How Drew Barrymore Made It Into Showgirls Despite Not Being Cast
Although it was notoriously hated at the time, Showgirls, which was highly erotic and featured a lot of nudity, has developed something of a cult following over the years.
Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the 1995 movie follows Nomi Malone, an aspiring dancer who hitches a ride to LA in order to fulfil her dream of becoming a showgirl.
While Nomi was played by Elizabeth Berkley, there were plenty of other names in the mix for the now-infamous role. Drew Barrymore and Charlize Theron are arguably the most well-known, and during an appearance on the Drew Barrymore Show, the pair discussed this Showgirls casting showdown.
How Did Drew Barrymore Make It Into Showgirls?
Things kicked off with Barrymore asking Theron if she was considering doing Showgirls in the ‘90s, to which she replied that she was. “It was my third audition and I was like, ‘Give me the job,’” she recalled.
Drew then went on to add that she knew the script “intimately,” which led to Theron asking if she went up for the job, too.
“Okay, not only did I go up for it, but I think at one point, and I'm dying to talk to Elizabeth Berkley about it, I was so apparently going to do it, that when it didn't happen… There’s my name on the mirror at the station she’s changing into…”
As she said this, Barrymore shared a screenshot of and explained a shot from the movie where a piece of paper saying ‘Drew’ was taken off a dressing table mirror, to which Theron responded, “That is amazing.”
“I’m very linked into this film and I really really thought about what it would be like to do this particular film,” Barrymore added. “These films do not come around that often.”
“It was also Paul Verhoeven who had just done Basic Instinct: a film I really loved,” Theron continued, “Loved. And Robocop and Total Recall,” Barrymore chimed in.
“But that was his movie before so I think people forget that,” Theron said. “But I love that it’s become a cult classic… And [Berkley] deserves it, you know, I feel like she was treated so unfairly, really really unfairly, what people did to her after that movie, how they talked about it really, it's shameful and so I'm glad that she’s getting her praise and her flowers.”
How Did Showgirls Impact Elizabeth Berkley?
When Showgirls was released, it wasn’t just critically panned — it also failed to make its budget back during its cinematic release.
The movie had a huge impact on Berkley’s career. According to a 1995 LA Times article, she was dropped by her agent at the time, Mike Menchel. An industry source told the outlet that, at that time, other agents were refusing to take her calls, leaving her without representation.
Reflecting on the career hit she took post-Showgirls, Berkley said in a 2013 Variety interview that, despite everything, she doesn’t regret the movie.
“No, regret is not a word that I connect to in my life,” she said. “I truly believe that everything we walk through and go through is a lesson. Was it difficult and did it hurt? Yes. I became more discerning about my choices and wanted to feel safe again. I had to open those doors back up myself. Luckily, Sherry Lansing was a mentor to me around that time, and First Wives Club was the first big thing I got after that.”
