“I felt abandoned by the very people I collaborated with”: Elizabeth Berkley opens up about the “painful” fallout from Showgirls role

It's been three decades since Showgirls hit theaters, and Elizabeth Berkley is finally getting real about just how brutal the aftermath was.

During the 30th anniversary screening of the erotic film in Austin, TX, on Oct. 9, the actress dished on the backlash she received when the movie premiered in 1995.

"I took a beating, guys. 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 actress shared with People:

"I'm not a victim. I never have been a victim. I never will be a victim. And because of your love and your embrace of this film, in the face of that vitriolic cruelty from journalists and industry people, but because of you, we're standing here sharing a meaningful evening together."

Elizabeth Berkley reveals her Saved by the Bell co-stars stood by her side amid the backlash: "They’re like siblings to me"

In the film, Elizabeth Berkley stars as Nomi Malone, a pole dancer in Las Vegas to make ends meet and eventually make it as a showgirl. At the time, she had come straight from the hit family-friendly TV series, Saved by the Bell, when she began filming for Showgirls.

The movie, which was rated NC-17, received poor box office turnout, while Elizabeth Berkley was personally chastised by the media. In a 2013 Variety interview, the actress confessed she stopped dancing after the movie.

"It was a bit of a difficult time for me personally, because a lot of doors were shut at that time. I had to find my strength and my confidence and go back out there again. I think that because it was so criticized, it was humiliating – doing anything that was connected to the film was not fun. So I think being able to find a relationship to my dancing, which something I loved, has been healing."

Paul Verhoeven echoed Elizabeth Berkley's sentiment in a 2025 Far Out article, saying:

"It made my life more difficult, but not to the degree it did Elizabeth's. Hollywood turned their backs on her."

He added:

"If somebody has to be blamed, it should be me because I thought that it was interesting to portray somebody like that. I asked Elizabeth to do all that. To be abrupt and to act in that way, but people have been attacking her about for that ever since."

Fortunately, Elizabeth Berkley's Saved by the Bell co-stars were nothing but supportive. She told People:

"We were very close and we still are. They’re like siblings to me. When I got the role, they were just happy for me. I mean, we were all wanting to kind of branch out and do new things."

During her conversation with the outlet, she discussed how she landed the role in Showgirls and expressed a heartfelt message about achieving dreams.

"When I saw they needed a girl who could dance, who could act, who could play a showgirl and ‘Oh, my God,’ Paul Verhoeven, who had just made Sharon Stone the biggest star in the world, was directing it?! I stopped at nothing to go after this role."

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She went on:

"I'm sure some of you beautiful humans here at some point in your life had someone tell you it was not possible. Whatever you were dreaming for yourself, whatever you were hoping for yourself, wishing for yourself, whatever vision you held for yourself. And I sure as hell hope you showed them what was possible. If you haven't yet, it's not too late.”

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