Jennifer Grey is mourning the loss of her mother, Jo Wilder, who died at age 94 after a recent lung cancer diagnosis. Grey announced her mother's passing on Instagram, stating that Wilder died “by her own choosing” and “on her own terms.”
“A week earlier, she learned she had lung cancer. True to who she was, she chose grace over fear, understanding that leaving this world with dignity is an honor, not a tragedy,” Grey wrote in her Instagram post. She described Wilder as “brave” and “deep.”
Wilder, born in Brooklyn, New York, had a brief acting career in her youth, making her Broadway debut in the musical “She Loves Me” in 1963 and appearing in television series in the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, she prioritized motherhood over her career, choosing to step away to raise Jennifer and her brother, James Katz.
Wilder married actor Joel Grey in 1958. Jennifer Grey recalled in her 2022 memoir, “Out of the Corner,” that her mother believed it was not practical for two actors to be in the same family and that her father “needed it more.” Joel Grey went on to achieve significant success, including an Oscar win in 1973 for his role in the film adaptation of “Cabaret.”
Joel Grey and Jo Wilder divorced in 1982 but appeared to maintain an amicable relationship, attending public events together. Joel Grey came out as gay in 2015.
Jennifer Grey, currently working on a sequel to “Dirty Dancing,” has spoken of her gratitude for her mother. In a 2022 appearance on “Live with Kelly and Mark,” she said, “I’m so grateful that I still have my mother. She’s such a beautiful, beautiful woman, and she’s been just such an incredible champion of mine.”
Grey concluded her Instagram tribute by expressing her love for her mother and thanking her for showing her how to approach life, and even death, with grace. The announcement drew condolences from Hollywood friends, including Richard Marx and Julianne Moore.