Jennifer Grey is mourning her mother, Jo Wilder, after a lung cancer diagnosis that came just one week before her death.
People reported that Wilder died on July 4 at age 94. In an Instagram tribute, Grey wrote that her mother died “by her own choosing” and “on her own terms”.
The Dirty Dancing star used the post to remember Wilder as an actress, mother, activist and woman whose final decision was consistent with her independence.
Grey Remembered Her Mother’s Final Decision
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Grey wrote that Wilder learned she had lung cancer one week before her death. She said her mother chose “grace over fear” and described leaving the world with dignity as an honor rather than a tragedy.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Grey shared a series of black-and-white photos with the tribute. Grey called her mother brave, deep, gorgeous and talented, and thanked her for showing her how to face even the end of life with grace.
People reported that Richard E. Grant, Maggie Wheeler and Tracy Pollan responded with support, while Grey’s ex-husband, Clark Gregg, commented with heart emojis.
Wilder Had Her Own Acting Career
Wilder had a creative life before she became a mother. People reported that Grey described her as a promising young actress on the New York stage before Wilder started a family with actor Joel Grey.
Wilder and Joel Grey shared two children Jennifer Grey and son James Katz, who works as a chef. Jennifer wrote that her mother used to say she had never fully answered her acting calling because she became a mother instead.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Wilder’s television credits included appearances on 1960s shows such as The Defenders, The Nurses and The Detectives. The outlet also noted that Wilder studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse, where Sanford Meisner taught generations of actors.
Her Creativity Extended Beyond the Stage
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She described her mother as a lifelong activist with a strong sense of right and wrong, and remembered the creative eye many people encountered through Wilder Place, her long-running boutique on Melrose in Los Angeles.
Grey wrote that if her mother had chosen ambition over family, she and her brother would not have had the mother they did.
Grey Had Often Celebrated Her Mother Publicly
Grey had shared posts about Wilder before her death, including Mother’s Day tributes in recent years. Entertainment Weekly reported that Grey posted about spending Mother’s Day with Wilder and her brother in 2024, calling her mother a “92-year-old beauty.”
People also noted that Grey told the outlet in 2022 that she spoke to both of her parents every day. Wilder is survived by Jennifer Grey, James Katz and Joel Grey.