Elizabeth Berkley has been on tour with “Showgirls” to commemorate its 30th anniversary — but 30 years ago there was nothing to celebrate.
As the former “Saved by the Bell” star told the Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Monday, the reception to the 1995 film was so brutal that she was unable to land any acting jobs in the aftermath.
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“For a good two years, I wasn’t allowed to audition for things,” Berkley said. “The hardest part was being literally locked out of something I loved so much.”
This meant the actor had to fight her way back into Hollywood’s good graces — and she has. One of her most recent roles is a guest spot on the star-studded (but similarly panned) campy legal drama “All’s Fair.”
Directed by Paul Verhoeven from a script by his “Basic Instinct” collaborator Joe Eszterhas, “Showgirls” was Berkley’s first starring film role as well as her first big project after her time on the teen TV breakout “Saved by the Bell.” But the movie was mired in controversy, from its NC-17 rating to the hostile reviews and cratering at the box office.
“I took a beating, guys,” Berkley reportedly said during a fan Q&A before a recent screening. “It was not fun for a little while. I’m not going to lie. It was painful. I was isolated. I felt abandoned by the very people I collaborated with.”
The Times reported in 1995 that Berkley was “unfairly” taking most of the heat for how “Showgirls” was received, noting at the time that she had been dropped by her agent and had yet to line up her next job.
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The latest Hollywood Reporter interview recounts how at the time Berkley was left to fend for herself on the film’s press tour and that preparation involved publicists showing her clips of reviews that insulted her looks and acting ability.
“A lot of things went on that wouldn’t be allowed now — someone could not be pummeled to that degree,” Berkley said to the outlet. “I couldn’t understand how people could be so cruel, but I’m tough. I had to separate out what they said from what I believed to be true.”
“Showgirls,” of course, has since been reevaluated and embraced by audiences and academics, elevating it beyond even its cult status. It’s a redemption arc that Berkley especially deserves to celebrate.
“I’ve had some obstacles,” she said, “but I’ve never given up.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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