Elizabeth Berkley has embraced the 30th anniversary of Showgirls, the controversial stripper film that initially derailed her career, by starring in a nostalgic new fashion campaign for designer Betsey Johnson.
A Full-Circle Fashion Moment
The 53-year-old actress, famously known as the 'original showgirl', posed in custom Johnson outfits inspired by the 1995 erotic drama that also starred Gina Gershon. This collaboration forms part of Johnson's stunning Holiday 2025 campaign, which launched on Wednesday.
The campaign was shot on a set filled with nostalgic Easter eggs, featuring vintage costumes and subtle references to Berkley's own background as a dancer. The company described the aesthetic as 'blending fantasy and nostalgia into a showstopping spectacle'.
'Betsey's designs have always embodied confidence, bold individuality, and playfulness,' Berkley revealed. 'I've worn her creations since I was a teen. Like the perfect mixtape, her clothing has been the soundtrack to so many memories, marking different ages, stages, and milestones in my life.'
From Career Ruin to Cult Classic
The daring movie was universally trashed upon its release in 1995, with critics ridiculing its cheap dialogue and excessive cheesiness. The commercial failure and NC-17 rating made Berkley persona non grata in Hollywood shortly after she'd left her breakthrough role in Saved by the Bell.
However, Showgirls experienced an extraordinary revival, becoming a massive cult favourite thanks partly to Berkley's over-the-top performance as stripper Nomi Malone and its memorable, often ridiculous lines.
'Of course it was disappointing that it didn't do well, but there was so much cruelty around it. I was bullied,' Berkley told People two years ago. 'No one associated with the film spoke up on my behalf to protect me. I was left out in the cold and I was a pariah in the industry I had worked so hard for.'
Triumphant Return and Personal Milestones
This fashion campaign represents a particularly meaningful full-circle moment for Berkley, who spent her first Saved by the Bell paycheck at a Betsey Johnson store and wore one of the designer's dresses to her Showgirls audition.
Johnson reciprocated the admiration, stating: 'Elizabeth and I have always believed in standing out, shining brighter, and dancing to your own rhythm. She's the original showgirl, bold, fearless, and fabulous. This holiday, it's all about owning your moment.'
Berkley's career has seen a significant resurgence recently. She appears in Kim Kardashian's legal drama All's Fair alongside Naomi Watts and Glenn Close, playing a law firm client seeking divorce. At the premiere, her husband of 22 years, Greg Lauren - son of fashion icon Ralph Lauren - made a supportive gesture by wearing a T-shirt featuring her image from Showgirls.
The actress has also returned to the Saved by the Bell franchise for its Peacock reboot and appeared in HBO's The Idol, demonstrating her enduring presence in the entertainment industry three decades after the film that nearly ended her career.
