Elizabeth Berkley Lauren is looking back at the backlash surrounding her 1995 role in “Showgirls”.
According to the actress, 48, she felt “left out in the cold” and treated like a “pariah” during the controversial run. “Showgirls” was a box office bomb after only making $37.8 million from a budget of $52 to $56 million ($40 to 45 million USD).
“Of course it was disappointing that it didn’t do well, but there was so much cruelty around it,” Berkley Lauren recalled to People magazine. “I was bullied. And I didn’t understand why I was being blamed. The job as an actor is to fulfill the vision of the director. And I did everything I was supposed to do.”
She added, “No one associated with the film spoke up on my behalf to protect me.”
While many believed the “Saved By The Bell” alum used the film to remove herself from Jessie Spano on the beloved sitcom, Berkley Lauren admits it was the opposite, “‘Saved By The Bell’ was a beautiful first rite of passage for me… but as an artist, I was excited to dive a little deeper and explore.”
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“I wasn’t looking for shock value,” she added. “That wasn’t my intention. When I first read about the role, it was a visceral moment. I thought, ‘that’s mine.'”
Berkley Lauren went on to find success in films like “First Wives Club” and “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion”. She’s currently set to star in the upcoming “Saved By The Bell” reboot.
