date sometime this fall.

[Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]

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