▁and ▁the ▁Mountain ▁Lake ▁Hotel ▁near ▁P embro ke , ▁Virginia , ▁and ▁with ▁careful ▁editing ▁made ▁it ▁look ▁like ▁all ▁shooting ▁was ▁done ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁area . ▁ ▁Cast ing ▁Director ▁Ar d ol ino ▁was ▁ad am ant ▁that ▁they ▁choose ▁d anc ers , ▁such ▁as ▁S way ze , ▁who ▁could ▁also ▁act , ▁as ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁" stand - in " ▁method ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁used ▁with ▁Flash d ance ▁( 1 9 8 3 ). ▁For ▁the ▁female ▁lead ▁of ▁Frances ▁" B aby " ▁H ous eman , ▁Berg stein ▁chose ▁the ▁ 2 6 - year - old ▁Jenn ifer ▁Grey , ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁Oscar - win ning ▁actor ▁and ▁dan cer ▁Jo el ▁Grey ▁( e . g ., ▁of ▁the ▁film ▁Cab aret ▁( 1 9 7 2 )). ▁The ▁produ cers ▁then ▁sought ▁a ▁male ▁lead , ▁initially ▁considering ▁ 2 0 - year - old ▁Billy ▁Z ane , ▁though ▁ ▁initial ▁screen ▁tests ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁partner ed ▁with ▁Grey ▁did ▁not ▁meet ▁expect ations . ▁The ▁next ▁choice ▁was ▁ 3 4 - year - old ▁Patrick ▁S way ze , ▁who ▁appeared ▁in ▁Grand view , ▁U . S . A . ▁( 1 9 8 4 ) ▁and ▁had ▁co - star red ▁with ▁Grey ▁on ▁Red ▁Da wn ▁( 1 9 8 4 ). ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁season ed ▁dan cer , ▁with ▁experience ▁from ▁the ▁J off rey