Jan from 'Grease' Went Gray Prematurely & Left Hollywood for 20 Years for Her 2 Kids - Pics of the Pretty Woman with Silver Hair

She's best remembered for her iconic role in "Grease," but there's more to her story than what fans saw on-screen. After a two-decade break, she returned to Hollywood with a renewed passion and a striking new look.

Her character in the 1978 film "Grease" may have been quirky and fun, but her life off-screen followed a different script. At the height of her career, she chose to walk away from the fast pace of Hollywood to focus on raising her children.

During her years away from acting, she found fulfillment in raising her children, later transitioning into a new role as a mentor for young actors. Her return to the public eye showed a woman comfortable in her own skin, having found the balance between family and career.

How She Landed the Role in "Grease"

Before she became known to millions as Jan, Jamie Donnelly first stepped into the role on Broadway. Though initially hesitant to take the part—having been accustomed to larger roles—her manager convinced her to give it a shot. The manager, who also worked with John Travolta, believed the role could open new doors for her.

She signed a six-month contract instead of the longer one-year deal they wanted. Despite her initial reservations, she ended up enjoying the role and stayed longer than expected. However, the original actress for Jan was brought back, and she was abruptly fired.

The experience was deeply humiliating, but in hindsight, she now recognizes it as a turning point. Seven years later, her manager urged her to audition for the "Grease" movie. However, due to her previous experience, she was reluctant.

"I said, 'I don't wanna go near that thing again.' And he said, 'You ought to give it a shot,'" she recalled. She went for it—and this time, landed the role that made her famous. "I didn't know then that the movie would be the hit that it is but, of course, now when people think of the character Jan, I'm the person that they think of."

One of the most memorable scenes in the film is the pajama party, where her character delivers the iconic "Brusha, brusha, brusha, get the new Ipana" line. This wasn't in the original script, but a suggestion she made to the director.

After showing the crew an old Bucky Beaver toothpaste commercial that inspired the line, they found it so funny that they added it to the movie. Fans remember it to this day as one of Jan's standout moments. While "Grease" fans remember her as the pigtailed Pink Lady, the actress was already dealing with something most didn't know.

She had prematurely gray hair. To fit the role of the youthful Jan, she dyed her hair for the movie. Not long after the success of "Grease," she decided to step away from Hollywood. Her break, which stretched for nearly two decades, wasn't driven by a lack of opportunities but by a commitment to her family.

She chose to focus on raising her two children, a move she never regretted. Balancing the demands of acting with being a mother wasn't easy, so she put her career on hold to ensure she could be fully present for her kids during their formative years.

Family and Career Changes

After nearly two decades away from the screen, Donnelly made her return in the late 1990s. Her first roles after her long hiatus were in the 1998 films "Slappy and the Stinkers" and "Can't Hardly Wait." These parts weren't as high-profile as "Grease," but they marked her quiet re-entry into the industry.

By this time, her children were grown, and she felt ready to reconnect with the world of acting. In 2015, she took on a more prominent role in the film "Black Mass," which starred Johnny Depp. While her return to acting was a gradual process, it allowed her to step back into the spotlight when she felt ready.

While her initial run in Hollywood was successful, her personal life has always been her true focus. Before making it in the entertainment world, she spent her formative years at Mountain Lakes School.

Reflecting on that time, she recalled, "I was at Mountain Lakes through all my high school years. I came right before I was a freshman and I was there through my high school graduation, and that was in '64." Donnelly's experiences at Mountain Lakes were part of the foundation that would later shape her acting career.

Later in life, she married author and screenwriter Stephen H. Foreman, and together they have two children: a son, Sevi, and a daughter, Madden Rose. Her time away from the spotlight allowed her to enjoy a fulfilling family life, a choice that she never regretted.

Now a grandmother, she cherishes her time with her family while still occasionally stepping back into the entertainment scene. Though she paused her acting career, she didn't give up her passion for the stage entirely.

After about a decade away from Hollywood, she took on a new role as an acting coach, helping guide the next generation of actors while balancing her responsibilities at home. Her transition into coaching allowed her to stay connected to her love for the performing arts without the pressures of the Hollywood scene.

Her Current Life in New York

Today, she balances her work as an acting coach in California with a quieter life in West Kill, New York. Her rural home provides a peaceful retreat from the Hollywood spotlight, and she's embraced this slower pace. According to her social media, she enjoys her time living away from the industry while still sharing her expertise with aspiring actors.

Her silver hair, now one of her defining features, reflects both her natural aging and her acceptance of this new stage in life. Though she isn’t regularly seen in front of the camera, she continues to influence the acting world through her coaching.

Donnelly's journey from "Grease" to today highlights a career defined by personal choices, family, and her continued connection to the arts on her own terms.