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Gina Gershon's Wild 'Showgirls' Set Secrets Revealed
3 Mar
Summary
- Gershon lied about her age to producers for the role.
- She visited strip clubs for research and claimed expenses.
- Gershon once threw a chair at director Paul Verhoeven.
Actress Gina Gershon's memoir, 'AlphaPussy', offers a deep dive into the making of the cult classic film 'Showgirls'. Gershon dedicated significant portions of her book to the 1995 production, noting that the experiences best encapsulate her personal evolution.
Originally, Prince was slated to compose the film's score, but Dave Stewart ultimately took over. Gershon recalled Prince previously considering her for 'Purple Rain' nearly a decade earlier. For her 'Showgirls' role, Gershon intentionally misrepresented her age, stating she was older to portray a more threatened character nearing 40.
Gershon researched showgirl life by visiting strip clubs, humorously noting the business manager accepted the receipts as tax write-offs. She faced challenges with her accent and even tore a hamstring during her audition, bonding with co-star Elizabeth Berkley in the aftermath. A notable conflict arose with director Paul Verhoeven, leading Gershon to throw a chair at him, though it landed harmlessly.
Despite disagreements, Gershon successfully convinced Verhoeven to drop a full-frontal nudity scene, cleverly suggesting a 'vagina-cam' shot instead. She also described the painful process of applying rhinestones to her nipples for the 'Goddess' number, enduring hours of discomfort for the performance.
