Cynthia Rhodes (born November 21, 1956) is an American actress, singer and dancer.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Rhodes began her career at Opryland USA as a singer and dancer while attending McGavock High School in Nashville, Tennessee, during the 1970s. Not long after, she branched out into films with small roles in movies such as the fantasy musical Xanadu (1980) and Francis Ford Coppola's film One from the Heart (1982). Following a minor part in the hit musical film Flashdance, Rhodes got to play the role of ensemble dancer and Tony Manero's (John Travolta) love interest Jackie in Sylvester Stallone's film Staying Alive; sequel to the hit film Saturday Night Fever.
Rhodes was very clear about her career choices and turned down scripts that included nudity. Born and raised in a sturdy Baptist family, she felt very strongly about maintaining a clean-cut image. In a similar vein, Rhodes refused offers to pose for Playboy magazine. Sylvester Stallone was quoted in People as saying, "This girl would sooner quit the business before doing anything to embarrass her parents."
Rhodes garnered her first non-dance related role in Michael Crichton's science fiction thriller Runaway opposite Tom Selleck, Kirstie Alley, and Gene Simmons. Her highest profile role was her character Penny Johnson in the hit movie Dirty Dancing, opposite Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. Rhodes' last film role was the character of Vickie Phillips opposite actor Jameson Parker in the sleeper action/adventure film titled Curse of the Crystal Eye.
Rhodes' talents as a dancer were seen in music videos such as "Rosanna" by Toto, "Woman In You" by the Bee Gees, and "Don't Mean Nothing" by Richard Marx. She was a dancer for the glam rock band The Tubes when they toured in the early '80s, and enjoyed a stay of success in the late '80s as a singer with the pop group Animotion. Their song "Room to Move" was a Top Ten hit on the Billboard charts. In 2002, Rhodes co-wrote the smooth jazz track "Perfect Day" with husband Richard Marx for trumpet virtuoso Chris Botti's holiday album titled December.
Rhodes met pop singer/songwriter Richard Marx in 1983 while she was working on a duet for the soundtrack of Staying Alive. Rhodes, seven years his senior, thought he was much too young for her at the time. Marx and Rhodes didn't start dating until two years later, when they both met again at a party. After a four-year courtship, the couple married on January 8, 1989. Even though Rhodes had a very fruitful career at the time, she made the conscious decision to retire from film acting, dancing, and singing to become stay-at-home mom to the couple's three sons. They reside together in Lake Bluff, Illinois.
