Gina Gershonhas complicated feelings aboutShowgirls.
In an appearance onThe Julia Cunningham Show, Gershon revealed that she couldn't watch the cult favorite "for years" because of how difficult it was to work on. She shared that she "thought it was going to be a different movie than it was," leading to multiple disagreements with directorPaul Verhoevanduring filming.
"I would get very tense and anxious when I thought about certain things and and stories," Gershon said.
Gershon said she had "a little bit of PTSD" from playing Cristal Connors, the star of a topless dance revue in Las Vegas and rival to aspiring dancer Nomi (Elizabeth Berkley). She recalled arguing with Verhoeven over her character's accent, the direction of the film, andthe inclusion of the gruesome rape scene.
"I wanted to have 'accent, accent,' and then when you see her backstage, she has no accent," Gershon said, referring to Cristal's exaggerated country twang. "She like talks, she's like a Jersey girl or something. Everything fake. I wanted every single thing fake."
She also shared that she was "so offended" by the brutal sexual assault scene involving kindhearted seamstress Molly (Gina Ravera). Gershon said that she advocated for having it taken out ahead ofShowgirls' release. However, three decades later, she said she now understands its inclusion.
"It is really a comment on like ugly America, and on capitalism and power struggles and dynamics and all those things, that of course that rape scene has to be there," she said. "It's the grossest thing in there — and the powerful men, they're all protected."
Advertisement
Gershon said she was "in survival mode" while shootingShowgirlsbecause she was afraid it would end her career if her performance was lacking. While the film was panned upon release, it has since experienced a cultural reappraisal, garnering homages from the likes ofAriana Grande.
Now that she understands the message inShowgirls, Gershon has a better appreciation for it. But she told Cunningham she would've liked Verhoeven to be more communicative about his vision for the movie.
"I wish he had just clued me in saying 'This is why this is there,'" she said.
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.
Despite the fact that the film was not what she expected, Gershon said it was a good learning experience that taught her to be adaptable.
"I just changed my approach to the whole character," she said. "So that was kind of interesting. It was a good lesson."
Check out a snippet of Gina Gershon's interview onThe Julia Cunningham Showabove.
Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly