‘Showgirls’ Muse Elizabeth Berkley Reveals Her Never-Before-Seen Audition Reel
At the Showgirls 30th anniversary screening in Austin, Texas, at the historic Paramount Theatre, Goddess star and Doggy Chow enthusiast Elizabeth Berkley was on hand to introduce the now-celebrated cult classic, which has evolved from a notorious box-office flop into a beloved midnight-movie phenomenon adored by fans around the world.
The audition featured the notorious restaurant scene where her character, Nomi Malone, shares an intense lunch with frenemy Cristal Connors (Gina Gershon). In the clip, Berkley delivers the now-iconic, over-the-top dialogue with striking precision, revealing that both women once dined on dog food, divulging the origins of Cristal’s name, and culminating in a simmering showdown that perfectly foreshadows their love-hate rivalry to come.
Apparently, this was the audition that impressed producer Charles Evans so much that he went straight to director Paul Verhoeven and persuaded him to cast Berkley as Nomi Malone.
@carlideville Watch Elizabeth Berkley’s never-before-seen audition take on the iconic “restaurant scene” as Nomi Malone—debuted live at the Showgirls 30th Anniversary screening in Austin 🖤🎬 This is the raw moment that could’ve defined the legend before she even stepped on set. From her first read to the cult classic we worship today, this clip is everything. #Showgirls #ElizabethBerkley #NomiMalone #30thAnniversaryScreening #Showgirls30 ♬ original sound – Carli de Ville | Pop Culture
The clip was a perfect choice as the scene and the “Doggy Chow” moment are now synonymous with camp cinema. Critics and fans alike often cite this scene as the pinnacle of the film’s unintentional genius: an awkward, earnest attempt at bonding that perfectly captures Showgirls’ blend of ambition, excess, and accidental comedy.
The scene morphs from a girls’ lunch to one of high tension and conflict at the blink of an eye, as Cristal attempts to size Nomi up by pushing her buttons and asserting control while pretending to bond. Nomi, defensive but eager to impress, falls right into her trap.
SHOWGIRLS, Gina Gershon, Elizabeth Berkley, 1995. (c) United Artists/ Courtesy: Everett Collection.
Director Verhoeven stands firm that the scene was intended as a satire of Hollywood lunches and is often misunderstood: “I believe the problem with Showgirls has always been that there is still a misunderstanding of the movie,” said Verhoeven. “We were making a film that was hyperbolic and an exaggeration, and so my intention was always to use a style that was exaggerated in everything.”
“Still to this day, it is widely considered a bad movie, but I think that’s because people still don’t understand it. I used exaggerated nudity, colors, and movement,” explained Verhoeven.
United Artists / Courtesy Everett Collection
According to Gershon, her acting choices in the scene were intentional. “I decided to make a character that the drag queens would want to perform,” said Gershon about creating the character of Cristol. “I started having fun with it. I thought it was the only way to get through it.”
At the end of the clip, Berkley took the stage to a standing ovation and delighted the audience with a brief reprise of her iconic hand choreography from the film, basking in the crowd’s cheers and the long-overdue appreciation for a performance that has evolved from controversy to cult legend.
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