A lot of times our minds wander and we think about certain celebrities we once adored. And if those celebrities have long since disappeared from the limelight, we often wonder what they might look like now. The story for Jamie Donnelly is the same – a lot of people loved her when she appeared in the hit 1978 movie, Grease.
But unlike John Travolta, who also starred in the hit film, she disappeared from the public eye. If you have ever wondered what happened to Jan from Grease, we have the answers for you! Keep reading to know what her life looks like today.
Jamie Donnelly played the character of Jan in the movie Grease. Her role was that of a fun and quirky girl, which she played perfectly. While the role got her noticed by millions around the world, she decided to end her career at its peak and instead focus on her home and raising her kids.
Before accepting the role of Jan, Donnelly was already a rising star on Broadway. Initially hesitant to play Jan, since she was used to playing bigger roles, her manager, who also worked with John Travolta, convinced her to take the shot. She accepted the role first on Broadway with a six-month contract, but when the originally actress who played the role returned, Jan was unceremoniously fired. Seven years later, she was urged by her manager to try out for the Grease movie. She landed the role, and now when people think of the character Jan, they think of her.
One of her most iconic scenes is when she said “Brusha, brusha, brusha, get the new Ipana” line during the pajama party scene. This was not in the script but a suggestion she made to the director herself. Fans remember it fondly as one of Jan’s standout moments. While fans thought of her as a carefree spirit, she was personally dealing with things few had any idea about.
She had dyed her hair for the role since she had prematurely grayed. But not long after Grease became a certified success, the actress decided to part ways with Hollywood. She took a break that stretched for over two decades, not because of lack of opportunities, but because she wanted to be committed to her family. A career as an actor is not easy and requires ample time away from home and family, and since she wanted to be present for her children, she decided to put acting on the backburner.
After over twenty years of being absent from Hollywood, Donnelly returned to acting in the late 1990s. Her first role after her break was in the 1998 film “Slappy and the Stinkers” and “Can’t Hardly Wait,” in the same year. Her children were grown up by now, and she felt it was time to reenter the world of acting again. In 2015, she appeared in a significant role in the movie Black Mass, which also starred Johnny Depp.
Jamie Donnelly spent her youth at Mountain Lakes School and remembers the time fondly. She later married Stephen H. Foreman, a writer and author. The couple shares two children, a son Sevi, and a daughter Madden Rose. Now, Donnelly is a grandmother who cherishes time with her family. The actress has transitioned into a new career and wants to help younger actors in the industry. She has started a career in acting coaching.
Jamie Donnelly now proudly shows off her silver locks and does not mind the natural aging process at this stage in her life. She may not appear in front of the camera often now, but her role as Jan in Grease will forever live on. Share this piece with other fans of the actress who might like to know what she has been up to lately.
