Whatever happened to 'Showgirl' Elizabeth Berkley?

"Nomi, a young drifter, arrives in Las Vegas to become a dancer and soon sets about clawing and pushing her way to become the top of the Vegas showgirls." That's Elizabeth Berkley in 'Showgirls.' A role that would change the actress's reputation in Hollywood, although it may not have been for the better.

Director Paul Verhoeven originally imagined Charlize Theron or Denise Richards in the role of Nomi. It was a fantastic part in the film and the perfect opportunity for a young, up-and-coming actress.

However, 23-year-old Elizabeth Berkley captured the attention of the director, and the young actress landed the role. Elizabeth didn't realize that the role would change her life.

The actress had played Jessica Spano in 'Saved By The Bell' until getting her role on 'Showgirls.' It had been four intense years.

Berkley felt the need not to pigeonhole herself in the teen comedy role, so she auditioned for the film 'Showgirls.' Interestingly, she continues to be remembered for her role on 'Saved by the Bell'.

In the sitcom aimed at teens, Berkley played the stereotype of the perfect student. Good grades, friendly, tall, pretty, and athletic. 'Showgirls' was going to help her put all of that behind her and show Hollywood that she was a woman and could dominate the box office for decades to come.

If Berkley had thought a bit more about the role, she might have ended up turning it down as Sharon Stone, Angelina Jolie, Drew Barrymore, and even Pamela Anderson had already done. Indeed, critics mercilessly shredded 'Showgirls.' They claimed that there were too many gratuitous intimate scenes, an inordinate script, poor acting... The movie became infamous.

Elizabeth Berkley was brave enough to rise to the challenge and take on the role that nobody else wanted. However, being associated with such a flop was not good for her career.

Her agent, who had landed her the role, stopped representing Berkley. Other agents didn't feel like working with her either. Berkley's rise to fame had been taken from her in the blink of an eye. Hollywood went from being a dream to a nightmare.

And that's how Elizabeth Berkley ended up only being able to land minor, episodic roles and low-budget movie appearances. Either way, she has never been without work.

Over the past 25 years, she has appeared in series such as 'CSI: Miami,' 'Baywatch' and 'NYPD Blue,' as well as films like 'The Curse of the Jade Scorpion' by Woody Allen, or 'Any Given Sunday' by Oliver Stone.

Curiously, the episodes she appeared on in 'CSI: Miami' (2008-2009) were a hit with the audience. For nine episodes, she played Julia Winston, Horatio Cane's problematic partner. The guest role gave a boost to the audience of 'CSI: Miami'.

Then, years later, 'Showgirls' experienced a revival and is now something of a cult classic! The actress told Collider that she celebrated this unexpected revival of the film. "I’m blown away by the appreciation of the film and I love that it’s become a cult classic... I could never have known in that more painful moment upon its release, that it would be truly celebrated and held up as this iconic cult classic."

In the interview with Collider, Elizabeth Berkley pointed out how "It’s been a journey." She said she had "no regrets. I just wish it had been a little bit easier, at the time, but we all go through highs and lows. We all go through things. Mine just happened to be very public. As a very, very, very young woman, I had to learn things that were maybe harsh or hard, but I overcame them and came out better and stronger, on every level..."

Image: elizberkley/Instagram

The actress understood that she had to give shape to her frustration and use it for something good. She wanted to help other women not go through the ordeal she had suffered. Also, the day same-sex marriage was legalized in the United States the actress was invited to a special screening of the film. She gave a speech thanking the LGTBIQ + collective for contributing to improving the perception of 'Showgirls'.

In 2006, the actress created a self-esteem help program called 'Ask Elizabeth'. It is a program that runs through schools throughout the United States, offering adolescents the tools to face the common problems of their age.

On her Instagram the actress wrote about the program saying, "10 years of facilitating self esteem workshops as a volunteer in schools for #girls has been my heart and soul mission."

Image: elizberkley/Instagram

The talks cover issues such as self-esteem, social pressure, love, menstruation, relationships, changes... It's a program that without her experience in 'Showgirls' would not have been possible.

Image: elizberkley/Instagram

Neither would her book, 'Ask Elizabeth', a big seller in 2011. In this book, she collected some of the questions that girls between 11 and 18 had asked her. It was one of the bestsellers that year in the United States.

Image: elizberkley/Instagram

If we talk about Hollywood resurrections, Elizabeth Berkley's a most satisfying one. She may not have made a comeback as a movie star, but she's a successful counsellor for thousands of teenagers, and that is worthy of applause.

Another big part of her new life is the 'Saved by the Bell' reboot. In case you hadn't heard, in 2020, Peacock premiered the new show set 26 years from the time the sitcom ended. It was cancelled in May 2022 after two seasons.

Beyond her admirable career, she is also married to American actor, painter and fashion designer Greg Lauren (yep, the nephew of designer Ralph Lauren). They had one son together in 2012.

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