ABC – 2017(LOS ANGELES) — Abigail Breslin and Colt Prattes are feeling the gravity of remaking Dirty Dancing 30 years after it hit theaters, and a lot of that pressure is coming from close friends and family.
“One of my best friends … she was like, ‘If you don’t do a good job, I will kill you,'” Breslin told ABC News.
Prattes, who is stepping in for the late Patrick Swayze in the film, added that he got the same jokes from those closest to him.
The duo spoke to ABC News a week ahead of the TV release. They shared what it was like on set and the biggest challenges of taking on these roles.
“I’m just excited that people get a little bit more explanation of the characters and of that story line,” Prattes said about the additional plot added to this film. “I’m stoked for people to get more of this story. This is a beautiful story.”
Breslin added that “explanations” and backstory will be given for certain characters’ choices and attitudes. And of course, there’s the “dancing,” something Breslin said was certainly daunting.
“I don’t think that the words graceful and Abigail Breslin have ever been in a sentence together,” the Oscar nominee joked. “I was terrified. I was really lucky I was working with Colt … and everybody on the choreography end of things … I had to learn to dance.”
The two young actors said Jennifer Grey, who played the original “Baby,” was very supportive of the remake.
“I met [her] after we filmed and she was lovely and so sweet,” Breslin said. “But before hand, we mostly hung out with each other. We were doing something that was a little bit different. It’s kind of hard to get advice from those who were in the original when that’s of its own unique experience.”
Dirty Dancing will air on May 24 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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