Elizabeth Berkley was banned from Hollywood for years over controversial film that became cult classic
Elizabeth Berkley for many is known for her iconic role on Saved by the Bell as Jessie, but that wasn’t enough to stop her from being banned from auditioning from any roles in Hollywood for years after a massive box office bust.
Saved by the Bell created some pretty major stars, including the late Eric Dane who got his start on the 90s TV show.
Berkley was one of the main celebrity stars to benefit from the show, going on to appear in Any Given Sunday and The First Wives Club.
Both these films came however after she returned to Hollywood two years after her controversial movie Showgirls came out.
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Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the 1995 movie was an X-Rated portrayal of a young woman who heads to Las Vegas to become a showgirl.
Showgirls was a critical and commercial flop, with Berkley being the subject of the worst criticism
Showgirls’ NC-17 rating made it a tricky proposition to turn a profit due to its $45 million budget, raking in just $37.8 million at the box office.
It was similarly panned by critics, sitting at just 24% on Rotten Tomatoes and widely considered one of the worst films of all time.
Janet Maslin of The New York Times said in a review of the film: “The film makers had declared they were bravely exploring new levels of licentiousness, but the biggest risk they've taken here is in making a nearly $40 million movie without anyone who can act.”
Add to this the whopping seven Razzies awards they won and it is fair to say it was one of the most widely hated films of the 90s.
The film became a cult classic and very profitable, but it ‘ruined’ Berkley’s career
Showgirls later became profitable due to its highly successful home video and VHS sales, earning over $100 million.
Despite this, Berkley has spoken about the backlash to the film nearly ruined her career and locked her out of Hollywood for two years.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: “For a good two years, I wasn’t allowed to audition for things. The hardest part was being literally locked out of something I loved so much.” This changed when she was cast in The First Wives, sending in an audition tape because she wasn’t allowed to physically go into the offices to audition.
Berkley stated she had no idea the scale of the cultural re-evaluation of Showgirls until she attended a 20-year-anniversary in Los Angeles, saying: “It was such a profound moment, I can’t even tell you.” This led her to last year lead a nationwide Showgirls reunion tour, going on to add: “It’s the perfect moment to reclaim my narrative, share my story and celebrate and thank the fans in person.
“I’ve had some obstacles, but I’ve never given up… a lot of dreams have come true — with a lot more to come.”
She has more recently starred in All’s Fair, Cobra Kai, and the 2020 Saved by the Bell reboot.
Topics: Celebrity, TV and Film, Film, Nostalgia
Michael Slavin